topic Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...) in Archive

Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

idata — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:44:04 GMT

The way to do it is simply by using Microsoft DISKPART.

Here is : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927520 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927520 using Method 8 as discribed.

So, there is no longer need for unsafe and unkown tools like HDDErase or HDParm etc.

Hope it will help

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

Steve_Lionel — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:25:41 GMT

From what I read there, this method simply does a format of the drive. It is not the same as "secure erase".

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

idata — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:52:06 GMT

I confirm: DISKPART CLEAR ALL erases ALL data on ANY drive (including MBR, etc.), making it a raw drive.

You can check the detailed description of the command here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766465(WS.10).aspx

I did it and it works, of course.

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

idata — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:38:09 GMT

A secure erase command is special. Plz see this link https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

idata — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:04:35 GMT

Thank you for replying. I undestand what a "secure erase" is ("magnetically speeking").

I have already seen this link (among others).

What I mean is DISKPART CLEAR ALL restores the drive to factory set. It does not "magnetically" destroy it.

FORMAT (normal) command does not do that.

And for the purpose of restoring the performance off an SSD, I can ensure you that DISKPART does the job.

I tested it.

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

Steve_Lionel — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:40:38 GMT

No, you don't understand. An SSD isn't like a magnetic drive - when you "overwrite" a block with zeroes, what actually happens, due to wear-leveling algorithms, is that a different block of memory is written with your new data and the old block is put on a list for eventual reuse. This is how SSDs mitigate the limited number of write cycles inherent in flash memory.

It is true that doing the "clear all" in diskpart will make it look as if the whole drive was zeroed out, but 1) specialized software would be able to locate much if not all of the old data and retrieve it, and 2) it would not bring the drive back to original performance.

The "secure erase" command is specially recognized and tells the SSD to erase EVERY block of memory it has, whether it is reserved or not, and clears the allocation tables. In effect it brings the SSD back to a factory state, returning full performance.

Even using programs such as DBAN, which overwrite zeroes or other patterms, won't really remove previous data and they won't reset the SSD's allocation tables. You need to use a program that issues the ATA "secure erase" command to do that, and diskpart won't do it.

Re: Here is the way to simply an securely Erase any Drive (SSD, HDD, ...)

idata — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:31:55 GMT

I agree, those two have different results