When you attempt you prepare your storage device for a new user, you may need to secure erase the SSD or HDD to protect your private data. What is secure erase and how to do it? Read on and you will know all about it.
What Is Secure Erase
Permanently Erase Ssd Windows 10
There are actually several ways to completely erase a hard drive, but using data destruction software is the easiest and still allows the hard drive to be used again. Complete whatever steps are necessary to install the software or, in the case of a bootable program like DBAN, get the ISO image on a CD or DVD disc, or a USB device like a flash. You just need to add the files/folders, then click on 'Erase' button to permanently erase these files and folders. Mode 2: erase entire SSD to permanently wipe all data on the SSD. After you click 'Erase Hard Drive', you can see all the hard drives on your computer including the SSD.
![Permanently Erase Ssd Permanently Erase Ssd](https://www.ibidinfo.com/img/20/bitraser-wipe-204x260.gif)
Secure Erase is, in essence, a set of commands that are available from the firmware on PATA/SATA based hard drives. It is a term for a data sanitation method that completely overwrites all of the data on a hard drive by writing a binary one or zero to the sectors on the storage device. That means once you perform a Secure Erase, there will be no chance to recover data from the device. But from a different perspective, Secure Erase is a perfect way to prepare your storage device for reuse or resale.
Can You Secure Erase SSD
Yes, you can. But only with the help of an SSD erasing tool or utility. Since the Secure Erase commands are only available from the hard drive firmware, you can not run the commands as you do in Command Prompt. Therefore, you will need a hard drive erasing tool to help you to secure erase your solid-state drive.
The Tool You Need - Free SSD Erase Tool
The free partition manager - EaseUS Partition Master, can also serve the function of an SSD erasing tool to securely erase an SSD or HDD for you. The 'Wipe Data' feature works almost identical to the Secure Erase commands. The only difference is that the free tool erases your data permanently by writing random numbers, not binary one or zero. No matter what the process is, the outcome is the same: your SSD or HDD will be securely wiped out. Toby fox sans.
How to Secure Erase SSD or HDD
Do make sure you have backed up all the needed files on the hard drive you are going to erase. To back up a whole disk effectively, you can use the free backup software to do it for you. Once it's done, the data stored will be lost forever.
To secure erase an SSD or HDD with the free SSD erasing tool:
Step 1: Install and launch EaseUS Partition Master.
Select the HDD or SSD which you want to wipe. And right-click to choose 'Wipe Data'.
Step 2: Set the number of times to wipe data.
You can set to 10 at most. Then Click 'OK'.
Step 3: Check the message.
A message tells you that the computer would restart after disk erase is recommended. Then click 'OK'.
Step 4: Click 'Apply' to apply the changes.
Click 'Execute the operation' and then click 'Apply' to start wiping data.
The time it will take to wipe out an SSD or HDD varies, depending on the capacity of your SSD or HDD. Generally, it's longer than simply delete files due to the additional overwriting process. Thus, if you have a large-size disk to wipe, wait patiently for the process to complete.
EaseUS Partition Master is powerful software that will fulfill many of your disk-related needs. With the free software installed, you can:
- Resize partitions to allocate your disk space according to your needs
- Merge partitions to expand the storage
- Create/format/delete partitions to prepare the space of reuse
- Convert the disk/partition between primary and logical, MBR and GPT, or from FAT to NTFS
Permanently Erase Ssd
If you upgrade to the Pro version, there will be more useful features available, like OS migration, partition recovery, and bootable disk creation.
Ssd Secure Erase
Knowledge Base: Does Secure Erase Damage SSD
That depends on how many times does the Secure Erase overwrite the cells on the disk. Too many overwrites might lower the lifespan of the SSD. But don't fret. Just wiping the SSD three or five times won't really do much damage to the SSD. Thus, feel free to secure erase the SSD because there is no detrimental effect on the storage device as you may expect.
The Bottom Line
Secure Erase can securely wipe out your SSD or HDD and make the data unrecoverable. Given that, it's a good choice when you want to sanitize the drive and recover its performance. The free SSD erasing tool from EaseUS not only allows you to securely erase your SSD or HDD with simple clicks but also enables you to back up the whole disk quickly before the cleanup when necessary.
Secure Erase and Sanitize both securely erase all user data and reset the SSD to out of box performance
Sanitize
NOTE: Not all SanDisk SSD support Sanitize. Refer to the SanDisk SSD Dashboard to see if your SanDisk SSD support Sanitize
NOTE: Not all SanDisk SSD support Sanitize. Refer to the SanDisk SSD Dashboard to see if your SanDisk SSD support Sanitize
1. In the SSD Dashboard first select the Tools tab and then on the left side select Sanitize
2a. Secondary drive: If the SSD is not the system/boot drive (C: drive) you can simply select Erase now and follow the prompts to sanitize the SSD.
2b. Primary Drive: If the SSD is the system/boot drive (C: drive) you will need to choose Create USB Drive to create a bootable USB drive that can be used to sanitize the SSD
Once the Bootable USB drive has been create Restart your computer and select to Boot from the USB drive (all data on the USB drive will be destroyed so ensure no important data is on the USB drive)
Refer to your computer documentation for instructions on how to boot from a USB drive
Once you have booted into the bootable USB sanitize tool you will see a list of all drives identified by the model number and to the left will be the name of the drive as identified by the sanitize tool.
Enter the Device name (indicated above by the red circle) of the drive you want to sanitize
Once the drive is selected type Yto confirm and press enter
TypeNto exit the sanitize tool reboot the computer.
Secure Erase
Secure Erase
1. In the SSD Dashboard first select the Tools tab and then on the left side select Secure Erase
2. Connect a USB drive and select that USB drive (all data on the USB drive will be destroyed so ensure no important data is on the USB drive)
3. Virtual piano offline. After you have booted into the bootable USB Secure Erase tool you will see a list of all drives identified by the model number and to the left will be the name of the drive as identified by the Secure Erase tool.
4. Enter the Device name (indicated above by the red circle) of the drive you want to Secure Erase
NOTE: If you get an Invalid device type Yand press enter.
5. TypeY and press enter
NOTE: If the SSD is in a security frozen state you will be notified the security is frozen. To remove the security frozen state on a 2.5 formfactor SanDisk SSD, disconnect the power cable from the SSD and reconnect it and then continue with the secure erase.
6. Type N and reboot the computer.