Is it true emails do not delete?

Does anyone know enough about computers to let me know if once you delete an email, is it really deleted or could someone else retrieve it? Just wondering......if there is a chance to retrieve or find my ex's emails. Thanks.

Comments

  • I can say that every stuff - file, folders, emails etc stored on your computer never gets deleted, it always remain in sectors of your hard drive. As far as emails are concerned, this depends on the email program which you are using- outlook express, MS Outlook, Incredimail etc. Emails from such email clints can be recovered back with the help of email data recovery software.

    Such program on offer are http://www.nucleustechnologies.com/Microsoft-Outlo... for MS Outlook and http://www.nucleustechnologies.com/Outlook-Express... for Outlook Express.

    These data recovery software can bring back your emails with their complete attachments and other email properties.

  • In short: maybe.

    First, let's be clear: when you delete a file in many email programs they're actually moved to a recycle bin, so you can often find them there until the recycle bin is emptied. When you empty the recycle bin, then the messages are actually deleted.

    The problem is that different email programs all use different approaches to storing their email. As a result, there's no one answer as to what happens when they delete a message.

    One clue is if the email program provides a "compact" function for its email storage. That implies that the file will grow as email arrives, but when files are deleted the file doesn't get smaller until you compact. That implies that like a file system, messages that are deleted are simply marked without freeing up the space immediately. Like filesystems, as long as new messages haven't overwritten where the deleted messages used to be, then it might be possible to actually retrieve deleted messages. It might need special tools, but it could be possible.

    One caution is that some email programs automatically rewrite or compact their files on exit, so this might only work if you make a copy of the email files before exiting the program.

    And finally, all of this applies to email that's downloaded to your system. Web based email, server based email systems like Microsoft Exchange or IMAP servers add another level of complexity that makes deleted email that much less likely to be retrievable.

  • As a matter of fact, nothing on your hard drive ever gets completely deleted; until you physically erase or wipe it clean with a reformat or software that makes deleted material impossible to retrieve! There is a very big difference between deleting and erasing. I think that most people are very naive and ignorant to the enormous threat to personal privacy that the Internet can be. Everyone seems to be concerned with viruses and spy ware, but what about "undeleters"?!

  • Hi,

    Emails are always deleted forever, and there is no way for companies to retrive the emails; unless you are using a company specifically able to retrieve emails. 99/100 times there is no absolute way to retrieve an email.

  • it's a tricky question. anything viewed on your computer might still be on your hard drive, even if it was deleted. chances. are that unless the person you are hiding it from is a geek like me or knew exactly what to look for then you are safe

  • No, to be positioned blunt, you could no longer. as quickly as its sent Yahoo can no longer hack into the gadget it sent it to (despite if it replaced into yet another yahoo account) and delete it - the mail is now no longer your belongings however the guy you sent it to. Sorry, i've got been in comparable circumstances in the previous. wish it truly is going to likely be ok.

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