Q: Are deleted files truly deleted?

A: No. Files moved to the Recycle Bin or Trash Can remain there (and easily accessible) until manually deleted. Once deleted from the recycle bin or trash can, the pathway (driving directions) to the file disappears and the operating system does not know how/where to locate the file. However, the file still lurks on the shadows of the hard drive where it can be retrieved by someone with know-how or with file retrieval software. To make files truly unrecoverable, you can use software that permanently erases files you have deleted. Go to your favorite search engine and enter “file erasing software” for options. Try www.download.com