My Dell Mini Forum

Mikazukinoyaiba · **Securely Erasing Dell Stock SSD -** 12-24-2009, 01:19 AM

I recently upgraded my Mini 9 to Super Talent's 32GB and now want to securely erase any information on the stock SSD Dell gives you.

From reading various threads here and online, it doesn't seem there is any software that can be trusted to securely erase a SSD.

Is this true? If so I suppose I'll have to keep the stock SSD with me until either a method of securely erasing SSDs is discovered or someone informs me how to "reset" the SSD to factory state.

Thank you for your attention.

reflex · 12-24-2009, 01:29 AM

A simple wipe may leave data on the drive, because of the way SSD controllers move data around. But the data will be unrecoverable by most means.

The only way to completely erase a SSD is to use a utility which tells the drive to erase itself, via the ATA SECURITY ERASE command. Then trust that the drive actually erases itself.

I don't know if the stock SSD supports the self-erase command. So, you might be stuck with a simple wipe (or wipes), and knowing that a serious effort may recover some fragments of data off the SSD.

bmcclure937 · 12-24-2009, 06:07 AM

I am not sure if DBAN (Derek's Boot and Nuke) works for SSDs, but it does wonders on any standard HDD I have needed to wipe! Give it a shot.

holmes4 · 12-24-2009, 11:58 AM

I have used DBAN on a stock SSD and it worked, but I have heard of others that had it fail. reflex is correct that some old data is likely still on the drive, but would require special tools to recover.

nd4spdbh · 12-29-2009, 03:45 AM

whats the easiest way to send the secure errase command to an ssd. I know there are performance benefits in doing so before installing an os as each sector is completely freed of data.

mobes · 12-30-2009, 04:39 PM

Use truecrypt to encrypt the drive. Use a very long encryption key (and a keyfile, if you want to be really sure). Delete the keyfile, forget the encryption key and then format the drive as normal.

holmes4 · 12-30-2009, 04:49 PM

There's no point in going through that effort - using DBAN would actually work better for that. I found this page that linked to a tool said to do a secure erase on some SSDs. You can try it and see if it claims your SSD supports the command.

Thorsteenster · 12-30-2009, 08:36 PM

What are you going to do with it, sell it, keep it as a backup?
There's always the hammer method, vice method, or any other device of destruction you deem fit/fun.

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holmes4 Super Moderator Posts: 4,523 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire	12-24-2009, 11:58 AM I have used DBAN on a stock SSD and it worked, but I have heard of others that had it fail. reflex is correct that some old data is likely still on the drive, but would require special tools to recover. Steve Mini 9\|2GB RAM\|64GB RunCore\|Intel 5300\|Windows 7/Snow Leopard

nd4spdbh Senior Member Posts: 153 Join Date: Jan 2009	12-29-2009, 03:45 AM whats the easiest way to send the secure errase command to an ssd. I know there are performance benefits in doing so before installing an os as each sector is completely freed of data.

mobes Junior Member Posts: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009	12-30-2009, 04:39 PM Use truecrypt to encrypt the drive. Use a very long encryption key (and a keyfile, if you want to be really sure). Delete the keyfile, forget the encryption key and then format the drive as normal.

holmes4 Super Moderator Posts: 4,523 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Hampshire	12-30-2009, 04:49 PM There's no point in going through that effort - using DBAN would actually work better for that. I found this page that linked to a tool said to do a secure erase on some SSDs. You can try it and see if it claims your SSD supports the command. Steve Mini 9\|2GB RAM\|64GB RunCore\|Intel 5300\|Windows 7/Snow Leopard

Thorsteenster Senior Member Posts: 479 Join Date: Oct 2009	12-30-2009, 08:36 PM What are you going to do with it, sell it, keep it as a backup? There's always the hammer method, vice method, or any other device of destruction you deem fit/fun. C:\M9\32GBSSD\2GBRAM\W7Pro D:\M10\32GBSSD\1GBRAM\W7RC\modlid.exe