Is it possible to LOW LEVEL FORMAT an SSD in Windows or Linux?

[Alir]

I have Windows 8.1 installed on my SSD. I would like to low level format it several times (I heard it has to be at least 20 times on SSDs) to make the files unrecoverable. I have passwords and stuff saved on there unencrypted.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible for me to somehow do this to the same drive on which the OS is installed? I assume no, in which case, is it possible to do it when I am running Ubuntu off of a USB?

 

Though this will slightly wear it out, I heard the effect is negligible compared to how long SSDs are expected to last.

 

NOTE:

My ssd: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KHRYRNM?keywords=sandisk%20extreme%20pro%20ssd&qid=1437843504&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

It has 240GB space.

TBW: At least 80 TBW

And I want to perform 20 passes in the low level format.

 

 

 

[Speedbird]

I have Windows 8.1 installed on my SSD. I would like to low level format it several times (I heard it has to be at least 20 times on SSDs) to make the files unrecoverable. I have passwords and stuff saved on there unencrypted.

 

Does anyone know if it is possible for me to somehow do this to the same drive on which the OS is installed? I assume no, in which case, is it possible to do it when I am running Ubuntu off of a USB?

 

Though this will slightly wear it out, I heard the effect is negligible compared to how long SSDs are expected to last.

 

NOTE:

My ssd: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KHRYRNM?keywords=sandisk%20extreme%20pro%20ssd&qid=1437843504&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

It has 240GB space.

TBW: At least 80 TBW

And I want to perform 20 passes in the low level format.

Huh.....? You should not wipe an SSD like that. Uses up a ton of write cycles, basically like defragging. Just wipe the partition table, or do one pass if you really need to. Even for mechanical drives 1 pass is enough.

[Arty]

Huh.....? You should not wipe an SSD like that. Uses up a ton of write cycles, basically like defragging. Just wipe the partition table, or do one pass if you really need to. Even for mechanical drives 1 pass is enough.

20 pass format

LOL

[Alir]

Huh.....? You should not wipe an SSD like that. Uses up a ton of write cycles, basically like defragging. Just wipe the partition table, or do one pass if you really need to. Even for mechanical drives 1 pass is enough.

 

For mechanical drives, data can be recovered even if it has been passed over up to 50 times.

 

And also, from what I gather the SSD will still last for a looong time after.

[Alir]

20 pass format

LOL

 

I mean perform 20 passes - so write random data or "0" to each cell 20 times.

 

A low level format is one complete pass over each cell in the SSD

[Speedbird]

For mechanical drives, data can be recovered even if it has been passed over up to 50 times.

 

And also, from what I gather the SSD will still last for a looong time after.

There is no evidence of data being recovered after a one-pass wipe. Read this article. http://www.howtogeek.com/115573/htg-explains-why-you-only-have-to-wipe-a-disk-once-to-erase-it/

 

Yes, it may last a long time after, but because of how SSDs work a one-pass wipe will remove all traces of any data left on the drive.

 

Also, there is no reason to wipe any drive unless you are selling it or throwing it away.

[Arty]

I mean perform 20 passes - so write random data or "0" to each cell 20 times.

 

A low level format is one complete pass over each cell in the SSD

you don't need that.

just hit format. and be done.

[alpenwasser]

You might want to look at the ATA secure erase command. I've never used it but that's

about as low-level as you can get as far as I know (firmware level):

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Securely_wipe_disk#Flash_memory

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Hdparm

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

http://www.kingston.com/us/community/articledetail?ArticleId=10

https://www.usenix.org/legacy/events/fast11/tech/full_papers/Wei.pdf

[Alir]

I could just re-format it once (as MBR via diskpart) and then use full disk encryption after that, essentially writing over almost all data, but the data can still be recovered after that.

 

I would like to know a proper answer to this in terms of data recovery for the future - even if I decide not to do this now.

 

I actually save data such as passwords which I don't want to leave lying around - ESPECIALLY for my USB sticks - which work in a similar way as SSDs since they utilise some form of wear levelling.

[Alir]

There is no evidence of data being recovered after a one-pass wipe. Read this article. http://www.howtogeek.com/115573/htg-explains-why-you-only-have-to-wipe-a-disk-once-to-erase-it/

 

Yes, it may last a long time after, but because of how SSDs work a one-pass wipe will remove all traces of any data left on the drive.

 

Also, there is no reason to wipe any drive unless you are selling it or throwing it away.

 

Thanks, I'll read the article.

 

 

you don't need that.

just hit format. and be done.

 

A quick format doesn't erase data. The data can still be recovered easily.

[Alir]

You might want to look at the ATA secure erase command. I've never used it but that's

about as low-level as you can get as far as I know (firmware level):

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Securely_wipe_disk#Flash_memory

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Hdparm

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

http://www.kingston.com/us/community/articledetail?ArticleId=10

https://www.usenix.org/legacy/events/fast11/tech/full_papers/Wei.pdf

 

I've heard of that, but don't fully understand how they work.

 

Doesn't your manufacturer have to built it into the firmware.

 

How do I find out if my SSD supports the secure erase command?

[Arty]

Thanks, I'll read the article.

 

 

 

A quick format doesn't erase data. The data can still be recovered easily.

Expect this question.

What are you hiding?

and why does it matter? if you put the os on it, you will be writing to it.

if your keeping the ssd it doesn;t matter

if selling i could see why,.

[alpenwasser]

I've heard of that, but don't fully understand how they work.

 

Doesn't your manufacturer have to built it into the firmware.

 

How do I find out if my SSD supports the secure erase command?

Yes, it needs to be (properly) implemented at the firmware level. I've never used it,

so I'm not too sure on the specifics either, but I am not aware of any other way to

do a proper low-level format on an SSD. You'll just need to read whatever info you can

find and the decide whether or not you want to try it. It can brick your drive completely

if you do it wrong, so make sure to read up before entering commands.

Expect this question.

What are you hiding?

and why does it matter? if you put the os on it, you will be writing to it.

if your keeping the ssd it doesn;t matter

if selling i could see why,.

Well, personally I like to hide as much info about me as I possibly can simply as

a matter of principle. Besides, I don't trust people who say they have nothing to

hide.

[Alir]

Expect this question.

What are you hiding?

and why does it matter? if you put the os on it, you will be writing to it.

if your keeping the ssd it doesn;t matter

if selling i could see why,.

 

Passwords, personal files, pictures.

 

Why do people assume that because you want to safeguard your privacy, just in case, that you are hiding incriminating evidence?

 

If I ever in the future move this SSD over to a laptop, and lose the laptop, I would be FAR more concerned with losing the data and having personal files in someone else's possession, than losing the laptop itself.

 

You wouldn't want to risk forgetting a bank statement on a train or leaving behind pictures, personal files for people to stalk you or find out info about you, so why would you risk the same with a storage device??

 

Srsly...

 

Anyways.

 

(I am still reading the articles, I might just resort to one pass or just using full disk encryption (FDE) once - but in SSDs. some GBs are used for wear levelling, I don't want to leave behind fragments of data - FDE does that)

[Alir]

And again, thanks for the links guys

[Arty]

Passwords, personal files, pictures.

 

Why do people assume that because you want to safeguard your privacy, just in case, that you are hiding incriminating evidence?

 

If I ever in the future move this SSD over to a laptop, and lose the laptop, I would be FAR more concerned with losing the data and having personal files in someone else's possession, than losing the laptop itself.

 

You wouldn't want to risk forgetting a bank statement on a train or leaving behind pictures, personal files for people to stalk you or find out info about you, so why would you risk the same with a storage device??

 

Srsly...

 

Anyways.

 

(I am still reading the articles, I might just resort to one pass or just using full disk encryption (FDE) once - but in SSDs. some GBs are used for wear levelling, I don't want to leave behind fragments of data - FDE does that)

 

I mean i have bitlocker on my hdd that stores my personal stuff, im sure its not that secure but its a start.

i don't see why anything personal was on the ssd anyway

 

 

you need one of these tho

[Alir]

I mean i have bitlocker on my hdd that stores my personal stuff, im sure its not that secure but its a start.

i don't see why anything personal was on the ssd anyway

 

 

you need one of these tho

 

It occured to me, that when you do something as simple as tell your browser to remember a password, that password is saved on your local drive unencrypted. Provided you don't use a master password (this is in firefox - a master password is used to encrypt your other passwords)

[Arty]

It occured to me, that when you do something as simple as tell your browser to remember a password, that password is saved on your local drive unencrypted. Provided you don't use a master password (this is in firefox - a master password is used to encrypt your other passwords)

Chrome encrypts it with your G-account, as far as i can tell.

[Alir]

I mean i have bitlocker on my hdd that stores my personal stuff, im sure its not that secure but its a start.

i don't see why anything personal was on the ssd anyway

 

 

you need one of these tho

 

Also, I would recommend Truecrypt as an alternative. I have always found it easier to use and understand - you have more control over a Truecrypt encrypted drive - plus, it's open source

 

Though the original Devs ditched the program

[Alir]

The software still works like a charm though

[alpenwasser]

I'm switching most of my stuff over to dmcrypt/LUKS on Linux. Needed a while to get

comfortable with it, wouldn't want to encrypt my stuff and then lose access to it due

to faulty configuration (I'll probably still keep an unencrypted copy somewhere for

that reason TBH).

But my laptop is now fully encrypted, and I'm working on encrypting most of the stuff

on our server.

@Ghost recently looked into alternatives to TrueCrypt if I remember right, maybe he

can add something on that front.

[Alir]

I'm switching most of my stuff over to dmcrypt/LUKS on Linux. Needed a while to get

comfortable with it, wouldn't want to encrypt my stuff and then lose access to it due

to faulty configuration (I'll probably still keep an unencrypted copy somewhere for

that reason TBH).

But my laptop is now fully encrypted, and I'm working on encrypting most of the stuff

on our server.

@Ghost recently looked into alternatives to TrueCrypt if I remember right, maybe he

can add something on that front.

 

There have been forks, such as VeraCrypt.

 

But they are literally just the same thing, with a few minor improvements. I prefer TC still though. VC takes too long to mount volumes.

 

In regards to Encryption, the only thing I am excited about is open source options for a GUID partition table. Currently, Windows users only have Bitlocker, which I don't even trust remotely.