How to erase/format a SSD ?

[idata]

Hi there,

I doubt someone is running the operating system on SSD for years. How to go on now that you want to format/wipe it and reianstal with the operating system again?I cant believe that intel has no tool for it.

thank you

[idata]

What OS do you have? Why a tool? The OS can format an SSD and erase. I have used both Vista and Windows 7 with no issues to format and erase.

[idata]

ambizytl, what about with respect to TRIM vs no TRIM drives and whether TRIM was used during its previous use?

I mean, if you format an ssd (using the OS tool, eg. during Windows setup) that has been trimmed (either manually/automatically), then it sounds like this would be fine, performance would be good.

If you have an older G1 drive, something like HDDErase is needed, right? otherwise, if you just formatted, performance would be bad?

[idata]

I am not certain it would make a difference formatting a G1 or G2 drive using the full/long format; I never had a G1 drive and cannot speak from experience.

I believe Anand said doing a quick format was fine with drives using TRIM, and I have done a quick format with no issues. I do recall Anand suggesting HDDErase for G1 drives or drives without TRIM.

[idata]

It was firtly installed using windows 7. I heard simple formating a SSD is lowering it's speed.