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secure erase in HDDs and SSDs
#46138 09/02/17 10:29 AM
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jchuzi Online OP
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Although most of us know how to securely erase a HDD, the following article also shows how to do it on a SSD. How to Use Mac's Disk Utility to Securely Wipe a Drive


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: secure erase in HDDs and SSDs
jchuzi #46144 09/02/17 06:06 PM
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I would add to OWC's comments on erasing an SSD, If the drive is formatted APFS each file's data is intentionally scattered all over the drive which makes any attempt to re-assemble the contents of any given file impractical if not impossible.


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Re: secure erase in HDDs and SSDs
joemikeb #46147 09/02/17 08:08 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
...If the drive is formatted APFS each file's data is intentionally scattered all over the drive which makes any attempt to re-assemble the contents of any given file impractical if not impossible.

Isn't that the case with an SSD formatted HFS+, too?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

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Re: secure erase in HDDs and SSDs
artie505 #46169 09/04/17 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
...If the drive is formatted APFS each file's data is intentionally scattered all over the drive which makes any attempt to re-assemble the contents of any given file impractical if not impossible.

Isn't that the case with an SSD formatted HFS+, too?

Yes, but as I understand it, not to the same extent as in APFS. For one thing there is an additional virtualization layer in APFS. For example you can have multiple APFS volumes on a drive and theoretically each would have the maximum capacity of the drive available to it. Roughly analogous to having multiple sparse disk image or sparse image bundles on an HFS+ volume.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: secure erase in HDDs and SSDs
joemikeb #46176 09/04/17 11:08 PM
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As its pieces fall into place, APFS gets more and more interesting...if not fascinating.

Thanks. smile


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire

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