SSD or Solid State Drives are becoming increasingly popular alternatives to traditional mechanical hard drives, thanks to their speed and reliability. However, when it comes to disposing of or selling your old SSD, you need to securely erase the data so that it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Unlike traditional hard drives, the process of securely erasing your SSD is slightly different. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps you need to take to securely erase your SSD without destroying it.

Step 1: Take a backup of important data

The first step is to take a backup of any important data on the SSD, which you don’t want to lose. You can use cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive to store your data securely. Alternatively, you can copy your data onto an external hard drive or USB flash drive.

Step 2: Disconnect the SSD from your computer

Before you start the process of securely erasing your SSD, you need to disconnect it from your computer. You can either remove the SSD from the computer or unplug it if it’s connected through an external enclosure.

Step 3: Boot your computer using a USB drive with a secure erase utility

The next step is to boot your computer using a USB drive with a secure erase utility. You can download a secure erase utility like Parted Magic, which is a Linux-based tool that can securely erase SSDs. Once you have downloaded the utility, you need to create a bootable USB drive using software like Rufus.

Step 4: Boot your computer using the USB drive

After creating the bootable USB drive, you need to insert it into the computer and restart it. During the boot process, you need to select the USB drive as the primary boot device.

Step 5: Run the secure erase utility

Once your computer boots from the USB drive, you need to run the secure erase utility. In the case of Parted Magic, you need to select “Erase Disk” from the menu and choose the SSD you want to erase. Also, choose the secure erase method, which is usually the fastest one.

Step 6: Confirm the secure erase

After selecting the secure erase method, you need to confirm the process. This step ensures that all the data on the SSD is permanently erased and can never be recovered. However, be sure to double-check that you have selected the correct SSD before confirming the secure erase process.

Step 7: Exit the secure erase utility and shutdown your computer

Once the secure erase process is complete, you need to exit the secure erase utility and shut down your computer. Finally, remove the USB drive and reconnect the SSD to your computer.