spybot's secure shredder questions

[Bill Jones]

I'm new here so I hope I'm doing this right. I was hoping someone could tell me if spybot's secure shredder can shred files that have already been deleted? I haven't used spybot in years, and i'd like to download or purchase an updated version. I believe the last one I had was from 2008 spybotsd162, Though I'm not certain of the year. I don't know if I'm delusional, but I could have sworn it would shred already deleted files. Am i remembering doing something I never did? Anyway I recently found it in my downloads and downloaded this old version just as a test. All the shredder does is ask me to choose files i want to delete, but no~where do I see an option to shred what's already been deleted. & yes...I know that version's old. I have my reasons for asking. Before downloading a new version, I'd like to know if it can shred files that have already been deleted but are still on the hard drive? & did spybotsd162 have this capability back then? If anyone can answer this it would be most appreciated

[tashi]

Hello Bill Jones,

I hope this FAQ proves useful: https://www.safer-networking.org/secure-shredder/

Best regards.

[Bill Jones]

Hello Bill Jones,

I hope this FAQ proves useful: https://www.safer-networking.org/secure-shredder/

Best regards.

Thank you tashi. I did understand what's said in the link already. I was simply wondering if the shredder could
shred files previously deleted. Like if it would shred files I already deleted months ago. I do appreciate your
response though.

[tashi]

Hello Bill Jones,

Which method did you use to delete them? :)

Best regards.

[Bill Jones]

Hello Bill Jones,

Which method did you use to delete them? :)

Best regards.

That's my problem tashi. I don't recall. My memory is vague since it was a several years back, but I could have sworn there was a function to simply shred anything that was previously deleted and emptied from the trash bin. I was certain I'd hit shred without even picking particular files, and that it would shred anything that was already deleted and emptied from my trash bin on my drive. I know it would take a very long time, and that I'd do at least 35 passes. It was important to me...esp if you're leaving your pc at the shop to be repaired. But after reinstalling the old version just to test it, I can't find any such function. So I was wondering if it ever had this ability that maybe was no longer available due to the fact that it was an old version and perhaps updates for that feature no longer existed? I was hoping a long time user might recall & be able to answer this question, or if I think I was doing something I never did.

[tashi]

Hello Bill Jones, :greeting:

Sorry for the delay.


That's my problem tashi. I don't recall. My memory is vague since it was a several years back, but I could have sworn there was a function to simply shred anything that was previously deleted and emptied from the trash bin. I was certain I'd hit shred without even picking particular files, and that it would shred anything that was already deleted and emptied from my trash bin on my drive. I know it would take a very long time, and that I'd do at least 35 passes. It was important to me...esp if you're leaving your pc at the shop to be repaired. But after reinstalling the old version just to test it, I can't find any such function. So I was wondering if it ever had this ability that maybe was no longer available due to the fact that it was an old version and perhaps updates for that feature no longer existed?


2007 topic: https://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?18401-whoa!!-what-happened-to-the-file-shredder-!!

They were speaking of Spybot version 1.4- 1.5 The SDShred standalone was available for awhile but the downloads section no longer shows it.

Which "old version" did you reinstall. :)

Also what is your operating system please, do you have security software installed?

Best regards.

[Bill Jones]

Hello Bill Jones, :greeting:

Sorry for the delay.




2007 topic: https://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?18401-whoa!!-what-happened-to-the-file-shredder-!!

They were speaking of Spybot version 1.4- 1.5 The SDShred standalone was available for awhile but the downloads section no longer shows it.

Which "old version" did you reinstall. :)

Also what is your operating system please, do you have security software installed?

Best regards.


spybotsd162 was the old version, which I had downloaded on vista at the time. I still have that computer, which I'm on right now. I have windows 7 & 8 also, but didn't test it on those because i wasn't sure it would operate the same. So i loaded it to the same computer I use to have it on to test it.

[tashi]

Hello Bill Jones,

The files are unlikely to be found. Someone using forensic recovery tools might find remnants on the hard drive but that's an unlikely scenario.

Best regards. :)

[Bill Jones]

Hello Bill Jones,

The files are unlikely to be found. Someone using forensic recovery tools might find remnants on the hard drive but that's an unlikely scenario.

Best regards. :)


Thank you tashi