Wipe SSD in Linux for Windows install

[Josh Waterson]

Hi There,

I'm trying to wipe an 2.5" SSD I currently have in my laptop with Ubuntu installed, for a fresh Windows 10 install into a desktop build I'm currently working on.

This is my first time trying this in Linux and I'm not sure how to go about doing it safely. Any tips, hugely appreciated!

Thanks

 

[VersionMonkey]

You can simply boot the Windows installer, delete the existing partitions from the choose disk dialogue and direct Windows to install on the resulting free space.

Alternatively, perform a secure erase of the SSD - that would have the advantage of marking all the SSD cells as "unused", possibly giving a small initial performance boost (depending on how much the SSD has been used already).

I would normally boot off a live linux image to do this. This goes through the secure erase process:

https://grok.lsu.edu/article.aspx?articleid=16716

There are some other tools that can also do it (seach for secure erase SSD).

Also, which ever approach you take, connect only the SSD in question to avoid accidentally erasing any other disks.

 

[mrbazmondo]

In Linux you can do blkdiscard /dev/whatever but I'm not sure how it will handle you doing that to the boot disk. Probably best to use a linux USB to boot and do it from there if you choose this path.

 

[Josh Waterson]

You can simply boot the Windows installer, delete the existing partitions from the choose disk dialogue and direct Windows to install on the resulting free space.

Alternatively, perform a secure erase of the SSD - that would have the advantage of marking all the SSD cells as "unused", possibly giving a small initial performance boost (depending on how much the SSD has been used already).

I would normally boot off a live linux image to do this. This goes through the secure erase process:

https://grok.lsu.edu/article.aspx?articleid=16716

There are some other tools that can also do it (seach for secure erase SSD).

Also, which ever approach you take, connect only the SSD in question to avoid accidentally erasing any other disks.

Hey, thanks for the advice - I followed the CLI commands given here in the accepted answer: https://askubuntu.com/questions/42266/what-is-the-recommended-way-to-empty-a-ssd

After this process has been completed, do you know whether I am good to go ahead and install the SSD in my new build?

Thanks again

 

[VersionMonkey]

Hey, thanks for the advice - I followed the CLI commands given here in the accepted answer: https://askubuntu.com/questions/42266/what-is-the-recommended-way-to-empty-a-ssd

After this process has been completed, do you know whether I am good to go ahead and install the SSD in my new build?

Thanks again

Yes, you can go ahead once the drive is erased. It should show up as empty when you run the Windows installer.