Erase Free Space Mac Ssd
Why Paragon Disk Wiper for Mac?
This mode will wipe the entire Mac SSD to erase all data information on the Mac SSD. It means all existing data and history data on the Mac SSD will be permanently erased. So, please back up your important files before you wipe the entire Mac SSD. Mode 3: Wipe free disk space of Mac SSD. The deleted/lost data is stored on the free disk space of. If you find this is the case with your system, and Disk Utility only shows the Erase Free Space option as being grayed out, then it is likely the reason is because your Mac is using an SSD as its. Select any of the erasure options that you like and then click the Erase free space button. Part 2: How to Secure Erase Free Space on Hard Drives in Windows. Although the Disk Utility app of Mac OS X can erase free space on Mac hard drive, there is a chance that it might not be able to do so in a secure manner. If your Mac has an SSD, Apple claims that erasing free space on your Mac’s hard drive is unnecessary because a standard erase makes the recovery of data difficult. Not everyone wants to take Apple’s word for it. Standard erase doesn’t make me entirely comfortable that my data can’t be recovered.
Paragon Disk Wiper for Mac allows to create a bootable USB-flash drive or external hard drive that will help you to completely erase a whole hard disk, a separate partition or just clean free space. After booting your Mac with the bootable media you will be able to use Wipe Wizard to irreversibly remove your confidential data.
Paragon Disk Wiper for Mac supports all Intel-based Macs, providing the possibility to quickly and efficiently sanitize the hard disks in order to protect valuable business information and also because there is, in the most countries, a legal obligation to do so.
Key Features and Benefits
Features | Benefits |
|---|---|
Support for Mac OS X | Works with OS X 10.7 and later. |
Comprehensive wiping | Wipe exactly what you need – hard disks/separate partitions (primary, extended, logical). |
Ten different disk sanitization algorithms support | Irreversibly destroy all on-disk data in compliance with major national government and military data erasure standards, as well as the most comprehensive academic wipe algorithms, thus providing maximum level of security (US DoD 5220.22-M, US Navy standards NAVSO P-5239-26, British HMG Infosec Standard No.5, German VSItR Standard, Peter Gutmann’s algorithm, Bruce Schneier’s algorithm, etc.) |
Wiping SSD | Wipe SSDs of most manufacturers. |
Powerful Paragon`s algorithm | Improved disk wiping technology (SSD Trim) guarantees irreversible secure data destruction on SSD storage devices. |
Flexible customization option | Create your own wipe algorithm with minimal effort – define up to 4 wiping patterns, number of passes for each wiping pattern and for the group of patterns, thus resulting in over 40000 possible number of passes. |
Efficient operation | Minimal effect on the system performance. |
Easy to use | Simple wizard driven engine. |
Basic partitioning operations (create, delete, format) | Optimize the management of your hard disks. |
Wipe report with extended hardware and system information | Be well-informed about the results of the wipe operation to verify when wipe operations have been successfully accomplished. |
Logging of bad blocks (corrupted sectors) | Be informed that these sectors may still contain classified information. |
Support of latest HDD standards | Enjoy support of AFD (Advanced Format Drive), 2TB+ and non-512B sector size drives. |
Supports any hard disk or flash memory | Support of large IDE, SCSI, SATA and GPT/UEFI-formatted hard disks, USB 1.0, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 flash memory drives. |
Comprehensive file system support | Support of FAT16/32, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, Apple HFS+ and other file systems. |
Linux-based Wiping Media | Enjoy support of a wider range of hardware configurations with the option to add drivers for specific hardware on-the-fly. |
- Paragon Wipe Wizard
- Choose the data sanitization method
- Progress information
If you are planning to sell your Mac or giving it to a third person for permanent use, then you must erase the hard drive first. This is how you can prevent your data falling into wide of the mark hands.
In case, you are using a newer Mac with an SSD, then you have to take extra care.
You can easily ensure in several ways that data saved on your traditional hard drive is securely deleted. But, they do not really help if you have an SSD. As your SSD won’t fall into the category of a hard drive.
AboutSecurely Erasing SSD:
If your Mac comes with an SSD, Apple’s Disk Utility won’t let you to securely erase the SSD. Yes, Secure Erase and Erasing Free Space options are not available in Mac Disk Utility.
People say these options are not required for an SSD since a standard erase itself is enough potential to make SSD data recovery hard. And, some says securely erasing an SSD, can cause wear and tear on its memory cells which affect the drive’s reliability and performance.
Leaving all these discussions, if you just want to securely erase free space on your SSD then here are two different ways you can try.
Before you getting started with it, let me tell something that “this is not really needed; as Apple itself made so hard to secure erase an SSD. But, if you are set on it then, give a second thought to your mind and proceed.
How to Securely Erase a Mac SSD?
Method 1: Steps to Securely Erase a Mac SSD from Terminal
Step 1: Open Applications folder and switch to Utilities folder.
Step 2: Run the Terminal application.
Step 3: Type diskutil secureErase freespace VALUE /Volumes/DRIVE and hit Enter key
Note: Type a number between 0 and 4 in place of VALUE. 0 for single-pass run of zeroes, 1 for single-pass run of random numbers, 2 for 7-pass erase, 3 for 35-pass erase, and 4 for 3-pass erase. Replace DRIVE with the name of your SSD. To run a 7-pass erase in “Peters-Macbook”, use diskutil secureErase freespace 2 /Volumes/Peters-Macbook code.
And if, there is a space in the name of your drive, use a backslash instead of each space (for instance to denote Mac Drive -> Mac Drive).
Method 2: Steps to Securely Erase a Mac SSD Using Disk Utility
Step 1: Reboot Mac, hold the OPTION key and select Recovery partition.
Step 2: Next, in OS X Utilities menu click on Disk Utility.
Step 3: Select the SSD primary partition and choose Erase option.
Step 4: Under Format, opt for Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted).
| Add-On: Have you accidentally formatted a wrong volume or drive on your Mac machine? Then, try Yodot Mac Data Recovery and unformat the Mac drive or volume easily. |
Step 5: Hit Erase button, and set encryption password.
Erase Free Space Mac Ssd Hard Drive
Step 6: Wait till your drive gets erased and encrypted. It takes time, depending on type, size, and speed of the drive.
Step 7: Next opt Disk Utility and choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
Now, Erase Free Space and Security Options are accessible (they are not grayed out).
Step 8: Click on Security Options and select 35-Pass Erase.
How To Wipe Free Space
Step 9: Hit the OK button and wait until completion of the process.