If you’re selling your computer then you must wipe out all the data on your solid-state drive to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Now this question arises; How to wipe an SSD?
If you want to know the answer to that question that just popped into your curious brain, you don’t have to look any further because right here on this page is everything you’ll need to know.
Note: Simply deleting the files won’t erase them from the SSD and can be easily recovered. The OS merely removes the ‘links’ to the data, keeping all the pieces in existence, till the system requires that space for new information and overwrites it.
How to Erase an SSD?
An SSD cannot be safely wiped the same way a traditional disc can. The suitable technique to completely clean an HDD is to use a tool that repeatedly writes random stuff over every region to ensure that no traces of the deleted items survive.
For SSDs, the overwrite strategy won’t be as effective. Hard drives require numerous overwrites since magnetic media can leave data traces, but since SSDs have all had a finite supply of write cycles, performing several overwrites on them is superfluous.
So, how to wipe an SSD without destroying it? There are more than one methods to do so, brace yourselves:
How to Wipe an SSD Using BIOS?
Every motherboard has a BIOS that will hold the key to securely wipe out your SSD and will leave you with a fresh, undamaged solid-state drive with just a few simple clicks.
It’s important to acknowledge that on the majority of PCs, a secure erase is not a regular BIOS/UEFI feature.
If this choice is not available for you, you have to move to the next method, i.e using driver software.
How to wipe an SSD using Driver Software?
As SSDs continue to spread in popularity, the majority of leading suppliers provide up-to-date applications that cover deletions, and you’ll also discover an expanding range of third-party choices.
The technique that many individuals follow is to use the tools provided by their manufacturers or a trusted third-party tool.
The ideal approach to manage everything is via the most recent software offered by the manufacturer of your gadget, however, that isn’t always an option. Continue reading to find out more about suggested software from key manufacturers and helpful beginning points for both free and premium management suites.
Best Software to Wipe an SSD:
We’ll be examining a variety of well-liked third-party programs in addition to a few of the most prominent manufacturer’s tools:
- Samsung Magician (manufacturer software)
- EaseUS (third-party software)
- Intel Memory and Storage Tool (manufacturer software)
- Parted Magic (third-party software)
1. Samsung Magician:
It’s possible that the SSD will freeze when you’re erasing it in Windows. The Secure Erase can then be carried out using a bootable Disc or USB drive.
Only Samsung SSDs may be securely erased with the Samsung Magician. Another more comprehensive SSD secure erase tool can be used if you intend to erase other SSD discs.
AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is what you can use to wipe your SSD if you use a brand other than Samsung.
2. EaseUS:
If you wish to sign up for EaseUS, you can look into their professional plan, or you can use a free trial to test it out without spending any money.
3. Intel Memory and Storage Tool:
The Intel Memory and Storage Tool has a tonne of functions that are helpful for Windows users who have an Intel SSD.
This should secure erase your SSD in no time.
4. Parted Magic:
The service doesn’t offer a free trial run and has a starting price of $13. Parted Magic is a great option if you frequently wipe drives or want to ensure the OP region is cleaned, but otherwise, you should think about using a free technique.
How to Wipe an SSD Using Windows Diskpart?
If you don’t want to follow any of the above methods for some reason, I am here to teach you another technique.
Using the built-in diskpart program in Windows 10 or 11 at the command prompt is an affordable and popular approach. This approach is applicable even if the SSD you want to clean is the boot disc for the system.
DriveSavers, a reputable data restoration service, stated that the procedure should “do the job,” but added that they had not confirmed it on every hardware platform.
How to Wipe a Fully encrypted Disc?
Your SSD’s content is actually algorithmically erased by the Physical Security ID (PSID) reversion before it is returned to the wipe phase.
The complete drive is erased by a PSID Revert. This technique will work only when the device is hardware encrypted, this means you don’t have to waste your energy on PSID Revert if the SSD is encrypted using third-party software.
Look on the web for “[your drive name] PSID Revert” to see if your drive is compatible with this feature.
Does Secure Erase Delete Everything?
This is a common question that Google hears from people all over the world, and the answer is: Yes.
If you Secure Erase your SSD, your data will be erased beyond recovering so that you can safely give away or sell your device without having to worry about any misuse of your personal files.
However, you may want to encrypt your data even when you intend to securely erase your SSD, just to keep it ‘extra safe’.
Can you recover Data After Secure Erase?
A document deleted with Secure Erase cannot be retrieved after it has been lost. The Secure Erase technology was created to completely remove the file from your disc, making it almost impossible for recovery software to restore it.
Conclusion
From everything you’ve read on this page, it should be clear that a Secure Erase/Wipe on an SSD is not as straightforward as that of an HDD and if you follow the traditional approach, it might damage your solid-state drive. Thus, it is advised to follow one of the methods we have explained above.
