[SOLVED] Any way to clean free space on a NVMe SSD?

1405

Distinguished
Aug 26, 2012
633
17
18,995
If so, please tell me. I tried a drive wiper app, but it advised me not to do it to a SSD do to the excessive wipes. My board's UEFI/BIOS has an option to secure wipe an entire SSD, but it doesn't work on MVNe drives, and I really only want to wipe free space anyway
 
Solution
Free space gets wiped automatically during TRIM operation (depending on settings - once per day or once per week).
You don't have to do anything.

You can force trim by running windows defrag.
I assume from your explanation that you do NOT want to wipe the entire drive.....only the "unused" space.

I think CCleaner has an option for that.

Also I think you can use the cipher command at a prompt, with the /w switch. I've never used it.

Not positive those choices work on NVMe, but I've never heard that they don't.
 
I assume from your explanation that you do NOT want to wipe the entire drive.....only the "unused" space.

I think CCleaner has an option for that.

Also I think you can use the cipher command at a prompt, with the /w switch. I've never used it.

Not positive those choices work on NVMe, but I've never heard that they don't.

I can confirm CCleaner has an option for wiping free space, with multiple passes as well.
 
If so, please tell me. I tried a drive wiper app, but it advised me not to do it to a SSD do to the excessive wipes. My board's UEFI/BIOS has an option to secure wipe an entire SSD, but it doesn't work on MVNe drives, and I really only want to wipe free space anyway
I don't think you want to run a wiper app on a ssd.

With the garbage collection system and the wear level system running internal it would be tough to tell where free space is.

Set up the optimize app to your liking and leave it alone.

Tell why you want to do this.