Windows 8 can scrub data from disk, but not up to tough security specifications
Windows 8 includes a reset function that restores the operating system to a clean state and scrubs data applications from the disk, but falls short of making that data unrecoverable, according to Microsoft.
The operating system, now available as a developer's preview, can also refresh itself, restoring the operating system to its original state while also saving data and applications, according to the Building Windows 8 blog.
When Windows 8 resets itself the data it removes can be erased more thoroughly than in a traditional reformatting of a disk by overwriting every sector, Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky writes. That doesn't mean it can't be recovered, though. "Even if someone removes the drive from your PC, your data will still not be easily recoverable without the use of special equipment that is prohibitively expensive for most people," he says.
