secure erase ssd

[Sapphire1217]

I need to return a samsung 980 Pro 1tb ssd to Amazon, and I'm trying to secure erase it. I know I can do it with windows DiskPart but I know theres certain caveats, so Im using samsungs own ssd software (samsung magician). Through the program I proceeded with the secure erase option and created a bootable drive for the erase as instructed, and when I boot into the drive I am hit with these images. All i know is that it has something to do with Linux (i think). 

 

These are the instructions. I have completed this first part. -->

Now I am stuck on this portion because of the issues shown above as images.

[Radium_Angel]

Easier to use DBAN.

[Bismut]

I used this tutorial with a live Linux Mint 20 stick, worked a treat.

[kokosnh]

I use the bootable Partedmagic for SE

 

11 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

Easier to use DBAN.

does it support secure erase?     

[Radium_Angel]

3 hours ago, kokosnh said:

I use the bootable Partedmagic for SE

 

does it support secure erase?     

DBAN nukes the drive entirely, total data destruction

 

[kokosnh]

12 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

DBAN nukes the drive entirely, total data destruction

 

no, it’s not nuking anything.  And it’s not supporting SE from what I found.

You don’t understand, writing data to SSD is harmful for it, and does not guarantee that the original data will be erase (you just hope it will, based on wear leveling and trim algorithm, and that is just so wrong).
 

DBAN is for HDD erasing, where you have control over the data directly ( and actually I don't know if it can even do a good job, with the nowadays SMR drives ).  
 

In SSD you have a FTL that is preventing you from that. So the programs for erasing HDD by filling it with data patterns are useless. And that why we have a command that is secure erase, to erase all the data from SSD. 
 

Here is what the dban.org says 

 

„Free Open-Source Data Wiping Software for Personal Use

Delete information stored on hard disk drives (HDDs, not SSDs) in PC laptops, desktops, or servers. Plus, remove viruses and spyware from Microsoft Windows installations.

While DBAN is free to use, there’s no guarantee your data is completely sanitized across the entire drive. It cannot detect or erase SSDs and does not provide a certificate of data removal for auditing purposes or regulatory compliance.”

 

 

[Radium_Angel]

9 minutes ago, kokosnh said:

no, it’s not nuking anything.  And it’s not supporting SE from what I found.

You don’t understand, writing data to SSD is harmful for it, and does not guarantee that the original data will be erase (you just hope it will, based on wear leveling and trim algorithm, and that is just so wrong).
 

DBAN is for HDD erasing, where you have control over the data directly ( and actually I don't know if it can even do a good job, with the nowadays SMR drives ).  
 

In SSD you have a FTL that is preventing you from that. So the programs for erasing HDD by filling it with data patterns are useless. And that why we have a command that is secure erase, to erase all the data from SSD. 
 

Here is what the dban.org says 

 

„Free Open-Source Data Wiping Software for Personal Use

Delete information stored on hard disk drives (HDDs, not SSDs) in PC laptops, desktops, or servers. Plus, remove viruses and spyware from Microsoft Windows installations.

While DBAN is free to use, there’s no guarantee your data is completely sanitized across the entire drive. It cannot detect or erase SSDs and does not provide a certificate of data removal for auditing purposes or regulatory compliance.”

 

 

That legalese has changed since I last used it. For the record, I've tested DBAN and attempted to recover data by multiple means (ZAR, and others) and been unsuccessful

Nonetheless, there are other options out there, look into DiskGenius, it has a data wipe option

I've also used this, and tested it as well

 

https://www.easeus.com/partition-master/erase-or-wipe-ssd-windows-10.html

 

[kokosnh]

I would be very careful with that easeus partition master, as it do claim to have "EaseUS Secure erase", but the definition...

"What Is Secure Erase

Secure Erase is a method used to completely wipe out the data on a hard drive using a set of commands. Secure Erase commands write binary one or zero to the sectors on the hard drive to overwrite all the existing files. That's why the data removed by the Secure Erase commands is not recoverable by any data recovery method available." 

That's so wrong... that's not how secure erase command works on SSD, it's not writing anything to the NAND cells, and the cells after the process have binary 1 value in them. 
 

3 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

look into DiskGenius,

It does not support Secure Erase... 

"DiskGenius is another disk wiping software that uses multiple data filling passes as its wiping method." it should not be used in attempt to wipe SSD 

You can't use any of this data filling programs, to erase the SSD. It does not work, it can wipe some data, but leave some untouched  (based on wear leveling and trim)

Ps. Fun fact, some SSD when the get the Secure erase command, just wipe out the cipher key, and call it a day... not erasing any data from the NAND, just mark it as deleted, and wait for TRIM to do the job. 
There were also HDD that did the same...