Deleting Files and Folders
When you delete a file or folder, it's not actually erased but compressed and stored in the Recycle Bin on the desktop (Figure 5.36 ). The Recycle Bin is a safeguard from which you can restore (undelete) items if you change your mind or delete them permanently.
Figure 5.36. The Recycle Bin's icon tells you whether it contains deleted items.

1. In Windows Explorer or on the desktop, select the item(s) that you want to delete.2. Choose File > Delete (or press Delete).or Right-click one item; then choose Delete.3. If an "Are you sure?" message appears, click Yes.
Tips

1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon (Figure 5.37 ).
Figure 5.37. Details view tells you when items were deleted and where from.

Tips

Undead Files
Deleting files doesn't actually destroy their datait just makes them harder to find. When you empty the Recycle Bin, Windows doesn't erase files but, rather, marks them as deleted, making them invisible to you and to programs but leaving their data intact on disk. Only when Windows later needs disk space will it overwrite deleted files with newly created ones. On a large or sparsely populated drive, deleted files may survive for weeks or months before Windows reclaims the disk space (unless you defragment the disk, which overwrites most deleted files).To recover deleted files, use an undelete utility soon after you've emptied the Recycle Bin. Some popular ones are FileRestore ($39 U.S.; www.winternals.com), Undelete ($30; www.executive.com), and PC Inspector File Recovery (free; www.pcinspector.de/file_recovery/uk/welcome).On the other hand, use a file shredder to make your files un recoverable. File shreddersuseful if you're selling your PC or expecting an arrest warrantoverwrite deleted files or entire disks with random data. Shredders let you overwrite a few times (to defeat ordinary undelete software) or many times (to defeat an electron microscope). To shred files, try Eraser (free; www.heidi.ie/eraser) or Sure Delete (free; www.wizard-industries.com).Note that Windows' format (formerly fdisk) command won't shred files. If utterly destroying your data is crucialyou know who you aresmash your hard disk and throw the pieces in a river.To restore items from the Recycle Bin:
1. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon (refer to Figure 5.36).2. Ctrl+click the items that you want to restore (or click only one item).3. To restore items to their original locations, choose File > Restore (or click Restore the Selected Items or Restore This Item in the task pane).or To restore items to a specific location, drag them out of the Recycle Bin to the desired folder (in an Explorer window or on the desktop).
Tip

1. Right-click the Recycle Bin icon; then choose Properties (Figure 5.38 ).
Figure 5.38. Every disk has its own Recycle Bin. If you have more than one drive or have a partitioned drive, you can select Configure Drives Independently and click the separate tabs to set each disk's junk limit.

Tips
