How long it takes HDDERASE 4.o to fromat Intel 80GB SSD

interfaceman

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Hi,

I am trying to use HDDERASE 4.0 to format my new SSD and it is just sitting there. Does it take long time to format ?
I am trying to re-install Win7 64bit over 32.

I am booting up from CD-ROM using Hiren Boot CD 11 and then used HDDERASE. My mobo is set to IDE.

Please let me know if anyone had the same issue.

Thanks,
 

mark_k

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HDDerase
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
HDDerase is a freeware utility that securely erases data on hard drives using the security erase unit command built into the firmware of ATA and SATA drives manufactured after 2001.[1] HDDerase was developed by the Center for Magnetic Recording Research at the University of California San Diego. It differs from other file deletion programs such as Darik's Boot and Nuke which attempt to erase data using block writes, and therefore cannot access certain portions of the hard drive. The internal firmware secure erase command can access data that is no longer accessible through software, such as bad blocks.[2]

HDDerase is recommended as a disk drive purging method in NIST Special Publication 800-88.[3]


Can you use this sw on an SSD drive?
 
Why do you need to format the drive? Are you going to install an OS on it anyway?

Let the OS install program format the drive. The quick format option during Win7 install works just fine, I've done it.

HDDErase writes blank data the drive sectors, to erase whatever was there before it. NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TO A SSD!

When/if you install to the SSD, set the SATA ports to ACHI, if you can. IDE will not yeild good results.

If you want a good "erase program" try DBaN. Still meant for hard disk drives.
 

interfaceman

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Thank you everyone for your advice. Last night I completed my istallation and two way it can be done as many have advised.

1. Use Win7 DVD and chhose custom install and format the drive.

2. Use Intel SSD toolkit 2.0, has option to secure erase the SSD but it has to be hooked as secondary drive to another system.
 

Techn9ne1730

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Sorry to bump an old post, but I felt the need to correct some false information for any one who stumbles across this post like I did.

First, HDDErase is EXACTLY what you want to use for an SSD. I have not checked the community forums for other drives besides Intel, but this is the recommended program to use. You can also use the Intel Toolbox, but before its creation HDD Erase was the most widely used tool to restore an SSD to as close to factory state as possible.
http://www.iishacks.com/2009/06/30/how-to-secure-erase-reset-an-intel-solid-state-drive-ssd/
http://communities.intel.com/message/135512#135512
There is a ton of references on the Intel Forums. Far to many to link to. Let's just say google returned over 12 pages of results about using this program from the intel forums alone.

You are some what correct in regards to using AHCI I believe, however, when it comes to setting up RAID, this is not true. In a RAID set up Intel recommends you chose RAID over AHCI because it will include both the RAID standard and AHCI standards as well.

Again I do apologize for bumping an old post, but when the wrong answer is marked as the best answer, I felt it best to correct the statement so that people are using the recommended methods. I stumbled on this because I am using a RAID0 SSD Array, and at this time SSDs used in a RAID Array will not accept the TRIM command.