Deleting windows from an ssd
- Thread starter Woodles
- Start date
Solution
JohnnyLucky
Illustrious
- May 30, 2007
- 10,902
- 10
- 42,965
Perform a "secure erase" to delete the operating system and everything else saved to an ssd. Some ssd's have a utility usually referred as a toolkit that may contain the secure erase feature. An example would be the Samsung toolkits. Also check the ssd company web site. Some companies do not provide a toolkit but may have a secure erase utility in their customer support and download areas.
The next step would be to do a fresh clean install of the Microsoft Windows operating system. When performing a fresh clean install it is not necessary or recommended that an ssd used as a primary boot drive be formatted. Instead let Windows prepare the ssd for installation.
There are quite a few video clips on YouTube showing and explaining how to perform a secure erase and how to do a fresh clean install of Windows. Just use their search feature to find the videos.
BTW - A fresh clean install of the operating system is the preferred method of installation. You should also check for motherboard BIOS updates, Intel or AMD chipset updates, and assorted driver updates.
The next step would be to do a fresh clean install of the Microsoft Windows operating system. When performing a fresh clean install it is not necessary or recommended that an ssd used as a primary boot drive be formatted. Instead let Windows prepare the ssd for installation.
There are quite a few video clips on YouTube showing and explaining how to perform a secure erase and how to do a fresh clean install of Windows. Just use their search feature to find the videos.
BTW - A fresh clean install of the operating system is the preferred method of installation. You should also check for motherboard BIOS updates, Intel or AMD chipset updates, and assorted driver updates.
Solandri
Illustrious
- Jan 4, 2012
- 4,919
- 98
- 39,240
Please note that a "secure erase" on a HDD is different from a "secure erase" on a SSD.
HDDs can overwrite a 0 with a 1 (and vice versa). A SSD cannot overwrite a 0 with a 1 (or vice versa). The SSD must first put the memory cell into an erased state. i.e. 0 -> erased -> 1. The erased -> 1 step is lightning fast. The 0 -> erased state is very slow - about as slow as a HDD and normally done in the background by the SSD firmware while the SSD is idle.
A HDD secure erase overwrites all data with 0s. If you do this on a SSD
A SSD secure erase simply puts all the NAND cells into the erased state. So there's no write cycle added, and the SSD is in the fastest possible state - all cells erased.
So if your SSD manufacturer has released a SSD secure erase utility, that is your best choice. Your second best choice is to simply format the drive. Once it's formatted, the drive will slowly convert all the freed memory cells back to the Erased state, essentially doing the same thing as a SSD secure erase.
Running a HDD secure erase utility on the SSD, while not the end of the world, is the worst way to handle the situation. Do it only if you're unable to find a SSD secure erase utility, and you need to make sure all data on the SSD is scrubbed so it can't be recovered.
HDDs can overwrite a 0 with a 1 (and vice versa). A SSD cannot overwrite a 0 with a 1 (or vice versa). The SSD must first put the memory cell into an erased state. i.e. 0 -> erased -> 1. The erased -> 1 step is lightning fast. The 0 -> erased state is very slow - about as slow as a HDD and normally done in the background by the SSD firmware while the SSD is idle.
A HDD secure erase overwrites all data with 0s. If you do this on a SSD
■It adds a full write cycle to the entire drive, fractionally decreasing its lifespan (most SSD NAND cells are only good for 3000-7000 write cycles).
■It puts the SSD in the slowest possible state - all cells holding data.
A SSD secure erase simply puts all the NAND cells into the erased state. So there's no write cycle added, and the SSD is in the fastest possible state - all cells erased.
So if your SSD manufacturer has released a SSD secure erase utility, that is your best choice. Your second best choice is to simply format the drive. Once it's formatted, the drive will slowly convert all the freed memory cells back to the Erased state, essentially doing the same thing as a SSD secure erase.
Running a HDD secure erase utility on the SSD, while not the end of the world, is the worst way to handle the situation. Do it only if you're unable to find a SSD secure erase utility, and you need to make sure all data on the SSD is scrubbed so it can't be recovered.
TRENDING THREADS
-
-
Question Tried moving SSD from old PC to new one, now it won't boot from either
- Started by scyer327
- Replies: 9
-
Question why my pc dont have sound after install new Nvidia GPU Card?
- Started by sudsaviour
- Replies: 3
-
News Windows 11 will reportedly display a watermark if your PC does not support AI requirements- Started by Admin
- Replies: 15
-
Latest posts
-
Question User RX 580 8gb red devil powercolor, asking original BIOS- Latest: PizzaInGame
-
-
-
-
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram