Prevent Restore is a software for Windows that can wipe the entire free space of a hard drive to erase files that might be recoverable otherwise. It has many similarities to another file eraser that goes by the name Eraser.
Why would someone walk the extra mile and erase files that already have been deleted in Windows? The answer to that question is simple: Windows does not really delete the file, it only deletes the reference to the file which tells the system where files are located on the hard drive. It’s like loosing the address of a friend’s house. You could not point your finger on it on a map but it is still existing and calling the friend would reveal its location again.
Files can be recovered if they have not been erased properly. The age of a file plays a role in determining the chances of success. A rule of thumb is that new files have a higher chance to be recovered than files that have been deleted a while ago.
Prevent Restore was designed with ease of use in mind. The user picks a partition that he wants to erase files from, selects the type of data that should replace the deleted files and the program does all the hard work in the background. It uses several security algorithms to overwrite the deleted data on the hard drive ensuring that the data cannot be recovered with recovery software.
So how does it compare to Eraser? The user interface of Prevent Restore is not providing many options to choose from. This is less confusing but advanced computer users might miss features that Eraser offers. Eraser on the other hand comes with options that Prevent Restore does not offer. This includes the selection of the data algorithm to erase files or a scheduler that performs the operation regularly.
Eraser can also erase existing files and folders securely and it does support all Microsoft Windows operating systems from Windows 95 on while Prevent Restore is only compatible to Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Advanced users will most likely stick with Eraser while beginners might tend to work with Prevent Restore to erase files on their system.
Enjoyed the article?: Then sign-up for our free newsletter or RSS feed to kick off your day with the latest technology news and tips, or share the article with your friends and contacts on Facebook or Twitter.Related Articles:
Make Files Unrecoverable with Eraser VerifySecure Erase Files With Blank And Secure
Hardwipe, Erase Hard Drives Securely
How to erase file information on unused disk space
Disk Wipe Software Prevent Restore
Another app that I have added to my must have utilities.Great stuff Martin.
Please could you do a detailed comparison of download managers.And recommend your favorite one.