when something is deleted on your computer,it's still on your hard drive .right?
86470
When you first delete a file, it does still exist on your hard drive. However, the space that the file took up on the drive is now free to be reused by other files. This does mean that a new file can overwrite the old file, making it difficult to read or retrieve. However, even when a file has been written over, it is still possible to retrieve the underlying data. I have read that in some cases, experts with advanced tools can retrieve files that have been overwritten five or six times. There are programs out there that make sure data is really deleted by overwriting a file up to a hundred times with random data. This is probably overkill, but I'm sure it's effective. In most cases for normal people, such extreme measures should not be necessary.
696923
you need to find who it originally belonged to or clean off the hd completely
744476
You may have accidentally drop your PC or there may be some foreign object in your hard drive.
1133716
YES, the actual files remain on your computer.  When you delete a file the name of the file is transferred to the Trash Can.  When you empty the Trash Can the file's name is erased from the File Allocation Table (FAT, which just tells the computer where to find the file).  However, the file still exists on your computer.  Other people can search the hard drive to find files that you could swear were long gone.  The government is famous for scanning hard drives and recovering a wealth of data on the disk, even files that were thought to have been deleted.  They have special software just to do this.\n\nIf you want to recover the file then there is some software, like Undelete that does just that.  However, the longer you work with files on the machine increases the chance that some of the data may be over written by new data.\nUndelete has a 5 day free trial period:  http://www.winundelete.com/?rid=google&kid=wu0401\n\nOne good way to get rid of old files is to format the drive, that removes the FAT and wipes out any data on the hard drive.  Of course you will lose the files you want to keep unless you back them up first.\n\nIf you want to truly delete all of a file, without losing the files you want to keep, then you need special software to do it.  The Department of Defense uses a program that writes over the hard drive 50 times to make sure it killed all of the deleted files.  It doesn't delete any files still in the FAT though, so it doesn't completely wipe your hard drive.\n\nI have given you 3 links to where you can find such software.  Check out Privacy Guardian first, they offer a free trial period.
916379
Unless the photos were of extreme value you shouldn't be bothered. When you delete files accidentally they leave traces on your hard drive but recovering those files will cost you a pretty penny. Some data recovery technicians charge hundreds or thousands of dollars.
1112682
Deleting unneeded files and folders gives you more space on your hard drive, not your memory.  If these files are loaded when the computer boots up, then that will save you memory.  (such as quicktime, avg virus program-- these are in your system tray)  Most programs are saved onto your hard drive, kinda like a file cabinet for your computer!  So the answer is no.  An analogy for you, if you read a book, first you "open" the pages and start reading.  This puts words into your "memory" as you continue to read.  When you are done with the book, you can put the book away on your book shelf.  Your book shelf is like your hard drive, it stores things for you until you need them.  So when you open a program, such as internet explorer, that loads the program into memory so that you can read, use it.  If you where to delete internet explorer, you would have more space on your hard drive.  Just like when you take a book off of the shelf, now you have more room for another book.
1161008
Yes, you will have to empty the recycle bin to remove it from the drive and free up disk space.  Still, it is not completely gone.  Someone can still recover it if they have the know how!
1142769
after you delete them and they go to the recycle bin go to the recycle bin and click the "Empty Recycle BIN" button and they will finally be gone.\n\nbut if someone runs a file restore program on your computer they can get it back. if you don't want that remove you hard drive and hit it with a 10 pound hammer 537.2 times. :)
705704
When we delete any item, the file is not actually deleted but the file is simply removed from the FAT (File allocation table) or NTFS (New Technology File System) in the case of Windows XP/2000/NT. The actual file is not deleted from data area. \n\nThere are many programs/utilities that can recover deleted files. But it depends on how much writing the hard drive was doing after you deleted the file. If you just deleted the file and nothing else. The hard drive didn't get a chance to write data to that same area that had the previous data. If the hard drive has overwritten that data then no or only partial recovery is possible.
608059
It does a restore on your system up to the checkpoint that you restore it to. \n\nFor example, if you restore it to last week, you will lose all data and whatever else you had in your folders that you saved this week.\n\nIts not very safe or accurate to do system restore, sometimes there are bugs to it and you may lose all data. \n\nThat is not a stupid question =)
478043
Yes it is possible, you need to find a programme that will recover data that you have deleted. I dont know any names, but look on Google for something like "file recovery".  However, stop using your computer right now.  The more you use it, the less likely it is that you will get those files back.\n\nDeleted files are not removed from your computer, the data space they take up is simply marked with an "over write" command.  Therefore, if you keep using your computer then you will may eventually lose your data, and it will be un-recoverable.
730657
You may delete it, but it is not gone.  There are means of recovering it, used by police and other services.  The only real way is to take a hammer to the drive....................
378794
YES, YOUR INFORMATION IS STILL THERE YOU JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT COMPUTER.
214742
They are probably gone for good.  You could use some special software or pay someone lots of money to look through your hard drive, but chances are they have been written over by now.
386818
Its probably unlikely that you'd be able to retrieve that information but you can try System Restore. From the start menu, go to Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. It will bring your computer back to an earlier state, possibly with the files still there, but I can't guarantee anything. Its worth a try since after all, you can restore your computer back to the current state if it didn't work. No worries.
1172314
If the file in in your computer ie. My Documents, it will delete, if you saved it on a flash drive or similar device make sure that is connected!!
1139105
Not if you didn't save them somewhere else before you restored your computer.