Reformat external ssd

[superman101]

Hello,

I have an external USB 3.0 ssd. It's formatted to Mac. I want to erase and reformat for windows. Can I do this in disk utility? Read something that erasing and ssd will damage it. It's just an external ssd. Has video files on it

 

[smorizio]

most ssd come with tools to wipe the ssd. it called secure erase and anything on the ssd will be gone.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello,

I have an external USB 3.0 ssd. It's formatted to Mac. I want to erase and reformat for windows. Can I do this in disk utility? Read something that erasing and ssd will damage it. It's just an external ssd. Has video files on it

No, it won't damage it.
Either Secure Erase from the manufacturer, or just delete all the partitions in Disk Management, create one new partition, and format it.

 

[superman101]

Well I don't find the tools for a mac only for windows. If it's formatted for a Mac how do I get it to appear on windows so I can hes the tool?

 

[USAFRet]

Well I don't find the tools for a mac only for windows. If it's formatted for a Mac how do I get it to appear on windows so I can hes the tool?

Plug it in.
Open Disk Management.
Does it appear in there?

 

[superman101]

Disk management on windows. It doesnt appear.

 

[USAFRet]

Disk management on windows. It doesnt appear.

That might indicate it is not connected completely.
It should appear there in some form.

Can you post a screencap of this?

 

[superman101]

Got it to show up. I read I'm supposed to quick erase but I don't see that

 

[USAFRet]

Got it to show up. I read I'm supposed to quick erase but I don't see that

No, you delete all the existing partitions, leaving one large space.
Create a new partition, using that whole space
Then format, and give it a drive letter.

 

[superman101]

If I make a new partition then how do I get rid of the current partition?

 

[superman101]

I'm really confused here. I keep finding articles online saying I have to secure erase the ssd or else's wiping it will damage it.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm really confused here. I keep finding articles online saying I have to secure erase the ssd or else's wiping it will damage it.

No, you do NOT have to secure erase. You can if you want to, but NOT needed.
No, wiping it, or deleting the partitions, will NOT damage it.

If you were going to sell that drive to someone else, then Secure Erase is what you want. Complete unrecovery.
If you are going to continue using it...just delete the existing partitions, as listed above.

 

[Zkye]

This is how Disk Management should look like:

Right click on the partition from that SSD and delete it. It should then appear as unallocated space. Then create a new partition:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg309170.aspx