[interpolarity]

Maybe I'm just being stupid, but isn't information on a computer stored as numbers....ultimately it comes down to 0s and 1s, right? Why don't computers just delete a file by changing everything to zeros, and leaving no backups, or anything else to find the file by? I find it highly annoying that a program such as Recuva is available...I deleted those files for a reason

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The basic reason is speed of operation. What the computer does when you delete a file is to basically inform the file system that the portions of the hard disk it was written on are available for putting another file on. Writing the entire file to zeros would take a great deal longer. Not actually erasing the file has the (sometimes) advantage that they can be recovered, either from the recycle bin or using a recovery utility. You can get utilities that write unused portions of the disk to zero, you can also simply defragment the drive after you have removed a lot of files from it, a good idea in any case because the drive is often very fragmented after file removal. Make sure you clear the recycle bin before defragmenting.

[Tyger]

The basic reason is speed of operation. What the computer does when you delete a file is to basically inform the file system that the portions of the hard disk it was written on are available for putting another file on. Writing the entire file to zeros would take a great deal longer. Not actually erasing the file has the (sometimes) advantage that they can be recovered, either from the recycle bin or using a recovery utility. You can get utilities that write unused portions of the disk to zero, you can also simply defragment the drive after you have removed a lot of files from it, a good idea in any case because the drive is often very fragmented after file removal. Make sure you clear the recycle bin before defragmenting.

[The Skeptic]

I guess that the main reason is time saving. When you "delete" a file you don't really delete it. What you do is to"notify" the file tables which keep record of the locations of all files and free sectors, that the sectors on the disk which were occupied by the "deleted" file are free to be written on. This is a fast process. Had it been zeroing all the bits contained in the sectors containing the file, deleting would have become a long process.

Zeroing all the disk is termed "low-level format" this is a very long process which can take hours even for a small-size disk.

What disturbs you, however, is a blessing for people who need to recover data lost accidantly or by neglect.

[interpolarity]

Oh yes, I myself have found value in recovering files... I just believe that there should be an integrated option that comes with Windows which allows you to zero out files instead of just plain deleting it. Also, when you uninstall something, there should be an option once again to erase instead of delete.
Question- Do registry entries work the same way? Where can I get a simpleton's guide to registry?

[D Wolnie]

What I have done is to get a 1-2 GB flash drive, move the file(s) to it, then delete from the flash. Now the entire file is no longer on your hard drive.

[dsenette]

What I have done is to get a 1-2 GB flash drive, move the file(s) to it, then delete from the flash. Now the entire file is no longer on your hard drive.

this technically isn't true...when you move a file from one disk to another (be that a hard drive or to a flash drive) the same process occurs as when you delete a file...when you move a file it makes a copy in the new location then deletes the first...you're not physically moving the ones and zeroes...so when you do this...you're just making extra steps with no reward

[D Wolnie]

Shot down in flames!