Partitions puzzle

So none of the disk utilities finds any trace... Autopsy, Winhex, TestDisk.

Very interesting. Since encryption often randomizes information on the disk, it's not that surprising I guess.

Did you run a TestDisk deep scan?

Hi Bill,

I wiped using Sdelete, Ccleaner and Easus Partion Manager's disk wiping facilities before dismounting but also ran Nirsoft's Clean After Me, PrivaZer, Shell Bag Analyser/ Cleaner and deleted a few MS created containers on boot (I don't have the details of those to post. I'm currently at work) along with USN Journal and any registry backups and log files. Then wiped again using the same. Then finally wiped all unallocated space several times.

Yes I tried a deep scan - nothing was found! Only stuff that was present or had been deleted since the cleanup.

Thanks re: TestDisk

I'm surprised the disk survived after such thorough multiple cleansings - ROTFLMAO
No wonder nothing was found.

Ok, are you a spy?
Do you have state secrets on your machine?
Are you Eric Snowden?

Chris, I hope you know those are all rhetorical questions and that I'm just having fun with this.
I apologize for wandering off the path.

It was an interesting thread for me.

Bill
.

None of those apply in my case! I just like to attempt to understand how to permanently delete stuff. When I first started using Windows 7 it was a learning process and I seemed to need to reinstall Windows on a fairly regular basis due to overzealous tweaking/ cleaning. I do like to run any free file recovery software that I find just to see what it can uncover. I don't have anything much to hide but there have been certain documents stored on my machine that if recovered could be used in identity fraud or to transfer money from my bank account.

I remember some years ago that I found evidence that my machine had been hacked and all my documents had been uploaded to who knows where in a zip file all without any sign of anything amiss!

Callender said:

None of those apply in my case! I just like to attempt to understand how to permanently delete stuff. When I first started using Windows 7 it was a learning process and I seemed to need to reinstall Windows on a fairly regular basis due to overzealous tweaking/ cleaning. I do like to run any free file recovery software that I find just to see what it can uncover. I don't have anything much to hide but there have been certain documents stored on my machine that if recovered could be used in identity fraud or to transfer money from my bank account.

I remember some years ago that I found evidence that my machine had been hacked and all my documents had been uploaded to who knows where in a zip file all without any sign of anything amiss!

I knew we were kindred - I don't know how many times I reinstalled Win7 - also due to learning, customization, performance tweaks.... too many! I finally created a clean system image with all my programs and settings and now it's a breeze (but I moved to Win8 so what good is the image? ) Yes, I created a Win8 image first off, even without all the stuff I wanted to personalize or install.

Those malware folks are really bad people. Speaking of fraud.. I got a call yesterday letting me know that my Credit Card was being used in Miami FL. I've been in PA all year... honest!

Don't know how or when that happened, but the card is cancelled and a new one issued. The really scary part is the transactions were swipes, meaning they made a card. (not hard to do - hotels issue new mag key cards for every guest - same process)

Now I've really derailed your thread

See ya on the forums!

Bill
.