How can I delete all evidence of previous books on my Kindle?

Jamie the Kiwi · 03-25-2011, 03:35 AM

I'm having my K3 replaced, due to a cracked case - it was covered under warranty. So I have to send the cracked one back to them.
But before I do, I want to try to delete any evidence of the books that I was reading on it. You know, just the everyday embarrassing stuff you get on most Kindles, Pornographic fiction, The Satanic Bible, the Al Qaeda Handbook, etc etc.

Possible?
However, I expect this kind of information would be sent straight to Amazon almost as soon as I upload the books onto there. Right?

kranu · 03-25-2011, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie the Kiwi

I'm having my K3 replaced, due to a cracked case - it was covered under warranty. So I have to send the cracked one back to them.
But before I do, I want to try to delete any evidence of the books that I was reading on it. You know, just the everyday embarrassing stuff you get on most Kindles, Pornographic fiction, The Satanic Bible, the Al Qaeda Handbook, etc etc.

Possible?
However, I expect this kind of information would be sent straight to Amazon almost as soon as I upload the books onto there. Right?

I'm pretty sure that they already have the data in the log files. You should probably just do a factory reset. If you're super paranoid, you could try using one of those file shredder programs.

HarryT · 03-25-2011, 04:35 AM

As the previous poster stated, Amazon already know what you've been reading. If they cared - which they certainly don't.

TaureanBull · 03-25-2011, 04:35 AM

See, just be practical.

No one would have time to dig into what you read. Even if they do, as you said, its embarrasing stuff and not illegal. You wont be face to face with the person who probably would dig into your reading habits.

Secondly, as said before, the logs would be there in your kindle account if you have been connecting it. You can not so anything about this.

Lastly, if it perturbs you beyond a certain point then get it repair in front of you even if you have to pay or worst come worst buy a new one.

susan_cassidy · 03-25-2011, 12:36 PM

You might want to delete the books via the Kindle interface, if you can, then sync, to free up the licenses, if the books are from Amazon.

Hyde · 03-25-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie the Kiwi

I'm having my K3 replaced, due to a cracked case - it was covered under warranty. So I have to send the cracked one back to them.
But before I do, I want to try to delete any evidence of the books that I was reading on it. You know, just the everyday embarrassing stuff you get on most Kindles, Pornographic fiction, The Satanic Bible, the Al Qaeda Handbook, etc etc.

Possible?
However, I expect this kind of information would be sent straight to Amazon almost as soon as I upload the books onto there. Right?

If it makes you feel better my mom opened my box from amazon that had a leather paddle in it. (I work during that day and someone would steal the box from my house).

Andrew H. · 03-25-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyde

If it makes you feel better my mom opened my box from amazon that had a leather paddle in it. (I work during that day and someone would steal the box from my house).

Well, that should stop her from opening your next package.

emalvick · 03-25-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie the Kiwi

I'm having my K3 replaced, due to a cracked case - it was covered under warranty. So I have to send the cracked one back to them.
But before I do, I want to try to delete any evidence of the books that I was reading on it. You know, just the everyday embarrassing stuff you get on most Kindles, Pornographic fiction, The Satanic Bible, the Al Qaeda Handbook, etc etc.

Possible?
However, I expect this kind of information would be sent straight to Amazon almost as soon as I upload the books onto there. Right?

Besides the earlier responses, which I think are all quite valid and probably don't require any action, a good way to erase documents anywhere, is to delete the files in question, empty the recycle bin if it is a disk drive of some type, re-sync your kindle so that its library/db is empty, and then fill the drive up COMPLETELY with a lot of data (e.g. photos, music, movie files, etc) and then delete that. The idea is that the new files that fill up your drive will completely remove any possibility of recovering the files you deleted.

Of course someone may then be able to recover the file(s) you filled your drive with afterward.

This is a good way to defragment drives when typical defragmenting or formatting doesn't work if the file you are filling the drive with is just one file. Not filling the drive can lead to files not being written over the areas that were previously written.

Last, this is a lot of effort for something the Amazon probably won't check on, but I thought I'd give it as an FYI.

abookreader · 03-25-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyde

If it makes you feel better my mom opened my box from amazon that had a leather paddle in it. (I work during that day and someone would steal the box from my house).

TMI!!!! TMI!!!!

fettpett · 03-25-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emalvick

Besides the earlier responses, which I think are all quite valid and probably don't require any action, a good way to erase documents anywhere, is to delete the files in question, empty the recycle bin if it is a disk drive of some type, re-sync your kindle so that its library/db is empty, and then fill the drive up COMPLETELY with a lot of data (e.g. photos, music, movie files, etc) and then delete that. The idea is that the new files that fill up your drive will completely remove any possibility of recovering the files you deleted.

Of course someone may then be able to recover the file(s) you filled your drive with afterward.

This is a good way to defragment drives when typical defragmenting or formatting doesn't work if the file you are filling the drive with is just one file. Not filling the drive can lead to files not being written over the areas that were previously written.

Last, this is a lot of effort for something the Amazon probably won't check on, but I thought I'd give it as an FYI.

and if you are REALLY paranoid about it, do it 7 times...this will completely destroy the info. This goes for any disk drive.

kacir · 03-25-2011, 05:01 PM

The Kindle retains indexing data even after the books have been deleted. You might want to delete that as well.

bZkindle · 03-25-2011, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fettpett

and if you are REALLY paranoid about it, do it 7 times...this will completely destroy the info. This goes for any disk drive.

right..then grind it up and bury it in 20 feet of concrete.
source: CIA

OtterBooks · 03-25-2011, 08:31 PM

Boil it.

fettpett · 03-25-2011, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bZkindle

right..then grind it up and bury it in 20 feet of concrete.
source: CIA

you forgot to run high-energy magnets over it first

Jamie the Kiwi · 03-26-2011, 12:52 AM

Hehe, thanks for the witty replies, folks!
I'll just delete and do a factory reset.
Cheers for the laughs, this is a pretty funny forum.

03-25-2011, 03:35 AM	#1
Jamie the Kiwi Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G	How can I delete all evidence of previous books on my Kindle? I'm having my K3 replaced, due to a cracked case - it was covered under warranty. So I have to send the cracked one back to them. But before I do, I want to try to delete any evidence of the books that I was reading on it. You know, just the everyday embarrassing stuff you get on most Kindles, Pornographic fiction, The Satanic Bible, the Al Qaeda Handbook, etc etc. Possible? However, I expect this kind of information would be sent straight to Amazon almost as soon as I upload the books onto there. Right?

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03-25-2011, 04:35 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	As the previous poster stated, Amazon already know what you've been reading. If they cared - which they certainly don't.

03-25-2011, 04:35 AM	#4
TaureanBull Guru Posts: 64 Karma: 9478 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Imphal, New Delhi Device: Kindle 3-3G	See, just be practical. No one would have time to dig into what you read. Even if they do, as you said, its embarrasing stuff and not illegal. You wont be face to face with the person who probably would dig into your reading habits. Secondly, as said before, the logs would be there in your kindle account if you have been connecting it. You can not so anything about this. Lastly, if it perturbs you beyond a certain point then get it repair in front of you even if you have to pay or worst come worst buy a new one.

03-25-2011, 12:36 PM	#5
susan_cassidy Wizard Posts: 2,251 Karma: 3720310 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: USA Device: Kindle, iPad (not used much for reading)	You might want to delete the books via the Kindle interface, if you can, then sync, to free up the licenses, if the books are from Amazon.

03-25-2011, 05:01 PM	#11
kacir Wizard Posts: 3,450 Karma: 10484861 Join Date: May 2006 Device: PocketBook 360, before it was Sony Reader, cassiopeia A-20	The Kindle retains indexing data even after the books have been deleted. You might want to delete that as well.

03-25-2011, 08:31 PM	#13
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	Boil it.

03-26-2011, 12:52 AM	#15
Jamie the Kiwi Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3G	Hehe, thanks for the witty replies, folks! I'll just delete and do a factory reset. Cheers for the laughs, this is a pretty funny forum.