does anyone have a function laying around to secure delete a file from the hard disc with X passes of random data?

ive been trying to find this code forever on google, and everything I have found has just been skimpy .NET programs

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I just giving you an idea !
Just get the file size and overwrite that file full with random text until you finish filling the file size. Then normally delete that file. You can use the rand() function.
Otherwise there is still a posibility to recover the file from HD.

NicAx64: What assurance is there that the OS will in fact write that new, random data to the same physical location on the drive?

I think to do this, you have to get the OS to tell you what physical location(s) of the file is (cylinder, track, sector) and then be able to write to those specific location(s). Not a trivial task. That's why so many people/companies make money selling such programs.

K i know how the theory of how to do it.. i just need recommendations on what individual functions to use.

my method

1. Find start physical address on disc of target file.
2. Find end physical address on disc of target file.
3. Normal delete file.
4. Recursively fill everything between the start and end address full of random bytes X times.

I need ideas for functions that could help on steps 1,2, and 4.

K i know how the theory of how to do it.. i just need recommendations on what individual functions to use.

my method

1. Find start physical address on disc of target file.
2. Find end physical address on disc of target file.
3. Normal delete file.
4. Recursively fill everything between the start and end address full of random bytes X times.

I need ideas for functions that could help on steps 1,2, and 4.

1. Files are not contiguous disk space chunks.
2. Your code must have system privileges to access unused disk tracks.
3. It's possible to recover overwritten data if you can't control disk head movement and other write op parameters (you need disk drivers level code)...

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