What happens when we delete a file?

Replies

• 

  siraj.mussafirr

  The file content is not actually removed. Whatever you see as a file icon is just a pointer/symbolic link to the actual file location. When you delete a file the complete disk space alloted earlier is send back to the free pool, but still the content remain there and is inaccessible. this is why you actually see free space. Also next time a new file is added to the disk, consider this region is selected to store the file content then the new file contents overwrite the previous contents and create a new pointer/symbolic link for the new file.
  It is this property of Disk that is used to recover impportant files that you deleted unknowingly. This same property is used for cyber forensics to trace back evidences for cyber crimes and any important documents that the convict deletes for his safety.
• 

  Abhishek Rawal

  When you delete a file,It doesn't get permanently deleted.It's still there but you can't access it until you use an application or software coded for data recovering purpose.
  
  When data is deleted,the link is removed & virtual empty space is created.Even though file is deleted,it is not permanently removed.Only link is removed,so it acts as empty space.
  Now,when new data is added to the system,it will replace the empty space with newdata & old data whose link was removed is now permanently destroyed & inaccessible no matter what!
  Even data recovery softwares can't help you if the sectors are replaced by new data.
• 

  Geetam Bharadwaj

  Thanks a lot Abhishek....
• 

  avii

  #-Link-Snipped-# - here is some pretty good discussion #-Link-Snipped-#