Samsung SSD 840 EVO 250GB unable to use secure erase in Samsung Magician

[MrBlackandWhite]

Hi everyone. Apologies to those who are having their threads lost as I am asking so many questions here recently. After my fresh install of Windows 10 I am having issues trying to secure erase my SSD.

When I create a bootable USB (I have tried 3 different sticks) in Samsung Magician all seems fine and the system restarts, whoever the system just boots to windows normally. I have also tried all of the USB ports on my mobo out of desperation.

I need to reinstall Windows 10 again due to BSOD issues, probably due to trying to use Asus AI suite 3 to OC my system. Very unsuccessfully!

I also flashed the BIOS to the latest version before I tried the OC with AI suite.

I have tried disabling legacy in BIOS, no difference.

Also tried changing boot priority to USB but my system says no OS found please use Cntrl Alt Del to restart system. (which doesnt work either, had to use reset button on my case.

Does anyone know if this is perhaps a Windows 10 issue? I understand that Samsung may be bringing out a new version of magician this month. I am using version 4.7

I also tried changing from AHCI in BIOS to IDE, this didnt work either.

many thanks in advance for your replies!!

 

[Rogue Leader]

No prob, good luck

 

[MrBlackandWhite]

Hi guys...hope its not tool late to revive this thread?

I have just bought a new motherboard and have to rebuild system to solve this silly XMP problem I am still having...however, I really would like to secure erase my SSD or at least clean it properly. I am unable to successfully create a bootable USB in magician (vers 4.8)

I have used rufus to create or at least format the USB (i have tried 4 different USB sticks) using MBR for BIOS/UEFI also tried NTSF. I have then gone into Magician and tried to create the bootable USB ...it fails everytime!!

Can anyone help?

Many thanks

 

[Rogue Leader]

I'm not sure why you want to secure erase it still. Just format the drive and re-use it, thats cleaning it properly. its an SSD so anything new you write (your reinstall of the OS) will permanently overwrite what is on there.

The only reason to secure erase is if you were selling or giving away the drive.

When you book up windows to do a new install, just use disk tools and re partition and format the drive and be done with it.

 

[MrBlackandWhite]

Hi Rogue.

it is not just the issue that I cant use secure erase, it worries me that this is not normal behaviour for the SSD and that it may be indicative of something else that could be wrong with the SSD.

I called Samsung in the meantime, apparently they say if i cant use secure erase it may well be indicative of something else wrong with the drive. Seems like I was right

 

[Rogue Leader]

Hi Rogue.

it is not just the issue that I cant use secure erase, it worries me that this is not normal behaviour for the SSD and that it may be indicative of something else that could be wrong with the SSD.

I called Samsung in the meantime, apparently they say if i cant use secure erase it may well be indicative of something else wrong with the drive. Seems like I was right

Except that as mentioned if the drive is formatted as GPT secure erase does not work. Are you sure thats not the problem?

 

[MrBlackandWhite]

Not sure, Rogue. Unless the tech helper was incompetent then ? Apparently Magician 4.8 does support GPT erase.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Not sure, Rogue. Unless the tech helper was incompetent then ? Apparently Magician 4.8 does support GPT erase.

I can't find anything that says it does support secure erase on GPT. While some features of Magician work with GPT disks that feature may still not work. The only changes I could find for 4.8 over 4.7 was Win 10 support and support for some new models.

 

[MrBlackandWhite]

I suppose it depends what you were asking me Rogue. Its not that secure erase does not/did not work, the issue was that it would not create a bootable USB - the samsung technician seemed to think that was abnormal.

Just while I am here. I am going to install Win 8.1 on my SSD...(currently using Win 10) do I need to do anything to the SSD before I attempt it? I still dont really know how I go-about reformatting the SSD ? Or is it just a case of putting the Win 8.1 disc in and clicking install?

Thank you for your help!!

 

[Rogue Leader]

I can agree with that its definitely abnormal that the bootable USB won't even work, but more likely a software or pc hardware issue, probably not the drive.

When you boot from a Win 8.1 CD it will allow you to delete your partitions and reformat and install. Theres a disk tools option to do all that (if it doesn't come up automatically).