How to secure erase an SSD using Mac Mini?

kwijbo · 12:00 PM

I've got an old SSD that I've sold and would like to secure erase it. The thread below seems to be the most in depth discussion of this and it seems that the ATA command is the only way to go. However I've got a Mini with no cd/dvd drive so I can't boot into Linux to do so.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...cure+erase+ssd

Is there a way for me to perform the ATA erase command via Terminal? I have a SATA/USB adapter and can connect the drive no problem. Thanks!

Tyrone Chicken · Apr 21, 2012, 04:31 PM

couldn't you do it through disk utility?
i'm not sure if you can do it with terminal but you can make a bootable linux usb

kwijbo · Apr 21, 2012, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrone Chicken

couldn't you do it through disk utility?
i'm not sure if you can do it with terminal but you can make a bootable linux usb

From what I understood in that thread, the secure erase function in Disk Utility works fine on conventional hard drives but doesn't do a true erase on SSDs.

I'll give a bootable USB a try later tonight.

saulinpa · Apr 22, 2012, 09:49 AM

Latest versions of OSX disable the security erase option in Disk Utility.
Try recovery mode's Disk Utility.

Since you are looking for a security erase, not performance another option is to just fill the drive with garbage and then format it.

Apr 21, 2012, 11:36 AM	#1
kwijbo macrumors member Join Date: Jan 2012	How to secure erase an SSD using Mac Mini? I've got an old SSD that I've sold and would like to secure erase it. The thread below seems to be the most in depth discussion of this and it seems that the ATA command is the only way to go. However I've got a Mini with no cd/dvd drive so I can't boot into Linux to do so. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthre...cure+erase+ssd Is there a way for me to perform the ATA erase command via Terminal? I have a SATA/USB adapter and can connect the drive no problem. Thanks! Last edited by kwijbo; Apr 21, 2012 at 12:00 PM. Reason: forgot to add thread
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Apr 21, 2012, 04:31 PM	#2
Tyrone Chicken macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2012	couldn't you do it through disk utility? i'm not sure if you can do it with terminal but you can make a bootable linux usb
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Apr 22, 2012, 09:49 AM	#4
saulinpa macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2008	Latest versions of OSX disable the security erase option in Disk Utility. Try recovery mode's Disk Utility. Since you are looking for a security erase, not performance another option is to just fill the drive with garbage and then format it.
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