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http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6329_11-5034506.htmlThe Windows operating system uses a file allocation table to keep track of all the files on the hard disk. You can think of a file allocation table as an index of the files on your hard disk, in which each entry includes such information as the file’s name, the name of the folder in which the file appears, and its physical location on the hard disk. While there are several file allocation table systems that the Windows operating system can use, including FAT, FAT32, and NTFS, they all basically perform the same operation.
When you delete a file in Windows by dragging it to the Recycle Bin, the file isn’t actually physically moved from its original location nor is it physically removed from the hard disk. Instead, the file is hidden so that it doesn’t appear in the normal file management tools such as Windows Explorer. However, the file still has an entry in the file allocation table, and its physical location on the hard disk is protected.
When you empty the Recycle Bin or directly delete a file, again, the file isn’t physically removed from the hard disk or moved from its original location. The file’s entry is removed from the file allocation table. When this happens, the file’s physical location on the hard disk is no longer protected and the space is available for the storage of other files. If you continue to use the computer normally and save files to the hard disk, that space will sooner or later be overwritten