what is the best way to remove search history from this computer so that it can not be retrieved

Hello  TIMSULLIVAN and Welcome to the Webroot Community Forums!
 
Eliminates traces of online activity:
Webroot Internet Security Complete&
Webroot SecureAnywhere AntiVirus for PC Gamers
 
included is a system optimization tool that can remove junk files to reclaim free space and eliminates browsing tracks in order to maintain privacy.
 
Compare products 
http://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/products/compare
 
 
 

 
Read more about system optimizer settings:
http://www.webroot.com/En_US/SecureAnywhere/PC/WSA_PC_Help.htm#C9_SystemOptimizer/CH9c_ChangingSystemOptimizerSettings.htm
 

Hi TIMSULLIVAN
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
Whilst what Petrovic says is true I would be cautious about how recoverable the tracks/traces removed by the System Optimizer are...simply because it depends on how they are erased and also what retrieval mechanism you are trying to protect against being used to retrieve them.
 
WSA does have a Secure Erase feature that can be set to degree of 'thoroughness of erasure' (for want of a better phrase)...from normal to maximum which is classified as follows:
 

1. [list]
2. Normal — Deletes the files without overwriting them.
3. Medium — Overwrites the data with three passes.
4. Maximum — Overwrites the data with seven passes.

[/list]If you are trying to beat forensic level recovery then you need to set Maximum...for most normal protection 'Medium' is more than secure and 'Normal' speaks for itself.
 
The default setting, i.e., out of the box is 'Normal'...so if you have not changed that setting then the erasure via the Optimizer will not be any more secure than using WIndows Delete.  I would therefore recommend that you look into this...and for more information on how to beef up the erase factor for your installation please review this Help Text article.
 
EDIT: I should have added a caveat in that the higher the degree of 'throughness of erasure' the longer the Optimizer run will take to complete, plus if yo would like to securely delete specific files or objects then you can locate the object/file, right click on it and select 'Permanently erase with Webroot' from the context menu displayed...great if you have just one or two objects that yo want to securely remove.
 
Regards, Baldrick