SSD Intel SSDPEKKW512G7: Remove write protection

[PetStr]

Hi,
My Porsche Design Book One notebook (rarely used) has an Intel hard drive installed (Solid State Drive 600p series). The SSD is in poor condition. It has two partitions (system, data).
I can still read both partitions and have been able to back up the last data. The warranty period has probably expired, the notebook is from 2018.
I have to delete the data securely. However, the disk is write-protected, so I can neither delete files nor change partitions. Disk management and all common partition programs have not provided a solution. As a result, Windows could not be reinstalled either.
The error message is: CRC error.
I have not found a way to reset the SSD to the factory settings in the BIOS.

ChrystalDiskInfo outputs:

----------------------------------------------------------------
CrystalDiskInfo 9.1.1 (C) 2008-2023 hiyohiyo
Crystal Dew World: https://crystalmark.info/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating System: Windows 11 Professional [10.0 Build 22631] (x64)
Date: 09/13/2024 5:35:27 PM
- Controller Mapping -----------------------------------------------------------
+ Standard NVM Express Controller [SCSI]
- INTEL SSDPEKKW512G7
- Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller [SCSI]
-- Disk List ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(01) INTEL SSDPEKKW512G7: 512.1 GB [0/0/0, sq] - nv -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (01) INTEL SSDPEKKW512G7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Model: INTEL SSDPEKKW512G7 Firmware: PSF109C Serial Number: BTPY72130UK2512F Hard Drive Size: 512.1GB Interface: NVM Express Standard: NVM Express 1.2 Transfer Mode: PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 3.0 x4 Operation Hours: 854 hours Power-On Counts: 1601 Host Reads: 15175 GB Host Writes: 5635 GB Temperature: 21°C (69°F) Health: Poor (99%) Capabilities: SMART, TRIM, VolatileWriteCache Drive Letter: M: --

-- SMART --------------------------------------------------------------
ID RawValues(6) Attribute Name
01 000000000009 Critical Warning
02 000000000126 Composite Temperature
03 0000000000000 Available Spares
04 00000000000A Available Spare Threshold
05 000000000001 Percent Used
06 000001E5A03E Data Units Read
07 000000B45482 Data Units Written
08 000010618F77 Host Read Commands
09 000007B9511C Host Write Commands
0A 00000000082E Controller Utilization Time
0B 000000000641 Power Cycles
0C 000000000355 Power On Hours
0D 00000000043D Unsafe Shutdowns
0E 0000003316F0 Media and Data Integrity Errors
0F 0000003316F0 Number of Error Information Log Entries

ID #1 and ID #3 are marked in red

I have read about this in a Windows forum and Intel forum I haven't found a solution that would allow me to delete the data on the SSD. I was advised to replace the SSD.
I could only take the notebook to a repair shop once the stored data has been securely deleted.
It's a convertible notebook, the SSD is behind the display, which would probably have to be removed with hot air. I don't trust myself to do that.
Is there a way to remove the write protection on a defective but still accessible Intel SSD in order to securely delete the data?
I'm very grateful for any help.
Peter

[SolidigmGleb]

Dear PetStr,

Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with your SSD.

As we understand, you bought a Porsche Design Book One notebook that by default had Solid State Drive 600p series. 

The notebook you mentioned is related to the Original Equipped Manufacturer product (OEM). The SSD in your notebook is an essential part of the system's internal storage. Since it has issues, getting it repaired, replaced, or removing the write protection requires specialized support.

Since you did not purchase our SSD separately as a single product, we cannot provide appropriate assistance to resolve your issue. We would like to advise you to contact the OEM to get more information about possible ways to solve your issue. 

Nevertheless, based on your issue description we can provide you with several steps that might help you. However, please be aware that it is your responsibility, as we mentioned before your OEM might have other ways to resolution of your problem.

If CRC errors are detected by your system, try the following:

• Update the firmware of the SSD using the Solidigm Storage Tool™.
• Perform secure erase: How to Secure Erase an SSD with the Solidigm™ Storage Tool, or with third-party tools SSD and Tools to Use.
• We see, that you already tried Disk Management, however, maybe that helps you if you have not tried it before:  Check in "Disk Management" if the drive is set as a Basic disk type. If it is not, change it to "Basic" type. Refer to Change a dynamic disk back to a basic disk for detailed instructions.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via   https://support.solidigm.com/en-US/anonymous-createcase/  and create a support ticket.

Kind regards.  
Gleb
Solidigm Customer Support 

[PetStr]

Hi Gleb,
thanks for this information.

Unfortunately, the Porsche design company is unable to help me. They wrote me the following:

The Book One has been discontinued since 2019. Until last year, we were able to successfully repair various Book Ones. Due to the discontinuation of the Book One in 2019 and the five years that have now passed, we are no longer able to offer repairs and spare parts for this product. This is an unfortunate situation for us and our customers, as our top priority at Porsche is to always resolve customer queries to their satisfaction.
The manufacturer Trekstor, with whom the Book One was developed, has unfortunately not been able to provide any information since the discontinuation. Accordingly, I am very sorry to have to inform you that we cannot provide instructions on how to repair or open the Book One yourself.

As far as I know, there is a 5-year guarantee, which has now expired a few months ago.
Is it possible to get a replacement as part of a goodwill gesture?

[SolidigmGleb]

Dear PetStr,

Thank you for the information provided. 

As mentioned before, Solidigm cannot process RMA requests for OEM drives. We see that provided troubleshooting steps do not solve your issue and it leads to your requests for an RMA. However, such claims should be related to the OEM or place of purchase. Unfortunately, we can not affect the policy of the Porsche design company. 

Please be aware that Solidigm does not support OEM drives because OEM drives may have different firmware and configurations compared to boxed SSDs.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via   https://support.solidigm.com/en-US/anonymous-createcase/  and create a support ticket.

Kind regards.  
Gleb
Solidigm Customer Support