file save

[JacquieCC]

Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in Word and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of the main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?
I also use a laptop with Vista/Office 2007 - same question for this.
Or is there always a trace of these files on the main coputer you use to
alter them?
JacquieCC

 

[JoAnn Paules]

If you are working on a file that is on removable media, you are risking
corrupting that file. If you have a file that is that sensitive, you should
not be working on a shared computer.

 

[JacquieCC]

You have not answered my question - just given an opinion about what I am
doing - is there anyone out there that can answer the question - please
JacquieCC

If you are working on a file that is on removable media, you are risking
corrupting that file. If you have a file that is that sensitive, you should
not be working on a shared computer.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in Word
and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of the
main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?
I also use a laptop with Vista/Office 2007 - same question for this.
Or is there always a trace of these files on the main coputer you use to
alter them?
JacquieCC

 

[DL]

If other peoples share your PC, then no matter what you do, if they are
technically profficient than they maybe able to recover data
There is I recollect an MS kb, and download of a utility, that removes
certain Office file data - no I dont recollect the url
JoAnn is also correct in her warning

You have not answered my question - just given an opinion about what I am
doing - is there anyone out there that can answer the question - please
JacquieCC

If you are working on a file that is on removable media, you are risking
corrupting that file. If you have a file that is that sensitive, you
should
not be working on a shared computer.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in
Word
and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of
the
main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate
references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?
I also use a laptop with Vista/Office 2007 - same question for this.
Or is there always a trace of these files on the main coputer you use
to
alter them?
JacquieCC

 

[JoAnn Paules]

I can understand her frustration and I suspect she will not heed my warning.
I will not be there to say "I told you so." (I wouldn't do that anyway -
losing data sucks.)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

If other peoples share your PC, then no matter what you do, if they are
technically profficient than they maybe able to recover data
There is I recollect an MS kb, and download of a utility, that removes
certain Office file data - no I dont recollect the url
JoAnn is also correct in her warning

You have not answered my question - just given an opinion about what I am
doing - is there anyone out there that can answer the question - please
JacquieCC

If you are working on a file that is on removable media, you are risking
corrupting that file. If you have a file that is that sensitive, you
should
not be working on a shared computer.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"


Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in
Word
and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of
the
main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate
references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?
I also use a laptop with Vista/Office 2007 - same question for this.
Or is there always a trace of these files on the main coputer you use
to
alter them?
JacquieCC

 

[Bob I]

The answer to your question is no, you can't do what you envision.

You have not answered my question - just given an opinion about what I am
doing - is there anyone out there that can answer the question - please
JacquieCC

:

If you are working on a file that is on removable media, you are risking
corrupting that file. If you have a file that is that sensitive, you should
not be working on a shared computer.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in Word
and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of the
main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?
I also use a laptop with Vista/Office 2007 - same question for this.
Or is there always a trace of these files on the main coputer you use to
alter them?
JacquieCC

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Hi - I have windows XP and office 2003. For sensitive documents in Word and
Excel I use a USB as I do not want even remnants or names of file of the main
compter which is used by other people. How can I eliminate references/file
saves to these files remaining on the desktop?

This is not to contradict any of the other advice you've gotten already.
They're right. If it's important that your work be totally secure, a public
computer is not the place to do it.

But there are all kinds of security levels. Only you know how far you need to
take it, and you may have no choice but to use public computers. So be it. In
that case ...

From your question, I'm guessing that you're moving the files from USB drive to
the computer's local hard drive for editing. That's best in terms of avoiding
corruption but more of a security risk, obviously.

A few suggestions:

To begin with, don't move documents to the desktop. If you save them to a
different directory, one that's not exposed to the Windows user interface
directly, the files won't be so obvious to others, in case they do get left
behind.

If you create this directory first, you know that any files there are your own
"word droppings" ... nothing there from the system or other users, so at the end
of your session you can copy your stuff back to the USB drive and delete the
entire folder.

I'd also check the computer's temp folder:

Start, Run
Type %TEMP% into the text box then click OK
The temp folder opens

Sort it by date, delete anything that's been created since you sat down at the
keyboard.

None of this guarantees security, mind you. Erased files can be recovered and
so on. But it'll keep most users out of your business.

 

[Echo S]

I'd think you'd also want to empty the recycle bin after deleting the files
and/or folder(s). Otherwise, it's right there for anyone to restore.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I'd think you'd also want to empty the recycle bin after deleting the files
and/or folder(s). Otherwise, it's right there for anyone to restore.

Yes ... thanks for adding that.

 

[JacquieCC]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
I am not moving data from a USB to the desktop - just using the programm's
on the desktop to alter files on a USB which travels around with me. Nothing
earthshatteringly secret - just personal to me and who I work for - nothing
that would make the news! If I cancel the file save procedure on Excel and
Word - does it still keep a copy of the files that have been altered even
though they were never on the harddisk of that computer or is it just the
file name that remains?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
I am not moving data from a USB to the desktop - just using the programm's
on the desktop to alter files on a USB which travels around with me. Nothing
earthshatteringly secret - just personal to me and who I work for - nothing
that would make the news! If I cancel the file save procedure on Excel and
Word - does it still keep a copy of the files that have been altered even
though they were never on the harddisk of that computer or is it just the
file name that remains?

I'd assume that if the filename is there, the app has saved data to it, but you
could always eject the USB stick then try to open the file to see what it
contains.

Oh, and again if you're opening/saving files directly from/to the USB stick,
you're taking a chance with your data, as the others have mentioned.

If nothing else, I'd ALWAYS use the taskbar widget to remove the USB device safely
rather than just pulling it out when you're done.

 

[JacquieCC]

Thanks for your help - much appreciated,
JacquieCC