Hazel, a forensic investigator, is working with a Windows computer that has recently had several...

This question aligns with CHFI v11 objectives underData Acquisition and DuplicationandFile Deletion and Recovery Concepts. In Windows file systems such as NTFS, deleting a file does not immediately erase its data from the disk. Instead, the operating system removes thefile system pointer(metadata entry) that references the file’s location and marks the occupied disk clusters as available for reuse.

CHFI v11 explains that until these disk sectors are overwritten by new data, theactual file content remains intact on the storage media. This is why deleted files often remain recoverable using forensic tools such as file carving utilities and disk analysis tools. Investigators can scan unallocated space to reconstruct files based on known file headers and footers, even when directory entries no longer exist.

Option A is incorrect because file content is not immediately deleted. Options B and C contradict fundamental forensic principles taught in CHFI v11 regarding logical deletion. Understanding this behavior is critical for forensic investigators, as it enables recovery of evidence that suspects may believe is permanently removed. Therefore, the correct explanation is that the file pointer is deleted, but the content still remains on the disk, making recovery possible.