How to wipe an SSD

Alex Adamson

Alex Adamson

Alex Adamson

Associate
Joined
1 Mar 2018
Posts
58
So my old SSD has some stuff left over from my old OS it had on it which I redownloaded somewhere else and I want to delete the stuff on it but when I try to manually delete it it tells me I need permission from SYSTEM to make changes to that folder. How can I fully wipe my SSD?
 
If you don't know what Raid is then you don't have it.

Without specific software to erase the SSD. Regular erasing may not do it properly. Do some googling on it.
 
I just used Diskwipe to write random data over a 240GB SSD before re-installing Win10 and selling on. You'll need to delete the old partitions and create a single one and run the software. Have an up to date virus checker etc. installed as you never know with these free utils. Manufacturer util would definitely be preffered when available.

Maybe the Drive is blocking true writes to save cell ware it's hard to tell with SSDs but it went through the motions! it wasn't a low level format like you could do to HDDs in the old days so shouldn't be harming the drive for a one off.
 
You software that use ATA Secure Erase and only "IF" the drive itself supports ATA Secure Erase properly.


ATA Secure Erase is part of the ANSI ATA specification and When to Implemented Correctly, wipes The entire contents of a drive at the hardware level Instead of through software tools. Software tools over-write data on hard drives and SSDs, Often through multiple passes; over-writing The Problem with SSDs Is That Such software tools can not access all the storage areas on an SSD, leaving behind blocks of data in the service regions of the drive (examples: Bad Blocks, Wear-Leveling Blocks, etc.)

When an ATA Secure Erase (SE) command is issued against a SSD's built-in controller That properly supports it, the SSD controller resets all its storage cells as empty (releasing stored electrons) - just THUS restoring the SSD to factory default settings and write performance. When Implemented properly, SE will process all regions Including the protected storage service regions of the half.
Click to expand...

The best way to protect your data on an SSD is to encrypt it before using it.
 
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