to the average user they are gone and can't be recovered, but there are utilities that can be used by specialists that can recover the deleted messages. The police for example can sometimes recover messages from computers that the user thought they'd deleted for good. there are tools/utilities that will shred or completely remove data from a disk but other than knowing they exist, I know very little else about them, or whether they are full proof or not. the only way I would feel sure that the data is gone and can't be recovered would be after a disk reformat, a full reformat, not a quick reformat. Wally Harding RNIB Hi-tech support -----Original Message----- From: Mark Vincent [mailto:bliksim13@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: 28 May 2004 09:09 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] deleted email hi list, does my deleted email remain on my hard drive after I have cleared my deleted email box? and after I have performed a disk clean? if the answer is yes, how do I locate and remove these hidden files? mark -- DISCLAIMER: NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it and any attachments from your system. RNIB endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it cannot accept any responsibility for any such which are transmitted. We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email and any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RNIB. RNIB Registered Charity Number: 226227 Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk