- #Secure erase usb flash drive install
- #Secure erase usb flash drive iso
- #Secure erase usb flash drive download
- #Secure erase usb flash drive free
Once you’re booted to the desktop, connect the SSD’s SATA data cable back to the appropriate motherboard port. Thermaltake’s BlacX is an example of an enclosure that can be used to secure erase an SSD.ĭiscovering the Appropriate Drive in Linuxīoot into either your installed Linux desktop or the live environment you’ve prepared earlier. Set the options that are needed, save and reboot.Ĭan’t Use Hotplugging? A lot of modern USB HDD/SSD docks can manage the ATA commands required to secure erase, so it’s worth trying to use one for the purpose if you have one around. Otherwise, you can enable hotplugging for every available port there are no downsides to this, performance or otherwise. If you happen to know the exact port number you’re going to be plugging the target drive into, you can enable hotplugging for that one port. You can see an example of the option in the EFI below, taken from GIGABYTE’s Z77X-UP4 TH motherboard. Most BIOSes do not offer hotplug options, but most EFIs do. For everyone else, you’ll need to take the side off of your computer, and while its powered-down, disconnect the SATA data cable for that drive from the motherboard, leaving the SATA power cable plugged into the drive. Some chassis have this support built-in with special bays, and if you happen to have one, you can use it if the SSD in question is not already installed internally. Hotplugging is the act of connecting an SSD (or an HDD, for that matter) to a machine that’s powered-on. Secure Erase with Command-line (Advanced).Secure Erase with Command-line (Simple).Discovering the Appropriate Drive in Linux.Preparing the SSD & Enabling Hotplugging.
#Secure erase usb flash drive free
You can feel free to jump to any section that you need, but for absolute beginners I’d recommend continuing with the first section below.
Use UNetbootin to create a bootable Linux OSīecause there’s no one secure erase solution that will work for everyone, we’re giving you three options here, ordered from easiest to most difficult (though no solution is that difficult). Once all of the files are copied over, you’ll be able to boot into that flash device.
#Secure erase usb flash drive install
To create a bootable flash drive, you’ll want to grab UNetbootin, run it (no install necessary), click the “Diskimage” option, search for your ISO, select the proper drive, and hit “OK”. When given the choice, I recommend using a flash drive, as it’s more flexible, and faster to boot (no pun).
#Secure erase usb flash drive iso
Once your chosen ISO is downloaded, you can burn it to a CD-ROM or go the flash drive route. If that’s the case, forego grabbing Parted Magic and check out the other options below for secure erasing your SSD. However, if you are merely looking to secure erase your SSD, you might feel that any fee is a bit much. Given all that the live CD can do, I believe it’s well-worth the cost-of-entry. Update: Since this article went live, the developer of Parted Magic began charging $4.99 for the software.
For this article, I’m using Linux Deepin, in addition to Parted Magic.
If you’d rather have a bootable Linux environment that’s setup like a real desktop, then another distro can be used, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE.
#Secure erase usb flash drive download
If your intention is to only secure erase an SSD, it’s recommended you download Parted Magic, a distro designed around managing storage. The best part? You don’t need to understand Linux to follow this guide.įirst things first: if you don’t already have a version of Linux installed, you’ll need to download a distro and create a bootable CD-ROM or flash drive. In my personal experience, the easiest way to secure erase a drive is through Linux, and as the title of this article suggests, that’s exactly the route we’re taking here. While there are a number of ways to get the deed done, most solutions are hit-or-miss, and are generally not that elegant. Whether for slowed performance or some other issue that’s crept up, sometimes securely erasing your SSD is the solution needed.