When to Run a Low-Level Format or Secure Erase on Intel® Solid State Drives and Tools to Use
What am I seeing?
The following are some possible problem scenarios when you run a low-level format or secure erase on the Intel® Solid State Drive (Intel® SSD):
- If the operating system experiences slowness or freezing
- If errors seen during installation of an operating system
- If failures seen during read or write diagnostics
- If errors seen during a regular format/initialization or partition on the Intel SSD
- If there are suspected issues with data integrity on the Intel SSD
Keep in mind that a low-level format or secure erase will remove all data contained on the Intel SSD. If the Intel SSD is the boot drive, a fresh installation of the operating system is recommended after the low-level format or secure erase.
Caution | Always back up your software before you run a low-level format or secure erase. |
What tools can I use?
Several Intel® tools have the capability to perform a low-level format or secure erase. Some recommendations are located at the following support page along with how-to instructions: Three Ways To Run Low-Level Format Using Intel® Software Tools.
Here are some third-party tools that you can also use to run a low-level format:
| Notes | A quick format done through Windows* sets up an empty file system on the disk and installs a boot sector. The full format in Windows does the same as a quick format and scans the whole disk for defects. A low-level format queries each cell to see if it has been written to. This format then writes a zero to the cell. This type of format is also known as zeroing the drive, or flushing the drive. A secure erase deletes all data from the drive. This means that the system writes 1 and 0 on the drives, which causes minimum wear of the drive. |
| Related topic |
| Intel Solid-State Drive Community |
