How to Permanently Delete Files from Hard Drive on Windows 10, 8, 7?

Owing to some reasons, such as bad sectors, viruses or just deleting sensitive information on the old hard drive, you may want to permanently delete files from hard drive.

Dervish

By Dervish / Updated on May 12, 2023

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About permanently deleting files?

In general, when your hard disk gets low disk space warning message, you will choose to delete some unused files or applications to free space. But, do the files be deleted permanently?

In fact, this operation cannot delete files forever. Because every file has its structure, including directory and blocks. When you delete files, you just remove the directory of it. If you want to permanently delete files from hard drive, you need to add new items to your hard drive and overwrite the deleted files.

When do you want to permanently erase files?

1. Some files on the hard drive containviruses.

Viruses are everywhere. And you cannot make sure your hard drive will be safe forever. Thus, once your files on the hard drive are infected with viruses, you need to remove the files in order not to affect the entire hard drive.

2. Erasing the sensitive data on the hard drive before selling or purchasing.

Usually, after you use the computer for a period of time, you may meet various problems like low disk space problem. Thus, some users may want to sell the old computer or buy a new computer . However, the old computer contains sensitive information (eg: bank account information ) and users do not want anyone else to know.

To fix this problem, you are supposed to permanently delete these files from hard drive.

Disk wipe freeware: permanently delete files from hard drive

AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard is a free software, which devotes to partition management. With this software, you can permanently remove files from hard drive without effort. All the steps are easy to learn, even for a beginner. 

And you can enjoy more useful features in this software, including Convert GPT to MBR, Merge Partitions, Migrate OS to SSD, etc. Also, this software can solve dozens of problem like dynamic disk invalid, Diskpart list volume there are no volumes, etc. Now, free download it and see how to permanelty delete files from hard disk drive. 

Download Freeware Win 10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 1. Install and run the tool.In the main page, click the disk you want to wipe and select “Wipe Hard Drive”.

Permanently Delete Files from Hard Drive

Step 2. If you ensure you want to permanently erase files from the hard drive, choose "Fill Sector with Zero" and click "OK".

Write Zero to Hard Drive

Step 3. In this window, you can preview the final result and click "Apply".

Preview and Apply

Notices:
When you want to leave a period of time, It's a great option for you to tick the checkbox before “Shut down the computer after completing all operations” at the bottom of the window. In this way, you can leave there anytime you have something else to do.
To permanently delete files from SSD, you cannot do as the way wiping an HDD. SSD is different from HDD. It has a limited number of writes. If you use the regular processes to clean SSD, it will actually leave data behind, and it may degrade the SSD's lifespan. You can ugprade AOMEI Partition Assistant Standard to Professional to securely erase SSD.
To delete specific files rather than all files from hard disk drive, you can use "Shred Files" function in AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Summary

AOMEI Partition Assistant can be a great choice if you want to permanently delete files from hard drive. And, you still can permanently remove files from SSD. All the operations can be finished in merely a few steps.

And this software offers you more advanced features, including Move Partition, Disk Copy Wizard, Delete all partition, etc. And it can solve many problems Windows does not, containing extend volume is disabled, mark partition as active greyed out, the selected disk of the GPT partition style, etc.

Dervish
Dervish · Staff Editor
Dervish is an English editor of AOMEI Technology; He is delicated to offering users easy and effecitve solutions for issuses related to disks and partitoins. In his spare time, he enjoy wathcning films, playing footable, traveling and so on.