[SOLVED] We can't format or re-use M.2 SSDs taken from new ASUS laptops ?

[Bob23123]

My company recently purchased a bunch of ASUS Vivobook 15's. They came with 128GB M.2's and we replaced them with 256GB M.2.
The removed 128GB ones are FORESEE FSGLMMC-128GH

We wanted to reuse them but can't seem to get them to format on any other systems. Tried them in other computers, on 2 different external USB3 M.2 adaptors and nothing. Windows shows them but you can't do anything with them.

They show up in Windows Disk Management as Disk x, Removable No Media. No unused partition space is shown.
Deleted all the partitions on it using DISKPART and still shows up the same way. It just wont allow any space or unformatted partitions to be shown.

Could they be somehow locked for use only on ASUS?
Is there anything else to try?

Other M.2 SSDs work fine on the USB adaptors and in other systems, just not these removed from the ASUS laptops ?

 

[mundial]

Try this:

https://www.miray.de/download/hdshredder.html

 

[Bob23123]

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually tried it. It says it erased the disk, but the M.2 is still not able to see any usable partitions or be setup. 🙁

 

[mundial]

ok, can you download CrystalDiskInfo and go to the "information" tab to see if anything unusual is showing up?

 

[fzabkar]

Are they NVMe or SATA?

 

[SkyNetRising]

Probably your USB adapter supports either sata or nvme M.2 drives, but not both.
And you're trying to use M.2 drive, that is not supported by the adapter.

 

[lommerte]

I had something similar with a new samsung NVME. I used an option in my bios to erase the drive. Make sure you do it to the correct drive. There is usually a serial on the drive itself note everything down. Look for a similar serial in the BIOS secure erase list.
Good luck!

 

[mundial]

ad something similar with a new samsung NVME. I used an option in my bios to erase the drive. Make sure you do it to the correct drive. There is usually a serial on the drive itself note everything down. Look for a similar serial in the BIOS secure erase list.
Good luck!

Was the system Asus also?

 

[lommerte]

Was the system Asus also?

No the system was Asrock, according to what I have just googled it is called "secure erase" in ASUS bios

 

[Bob23123]

Its hard to confirm specs on these M.2's but i believe its SATA and the USB adaptors are for SATA.
I will have to try wiping it out in one of the ASUS laptops from the bios if thats possible. I Did reformat one on the ASAS laptop using windows installation but still was not readable on other machines.