How to Secure Erase Intel SSD 660p Series?

[JShar27]

I have a laptop containing an Intel 660p NVMe PCIe M.2 512GB (SSDPEKNW512G8) as the only drive (i.e. it's the boot drive) installed. I have Windows 10 64-bit installed.

I've read the Intel SSD Toolbox User Guide, which states that Secure Erase is blocked by Windows 10, and also cannot be run from a bootable SSD.

So, given that my Intel NVMe SSD does have Windows 10 installed on it and is the (only) boot drive, how can I perform a secure erase or sanitize operation?

[LeonWaksman]

1.  Boot from your Windows 10 installation USB.
2.  Select your language preferences and click/tap on Next.
3.  Click/tap on Repair your computer at the bottom.
4.  Click/tap on Troubleshoot.
5.  Click/tap on Advanced options.
6. Click on Command Prompt
7. Run Diskpart
8. Run List disk
9. Run sel disk n (where n is the number of your system drive)
10. Run clean all , your drive will be wiped.

Leon

[JShar27]

Hi LWAKSMAN,

Thanks for your reply. I do know how to perform a format/clean operation like you described. However, this won't securely erase the drive. If I wish to later sell the laptop (with the SSD intact), I'd want the SSD to have its contents securely erase (i.e. unrecoverable).

[LeonWaksman]

Although I didn't recommend to format your SSS, rather to use clean all command which writes zeros to your SSD, unless you're selling laptop to the NSA/GCHQ, clean all is fine. You may prefer however, to use EasyUS free SSD erasing tool.

Leon