Where does the deleted files go?

[ekjl]

I was just wondering since there is no recycle bin and you can't really know for sure if it's deleted or not. Does the file just disappear?

[Rob Borek]

I was just wondering since there is no recycle bin and you can't really know for sure if it's deleted or not. Does the file just disappear?

The file just disappears - it's gone.

[SHoTTa35]

when you choose to delete something it ask, are you sure you want to PERMANENTLY delete this item... which means no getting it back... no recycle bin as you said.

[easylife]

And since it uses RAM instead of a hard drive there is no possibility of recovery with one of those un-delete programs. The best thing to do is to backup data that you want to keep as often as possible. :wink:

[Dave Beauvais]

And since it uses RAM instead of a hard drive there is no possibility of recovery with one of those un-delete programs. ...
That may not be entirely true. Undelete programs work because in the FAT and FAT32 file systems (and probably others, as well) when a file is deleted, the actual data isn't erased; only the pointer to the data is deleted from the file allocation table (FAT). Since Pocket PCs use the same FAT or FAT32 file system as hard drives, until the physical location on the media where the data resides is overwritten, it may be possible to recover it.

--Dave

[easylife]

That may not be entirely true. Undelete programs work because in the FAT and FAT32 file systems (and probably others, as well) when a file is deleted, the actual data isn't erased; only the pointer to the data is deleted from the file allocation table (FAT). Since Pocket PCs use the same FAT or FAT32 file system as hard drives, until the physical location on the media where the data resides is overwritten, it may be possible to recover it.
While true, the RAM is also used for stacks and such for running programs. If the memory location is freed from the file system then it could be written over at any time, not just if when you create or modify files. :mrgreen:

[Dave Beauvais]

While true, the RAM is also used for stacks and such for running programs. If the memory location is freed from the file system then it could be written over at any time, not just if when you create or modify files. :mrgreen:
That's a good point. For some reason I just assumed we were talking about storage cards. Storage cards use a FAT or FAT32 file system, but I'm sure the Pocket PC's internal RAM uses a somewhat proprietary system. Pretend I had the words "on a storage card" somewhere in my previous post. ;)

--Dave

[Sven Johannsen]

Actually deleted files are converted back into the 'magic smoke' that is what operates all electronic devices. Creating files involves a process of condensing some of that smoke into entities that can be read and manipulated by the user. When a file is deleted, the bits are sublimated back into smoke for later use. I'm sure we have all had the occasion to witness the magic smoke escaping from a piece of electronic hardware, after which, of course, it no longer functions.