how to secure erase ssd via usb?

I've an ssd that I want to delete all the info and sell it. samsung magician doesn't work on it via usb. how do I do it?

 

Boot up Win 10 PE and erase the SSD using diskpart.

 

that doesn't secure erase.

 

True that.

 

You could try format it (without checking box quick format). All traditional ways of clean erase by army standards etc tend to write too much for SSDs. I had one idiot on eBay to sell me so-called "practically new" SSD "with less that one day use" after performing such procedure. That imbecile succeed in 13% wear level for only 15 power-on hours.

So please, find eSATA to SATA cable or if you have a Desktop at home just connect SSD to it via sata or simply only format it in Windows with unchecked fast format box and that's it.
As soon as somebody connects it to SATA and boots Windows 7 and above built-in TRIM function will clear everything if there was something left anyways.

 

so unsafe just to format in windows. can't believe there isn't a better way to secure erase via usb... do I really have to have all the hassle of disassembling a pc just to connect it via sata and actually secure erase it?!?!

 

This is how I secure erase mine: http://www.overclock.net/forum/355-...-your-solid-state-drive-ssd-parted-magic.html

 

I found samsung SSD erase tool https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/support-software/Samsung-Secure-Erase-949/

 

But its not freeware, right? I saw it on MG and was afraid to Download it when I downloaded Sergei W10PE which is HBCD like utility.

 

It was freeware in the past and now it's an annual subscription because every year they release a new version and you have to pay to have the latest. Screw that! I'm not subscribing to a utility I'd like use one in a year if ever!

 

I like Boot repair x64 very much but NVMe support is missing. Sometimes it detects the drive and sometimes it doesn't.

 

There was a stupid advice here, I removed it.

 

That would be setting the drive up with the worst performance possible. I think what OP is getting at in regards to secure erase is for the SSD's NAND cells to be marked empty.

 

Same here, no need for any special tools.

Spoiler: disk contents after 'quick format'

Spoiler: same sectors after 'full format'

Any piece of software marketed as 'forensic'/nsa-proof is very much redundant and a gross waste of dollars. In a highly theoretical scenario you might measure the tiny left-over capacity of each cell, requiring industrial-size microscopes ($100k or more) and just maybe you might recover some snippet here and there. Realistically though ... all you need to do is simply wipe a drive; no software will be able recover a single byte. Or, similar to @Starlight5 's suggestion, fill it to the brim with non-sensitive data (if you're truly that paranoid). Can skip the encryption and erase part then, too.

 

Corrected my post. I'd like to add that SSD will need a TRIM treatment afterwards if USB enclosure doesn't support TRIM pass-through. Easy way of restoring SSD performance after use over USB without TRIM is quick-formatting the whole drive, then deleting the partition, and letting it sit for a while.

 

Yes. Timing may depend on the use of the SSD's garbage collection routine to empty out discarded pages.