Securely erasing everything from my boot SSD, to use it in a new computer

quentin910307 · May 20, 2016

Hello guys,
First of all I want to say that I googled the hell out of this and haven't found answers to my questions.
I just got all new hardware for a new computer, and I will only re-use the drives from my current setup (a Samsung boot SSD, a Crucial SSD for games and a generic HDD for things and stuff).
Since I have a new mobo and a new copy of Windows, how can I securely erase everything from my boot SSD ? I've read that you're supposed to use software to clean erase an SSD, but how can I do that if it's the boot drive ?
I've found lots of topics of people who want to format their boot SSD to then re-install the same copy of Windows on it, which is not my case, I need my SSD to be completely blank.
Thanks

ihog · May 20, 2016

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/securely-erase-ssd-without-destroying/

JohnBonhamsGhost · May 20, 2016

when installing a new OS it should prompt you if you want to format the drive or chosen partition first.
or when choosing which drive to install it on it should have the option to "delete" disk. this will leave the disk blank and formatting will occur during installation.

put disk or plug USB drive in. turn off PC. let it boot from device(either DVD or USB install media).

quentin910307 · May 20, 2016

JohnBonhamsGhost :

Thanks for answering.

So basically, I can just plug my SSD as it is in my new system, start it with the new Windows CD in it, and format the SSD from there ? Wouldn't it cause problems that another OS is already on it ?

ihog · May 20, 2016

quentin910307 :

JohnBonhamsGhost :

Thanks for answering.

So basically, I can just plug my SSD as it is in my new system, start it with the new Windows CD in it, and format the SSD from there ? Wouldn't it cause problems that another OS is already on it ?

No, because it's just going to erase everything on the disk.

ss202sl · May 20, 2016

Yes. Just put the CD in. When it asks where to install windows, go to the advance button, and from there just remove all the old partitions. Install windows to the blank(no partitions) disk, and it will create and format the needed partitions for you.

quentin910307 · May 20, 2016

ihog :

quentin910307 :

No, because it's just going to erase everything on the disk.

Are you saying "no it won't work" or "no it won't cause any problems"

JohnBonhamsGhost · May 20, 2016

quentin910307 :

No, it won't cause any issues because the old OS will be erased before the new one is installed

quentin910307 · May 20, 2016

JohnBonhamsGhost :

Alright. Now last question : In my researches I've read that you can't erase everything from an SSD the same way you do it for an HDD. If I do this, will my SSD be formatted the correct way ?

JohnBonhamsGhost · May 20, 2016

quentin910307 :

Windows install media will be doing the erasing/formatting. There are hundreds of thousands of computers in the world running SSDs with Windows by now. Microsoft isn't going to incorrectly format your disk.

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