I'm looking for the best method to format my SSD so that it's as close to factory condition as possible. I want to ensure there are absolutely no leftover files—literally nothing on it at all. I'm not trying to hide anything; I just want to maximize the available space on my SSD. Any advice on how to achieve this?
2 Answers
You can actually do a regular quick format. This will reset the file system, so it appears like there are no files. Ghost files aren’t a big issue unless your SSD has hardware problems. For a complete factory reset, you might want to go for a secure erase, which some BIOS menus support. Tools like Samsung Magician are handy for specific drives.
The best approach is to use the SSD's built-in "secure erase" feature if it's available. That will make sure it’s completely blank. After that, you can format it how you prefer.
Just a heads up, I’ve heard that Samsung Magician only works with Samsung SSDs. So if you're using a different brand, you'll need to find an alternative.