Apple Guru's

[Aceswild]

I have a question- Is it possible to recover deleted texts & pictures from an unlocked i-phone? I have a vested interest in NEVER seeing them again or anyone ever seeing them for that matter. I have deleted them and never backed them up to i-tunes.

Thoughts?

[LexusLover]

I have never tried this before, but ...

I use "Ace Utilities" from Acelogix on my computer, which has a reliable "scrubbing" program that will eliminate the "shadow" of deleted files from the disk, AND in the option it allows one to select particular locations to be srubbed.

(I suppose you do know that "deleting" a file really does not get RID of it?)

It may work to hook up your iPhone (USB) to your computer with Ace on it (which you ought to have on your computer for a lot of reasons, not the least of which HOBBIES), and select the secure delete function and browse for the iPhone as a "memory" source ... similar to any peripheral memory source ... it should wipe it clean.

Caution, it is not file name sensitive in its selection, but you can save the stuff you want to your computer in a designated file, then scrub the iPhone memory. It may get rid of stuff you want to keep, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

You can get ACE for a free trial to see if you like it for a period of time (or you were able to do so), although I ended up buying the program, which is about $40, downloaded with a Key that I can use on several computers for the same $40.

Added: I just looked at the ACE options and there is one for "removable drives" for the Wipe function, about which I speak.

I have nothing on any phone that concerns me, and I damn sure would not have any pictures on a phone (of anything I didn't want the world to see), but later today, I will hard wire to one of the computers and see if I can browse to the phone and set up a "save" folder for "good stuff" and move it over to that "save folder" like a memory stick. You can try it .... using your own USB cord to the computer from your phone.

[enderwiggin]

Or, if you're a Mac user, go to Utilities > Disk Utilities -- select the drive (iphone), click the "Erase" tab, click the "Security Options" button and choose one of the options there. Zero Out Data is the fastest, 35-pass Erase is the most secure.

[jasmin]

Originally Posted by LexusLover

I have never tried this before, but ...

I use "Ace Utilities" from Acelogix on my computer, which has a reliable "scrubbing" program that will eliminate the "shadow" of deleted files from the disk, AND in the option it allows one to select particular locations to be srubbed.

(I suppose you do know that "deleting" a file really does not get RID of it?)

It may work to hook up your iPhone (USB) to your computer with Ace on it (which you ought to have on your computer for a lot of reasons, not the least of which HOBBIES), and select the secure delete function and browse for the iPhone as a "memory" source ... similar to any peripheral memory source ... it should wipe it clean.

Caution, it is not file name sensitive in its selection, but you can save the stuff you want to your computer in a designated file, then scrub the iPhone memory. It may get rid of stuff you want to keep, addresses, phone numbers, etc.

You can get ACE for a free trial to see if you like it for a period of time (or you were able to do so), although I ended up buying the program, which is about $40, downloaded with a Key that I can use on several computers for the same $40.

Added: I just looked at the ACE options and there is one for "removable drives" for the Wipe function, about which I speak.

I have nothing on any phone that concerns me, and I damn sure would not have any pictures on a phone (of anything I didn't want the world to see), but later today, I will hard wire to one of the computers and see if I can browse to the phone and set up a "save" folder for "good stuff" and move it over to that "save folder" like a memory stick. You can try it .... using your own USB cord to the computer from your phone.

This is as close you can get to a "scrub". On the other hand it may be better just to destroy the phone. If the Op is smart enough just about anything on a hard drive can be recovered.

I recovered some OLD deleted stuff from an SD card for a friend she thought was gone because she deleted. I guess it depends if you are selling the phone or just trying to hide stuff. If we know the purpose maybe we can better help you hide it.

If your selling it the OP may not care or know how to recover data. They may not care. If it's an S.O. you have to estimate how smart they are and how far they are willing to go....