Crucial M4 128GB - Secure Erase | Trim | Optimization?

Hey guys, I have had a Crucial M4 128GB in my Alienware M14X for about 4 years now. It has been an awesome drive and I have never had any trouble with it. I recently upgraded to Windows 10 and then used Parted Magic to Secure Erase to do a clean install of Windows 10. I have also upgraded to the latest firmware. I have a few questions that I hope you guys can answer: 1. Is it bad to Secure Erase this drive? Should I just delete the partitions instead? (obviously this is for future knowledge)2. Is there a way to check if TRIM is enabled?3. Are there any things I should do to optimize my SSD? Thanks!

Hi CC268,
1. Usually there is no need to use secure erase and many users have never used it. Secure erase won't harm the drive but it will use one of NAND memory erase cycles, M4's NAND is rated for 3000 cycles.
2. In order to check if TRIM is enabled you can use following command in the command prompt window:
fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify
and it should return
DisableDeleteNotify = 0
Possible results:
DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Windows TRIM commands are enabled)
DisableDeleteNotify = 1 (Windows TRIM commands are disabled)
In order to check if TRIM is really working you can use TRIMCheck tool, and that is you really want to check
3. There are no more special things you should do. In fact I would just use TRIMCheck to verify if the TRIM commands are really working. If you want you can also check if the partitions on the SSD are aligned properly, you can do it with AS SSD Benchmark, it should show you green OK in the upper left part of the window. It will also show if the system is using AHCI SATA mode but I believe it should be default mode in your M14X

Similar Messages

Can I use parted magic to secure erase Apple SSD?

Recently, I have bought Apple SSD128GB (Toshiba HG3 serie) to upgrade my MBP 15" early 2011. It's a second hand drive of my friend so I want to do secure erase by using Parted Magic for improving the performance as factory reset. I have heard about Parted Magic that it will do secure erase by sending ATA command to drive's controller (If I'm not wrong) but some people mentioned OS X Lion has Trim support that needs not to do secure erase. Now I don't know which ones is correct answer and can I use Parted Magic to secure erase this drive. Please give me your ideas.

I don't know, but I doubt it can be done using Disk Utility. I suggest you consult the user manual for it or see if there is a Reset option in the onscreen menues. If you don't have a manual, then you will find one at http://support.apple.com/manuals.

How can I securely erase my Apple TV's Hard Disk?

The 40 GB drive is too small as everyone is experiencing and I need to upgrade my Apple TV’s hard disk to a 250 GB drive that are now available. I thought of doing it myself but it is not quick and I do not have the time people are reporting. Therefore, I decided to send it to a company to do the upgrade. I would like to securely erase the hard disk before I sent it out, because the company told me that they do not return my old hard disk. However, I do not know how to erase my hard disk, especially how to make a secure erase. Will Apple’s Disk Utility see the Apple TV’s hard disk to make a secure erase? I tried but it is not coming up in its pane. I would appreciate your help, please. Thank you, Tumay

There is no way to securely erase the drive without removing it from AppleTV and using a utility.
Best thing you could do would be to do a system restore which should erase the files, and then sync with a load of rubbish a couple of times (make some dummy video/music files) if you want to overwrite stuff on the drive. Seems unlikely that the company in question would be interested enough in your files to use professional data recovery to try and recover what you had on there.
AC

Disk Utility - secure erase process does not complete

Help, please!
It is taking "for ever" for Disk Utility* to securely** erase (a) the 37.25 GB hard drive in my G4 Powerbook (while booted from a startup disk), and (b) an external 55.9 GB firewire hard drive (connected to a 17" G4 iMac).
After more than a day, the progress bar for the Powerbook is only about half way over, and the progress bar for the external hard drive is only about 1/7 of the way over. (See the notes marked * and ** below.)
Additionally, the note next to the progress bar for the Powerbook has changed from "Writing random data to disk" to "Creating partition map".
Yesterday when I tried this process previously, after a very similar situation developed I quit Disk Utility on both machines and started the process again - so now the situation is about the same as before I quit Disk Utility yesterday.
* I am using Disk Utility v10.4.4 to erase the external drive. I am using Disk Utility off the boot disk for OS X v 10.3.3 for an iBook to erase the Powerbook - but I can't see what version at the moment because the pointer is currently a spinning "beach ball".
**By "securely erase", I mean I selected the option to write random data eight times to each location.
(Prior to starting the secure erasure process, I had Disk Utility write zeroes at all locations - and that process did completed within a few minutes for each hard drives.)

MacBook Pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro

How can I securely erase the hard drive for PowerBook G4 running 10.2.3?

I'm about to sell a PowerBook G4 12-inch running 10.2.3 after I erased the hard drive via the the original software install and restore disk. There was no secure erase option like there is in subsquent versions of OSX. Is there a way I can do a 7 (or 35) time erase on this machine? Thanks!

See this Apple note. Secure erase was added in 10.2.3, but in a different place than later releases.

How can I securely erase my hard drive and reinstall OS X Mountain Lion?

Hi, I am selling my MacBook and I was wondering if there's a way I can securely erase my hard drive, (... 7 pass, 35 pass) using these steps: http://www.mactip.net/how-to-securely-wipe-your-mac-hard-drive-before-selling-it /
and also reinstall OS X Mountain Lion afterwards.
Thanks in advance. 

Boot into recovery mode by holding the command and r keys down during boot. Bring up Disk Utility and do the security erase you want to do. When done, choose to download Mountain Lion.

Is there a way to securely erase the drive during a fresh install

I'm selling my iMac G5 and Powerbook G4 so I can afford a brand new Intel iMac (the 2.8GHz one). I have Leopard running on both these machines at the moment, but on the iMac G5, I want to restore it to factory settings using the original Tiger install discs (I've lost the ones for the laptop).
I would like to ensure that these computers don't have any personal data on them before they leave... is there a way to completely scrub the drives before performing a reinstall? My only other option at present is to reinstall, then use Disk Utility to securely erase all free space... but I can't remember if that option was available in Tiger.
Perhaps there's some even better way I can prepare these machines for a new user that I haven't thought of?

Ok, I found the best way to ensure that all your personal data is gone before you sell your Mac is as follows:
1. Perform a reinstall of OS X (selecting erase and install)
2. When install has completed, create a quick test account so you can log in
3. Run Disk Utility and erase all free space to the required level (I chose 7 times overwrite)
4. Perform a reinstall of OS X (selecting erase and install) and power the machine off afterwards (when you get the first setup screen.
My reasoning is that after the first fresh install, you only have OS X's files on the filesystem. Any personal data that hasn't been overwritten is in the free disk space. Disk Utility then clears that up and the second fresh install allows you to get the machine to the state you normally get a brand new Mac in (i.e. prompts you for initial setup information).

How do I secure erase macbook pro 2012 retina for resale

How do I secure/erase and set to factory settings 15" Macbook Pro 2012 retina) for resale?

Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the
      left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on
        the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on
      the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.
Be sure you disable or turn off iCloud. Deauthorize the computer in iTunes. Remove any Firmware Passwords you may have configured. Turn off FileVault if enabled.
What to do with iCloud before selling your computer

How to Secure Erase an Intel mSata 310 in a X220?

I can't run intel toolbox secure erase on my Intel mSata 310, it keeps saying it is locked (Security Freeze), help.
I have the mSata drive as a second HD, I've erased the partitions on it, I've even taken it out and put it back in as Intel suggested (not knowing how this would do anything).
Thanks
Solved!
Go to Solution.

This is the tool:
http://support.lenovo.com/en_EG/downloads/detail.page?DocID=DS019026
[2011]X220-4286-CTO(Brand new, hope nothing bad will happen to it...)[2008]X61-7673-CV2(Slipped upon it, but also working)[2002]X31-2672-BCH(Broke screen, but still working!)

How do a secure erase of an iPhone or iPad

I want to sell an iPhone, but want to do a secure erase before handing it to someone else. By secure I meaning 35x rewriting its HD with random data.
How can one do this?
TIA,
Bill

I'm no expert on data detruction or data recovery; however, I am a physician who fears the 1.5 million dollar fine the US government can levy against me if patient data is exploited from a lost or stolen iPhone (which would violate HIPAA - even if I was prudent in attempting to secure that data.) That said, I've tried to read and understand as much as possible from the experts in the fields of encryption (such as Phil ZImmerman of PGP fame back when I was a teenager) and the field of data destruction (such as Peter Gutmann, the creator of the legendary "35 pass Gutmann Wipe"). Two of Mr. Gutmann's most informative papers on the subject are "Secure Deletion of Data from Magnetic and Solid-State Memory" http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/secure_del.html and "Data Remanence in Semiconductor Devices" http://www.cypherpunks.to/~peter/usenix01.pdf Basically, he points out that the Gutmann 35-Pass wipe applies to old technology & though it is often referred to as "the MOST secure method of data deletion" - it simply does not apply to modern stoarge devices, including the iPhone's SDRAM, and using that technique is a complete waste of time. He writes, "To erase SSDs.... Well, you're on your own there." However, he points out as do several other replies to your question - that, because the data is initially stored using AES-256 encryption, using the iPhone's built in "Erase and Reset" function makes data recover NEARLY impossible. If the people trying to get your data have access to some very sophisticated techniques and can get past the Flash Translation Layer - well, you have bigger worries & you should obliterate your phone.

What's the best method for securely erasing files on OS X?

Hello,
I'm looking for a method for securely erasing files on OS X.
I know OS X has the srm command doable in the Terminal, but this command uses the 35-pass Gutmann algorithm which is, to me, obsolete as of now.
Do you know modern methods for securely erasing files?

baltwo wrote:
Thanks. It didn't show up with a [redacted] search.
There, fixed it for you.

Problem: securely erasing home folder after enabling file vault

I enabled file vault. It took 4 days (125 GB) to "securely erase home folder", then when it finally reached 100% I got an error message that it could not be erased after all. I also now got an icon on the desktop (protected house) showing my home folder. Anybody experience with this? What do I do to securely erase? What can I do to speed it up? I have 4GB RAM and a HD of 500GB

open /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app
At the prompt type:
diskutil secureErase freespace 0 /
(press return)
This will secure erase free space on your boot volume.
Level "0" (zero) is a Single-pass zero-fill erase. Levels 0 through 4 are supported.
Here is a full description of the different erase levels: 0 - Single-pass zero-fill erase.
A. 1 - Single-pass random-fill erase.
B. 2 - US DoD 7-pass secure erase.
C. 3 - Gutmann algorithm 35-pass secure erase.
D. 4 - US DoE algorithm 3-pass secure erase.
for more info (in Terminal) type:
man diskutil
(press return)
This should take considerably less time than 4 days. On my Mac Pro with 162GB boot volume,
130GB free (I keep my data on a different volume) it takes about 10 minutes using level "0".
Disk Free Space Warnings are normal during operation and can be ignored.
more info about it from apple support:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24002
You can invoke the erase procedure from Disk Utility GUI interface, but it usually is quicker
when run from terminal.
Kj ♘

Securely erase hard drive on Mac Air for sale on e-bay.

I would like to sell my Air (1.6 gz -80GB) on e-bay and want to securely erase hard drive (I use a lot of financial info.). I am running Snow Leopard but I no installations left. I have the original CDs but not the external super drive. Any ideas on how to erase all data? Thanks a million.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3263
Dave M.
Check out the new remodeled MacOSG website! 24-hour Apple-related news & support.
 MacOSG: An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast  Follow us on Twitter: MacOSG

Temp files Vs Value of Secure Erase

Hello,
Let's say I write a "top secret" document in Pages. During the writing process, I save it about ten times. I then print it and use secure erase to delete the Pages document.
So the absolute final version of the document was securely erased, but what about the 10 temporary files that were created during the process?
(For those that don't know, every time you save a document, the system creates a new file on the drive and erases the previous one. This goes on without the user's knowledge. But those are very real files that are erased "normally" during the saving process.)
Loa

Loa wrote:
Hello Pondini,
Thx for the info. I already know about 2 and 3, but they only add to my point: what's the use of Secure Erase?
I only took Pages as an example: everytime you save a document in ANY application, the system deletes the old version and creates a new file. As far as I know, you cannot "modify" any file at the basic data level.
Not necessarily true. Some apps don't even use individual files; they use a large single file or database instead, and they're normally updated, not replaced. Entourage and Thunderbird, for example.
Most likely you'll see it disappear then reappear, usually in an adjacent "location" (i.e. below where the old icon was).
Yes, just like most Autosaves.
But I still don't understand why this is a such a big problem. If you change a file, save it with a new name, then securely-delete the old one.
Or, use FileVault (or, better, put your sensitive documents in an encrypted sparse image);
and/or Zero-out free space.
Perhaps if you told us a bit more about what you're trying to do, we can clarify things.

Using Disk Utility Secure Erase Makes it hang?

Hi, I wanted to erase part of my drive (I was doing a generalized clean-up). I tried using the Disk Utility Secure Erase option. Even going with the single pass -- I'm just cleaning off free space, you know? ANyhow, it seems to hang a lot. The other functions on it seem to work ok. I looked at the force quit option and it says it isn't responding.
I did try just leaving it alone for a really long time, but unless I am doing the 35-pass erase it shouldn't take all night (which it did at one point and it still wasn't done).
(Computer is a MacBook late 2008 13" aluminum)
I had it do a repair and after I forced it to quit it said it did find bad areas of the disk and repaired them, or so it said.
But then I tried a verify and it seemed to crash again. So I get the sense there is something weird or fishy with Disk Util for 10.5.8. Any thoughts? My copy of TechTool works fine, it seems. Disk Util seems a bit unreliable right now, and I don't want to damage anything. But I also want an option to clean off the disk if I ever sell the computer or something like that. (I've been ID theft-ed once already, I'd rather not go through that again).

MacBook Pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os
http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro

Crucial M4 128GB - Secure Erase | Trim | Optimization?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for