Use HDDerese to secure erase SSD

[rangernoh]

Thank you so much for your help, Onslaught2k3.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying. How do I remove the power cable for my SSD? It is not the AC power, right? I'm using SSD in my laptop.

When my ssd is placed in my laptop, hdderase recognize my ssd in P0. --> bios security blocks hdderase from operating.
When my ssd is connected through usd-external enclosure, hdderase does NOT recognize my ssd at all.

Do I physically remove ssd from my laptop?

[Onslaught2k3]

as I previously said the hard drive must be powered during POST (power-on self test). The SSD, or msot hard drives made today have a government-backed software lock, preventing the drive from being wiped for legal/law enforcement purposes. The only way to keep the lock from kicking in (that's preventing you from being able to secure erase your drive as we chat through this thread) is when powering on your computer to power the SSD AFTERWARDS during or after the power-on self test but before you run the secure erase program. Because you're using a laptop you would have to do this on a PC that has a serial ATA data cable and serial ATA power cable to make sure the secure erase program detects the drive and the secure erase feature is available to you. It's sort of difficult for me to put it any other way....

[rangernoh]

Thank you again!

So, do I have to slide my ssd in a desktop, or just boot my usb containing hdderase with a desktop and connect that desktop to my laptop having ssd?

If the former is the case, I guess HDDerase is NOT a solution for A LOT OF users who own laptops without having desktops. I think this GOTTA be clear in the beginning of this thread...

Thank you so much!!

[kwilks3]

Gparted does not work either. It says permission denied after typing command to secure erase.

[Onslaught2k3]

Thank you again!

So, do I have to slide my ssd in a desktop, or just boot my usb containing hdderase with a desktop and connect that desktop to my laptop having ssd?

If the former is the case, I guess HDDerase is NOT a solution for A LOT OF users who own laptops without having desktops. I think this GOTTA be clear in the beginning of this thread...

Thank you so much!!

yes that's correct. you'd have to physically remove the ssd from the laptop and put it in to a desktop or leave it where it's safe outside of desktop computer in order to effectively bypass the lock feature I mentioned in the previous post. This is a headache for most laptop users. I sympathize for you who do use a laptop but even with me and alot of others using a desktop it is a hassle to:

make sure the sata power cable is not connected while the computer is starting up. (I apologize for not mentioning it before but the secure erase feature will be LOCKED once the computer's Basic Input Output System or BIOS for short detects the drive!)

remembering to connect the power cable BEFORE you initialize gparted, hdderase, or any other secure erase program.

Having to put everything back together once the procedure is done.

With this being said, I wish you luck with your secure erase adventure! You will be happy once you do the secure erase feature and enjoy the speeds where they should be. Remember to keep the interface in AHCI and not legacy IDE in your BIOS.

[rangernoh]

yes that's correct. you'd have to physically remove the ssd from the laptop and put it in to a desktop or leave it where it's safe outside of desktop computer in order to effectively bypass the lock feature I mentioned in the previous post. This is a headache for most laptop users. I sympathize for you who do use a laptop but even with me and alot of others using a desktop it is a hassle to:

make sure the sata power cable is not connected while the computer is starting up. (I apologize for not mentioning it before but the secure erase feature will be LOCKED once the computer's Basic Input Output System or BIOS for short detects the drive!)

remembering to connect the power cable BEFORE you initialize gparted, hdderase, or any other secure erase program.

Having to put everything back together once the procedure is done.

With this being said, I wish you luck with your secure erase adventure! You will be happy once you do the secure erase feature and enjoy the speeds where they should be. Remember to keep the interface in AHCI and not legacy IDE in your BIOS.

Wow...HDDerase/Gparted is indeed useless for most laptop users. All my family members switched from using a desktop to a laptop because it is easier to maintain, especially for old people like my parents...There are some public computers in my lab, but I don't have authority to assemble and disassemble it...

I think this gotta be clearly added in the beginning of this thread made by vaca - A LOT OF laptop users are following the steps that vaca kindly explained with pictures. Despite the valuable efforts that vaca and many other members made, laptop users are indeed wasting their time....

I'm a bit frustrated as there may be no way to enjoy the speed advertised. My Pheonix Pro 240GB is slower than any other SSDs in this forum - read: 140mb, write: 95mb. I purchased an expensive 240GB pheonix pro, but now I kinda doubt that if it was worthwhile to pay $550-$600...

But, I do REALLY appreciate your help, Onslaught2k3. Without your explanation, I could have been wasting even more time to figure out how to securely erase my SSD. Thank you very much

All my best,

[Onslaught2k3]

I forgot to mention (to avoid any confusion) that if you do manage to prepare to do a secure wipe.. make sure that in your BIOS, you set the hard disk interface be set to IDE mode (so that the secure erase program detects your drive), and set the interface in BIOS back to AHCI for maximum performance. No problem! I don't think the other members are less helpful (I'm sure there are other threads that explain this), but some of us forum-goers don't look through all the posts like we're instructed to (I am one of them myself).

[rangernoh]

I forgot to mention (to avoid any confusion) that if you do manage to prepare to do a secure wipe.. make sure that in your BIOS, you set the hard disk interface be set to IDE mode (so that the secure erase program detects your drive), and set the interface in BIOS back to AHCI for maximum performance.

Yes. I did know that. It was specified in the steps vaca explained. But thank you for trying to explain every bit of steps.

No problem! I don't think the other members are less helpful

I never said that other members are less helpful. I never think that way either. The efforts that vaca and other members are making are all valuable.

(I'm sure there are other threads that explain this), but some of us forum-goers don't look through all the posts like we're instructed to (I am one of them myself).

Believe or not, I myself had looked through the posts for a whole day to solve the problem on my own before I asked this to you. Of course, I could not read every single post, but spending more than 14 hours doesn't seem ok...Some common sense to some people is not a common sense to the others, so I just think that it would be much more helpful to additionally mention in the sticky thread that HDDerase is not a solution for laptop users...

I don't think people can read all posts, but I do think that people read the posts in the sticky threads (+ some search results)...I hope our conversation would be helpful for laptop users!

[Onslaught2k3]

I can understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize for assuming wrongly of what you were trying to say over the forum thread. 14 hours sounds like alot of dedication on your part to ensure success with resolving your issue. If there is anyone you know (say, a friend who can assist you with wiping the SSD or just has the workspace to make it as quick and painless as possible) that would be the best bet. I know i've said it many times but good luck!

[kwilks3]

I found a program that works perfectly for me. It's called Parted Magic. You do not have to change from AHCI to IDE. I used the bootable CD. I reset my Phoenix Pro 120GB on my ASUS G73JH laptop(Intel HM55 chipset). The best part was it was almost instantly. Now I'm back up to full speeds!

And I did not have to "hot plug" the drive. I did it all while the drive was securely attached to the laptop.

[Ranxerox]

Good program kwilks3

Receive my best regards

[Onslaught2k3]

There is a chance this program has some algorithms coded in which cracks the security lock password on the drives. If that's the case, then this Parted Magic program you speak of is a golden catch and definitely has to be stickied. I'll PM Vaca for confirmation as I'm sure he's got spare Gskill SSDs to test the program on. For Laptop or even desktop users, convenience is what sells!

[Ni3K]

Parted Magic is the only solution that works perfectly for me. Highly recommend it.

[rangernoh]

Parted Magic erased my SSD within a second, but performance gain was minimal...Could anyone post the pre- and post-PM crystaldiskmark results?

[Ni3K]

Unfortunately i don't have any screenies of before or after but will remember to do so next time i run secure erase.

As an after thought and upon what you just posted rangernoh i initially thought parted magic was just too quick to complete a secure erase.

Earlier this year i had two 128Gb (other manufacturer drives) and each time i ran parted magic it appeared to finish in a blink of an eye, but each drive reported unallocated space so i assumed it had worked.

Since a few months ago, i purchased two Phoenix Pros and have run parted magic secure erase twice. Both time a command box fires up detailing the secure erase in progress for each drive. Each drive takes about 5 minutes to securely erase and a comletion text arrives.

May varying depending on the size of your drives but since having the Phoenix Pros parted magic does work as above which is far more satisfying than a blink of an eye erase as before.

I have tried both HDDErase in numerous flavors and GParted to no avail. For now only parted magic works for me.