What brands do you class as the better ones of the bunch, I have used Western Digital for both mechanical and M.2 SSD and so far never any issues but my SSD is only my OS / programs drive.
Laptop "repair"?!
- Thread starter Cozzer
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If your use case is mainly read-only, then SSD choice isn't too critical. Just make sure that your paging & swap files are on an appropriate device, as are any log files & databases that get written a lot (MySql, MariaDB, SQLServer etc.)
I should have been a bit clearer about wear levelling: memory blocks are not copied in this process, they are remapped, so WL does not ipso facto reduce the life of the SSD, rather that good WL is absolutely essential to the longevity and reliability of the device.
Note: only buy reputable named SSDs from reputable suppliers. There are a load of fakes around and a tonne of false claims on some well-known sites.
I should have been a bit clearer about wear levelling: memory blocks are not copied in this process, they are remapped, so WL does not ipso facto reduce the life of the SSD, rather that good WL is absolutely essential to the longevity and reliability of the device.
Note: only buy reputable named SSDs from reputable suppliers. There are a load of fakes around and a tonne of false claims on some well-known sites.
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To date - as a user of "only" Crucial SSD - some replacing traditional HD - happy to say that all of them after many years of use are still going strong.
When I was one of the mods on a now (sadly long gone computer forum) the whole issue of SSD was a regular event. The SSD gurus advised that an SSD (when not in regular use) need(ed) to be powered up every once in a while (at least once a year) to preserve the data. That the cheapies didn't cut the mustard as the saying goes; and it is worth the extra dosh to get a make that was reliable.
The one thing you do NOT do is to run any form of of defrag utility...
Also if there is data on any HD/SSD that regard as serious long term storage - consider to use an NAS to secure it alongside an external backup of the NAS( to an external HDD); and also for stuff like photos/videos burn to DVD (even 2sets). Store those DVD in a safe place and separate from any other long term storage system/s - just in-case...
Simplest NAS is a mirror system; two drive with identical content. If one fails then after replacing the failed drive the "mirror" will rebuild the system to two identical drives. Some advocate SSD for NAS; most broadcast outfits, for example, now use SSD in their NAS; but other arena/places etc. still favour high spec HDD... WD make excellent HDD for NAS systems - three grades; and worth investigating there if going the NAS route.
As most laptops and desktops now seem to have some form of glued in (i.e. soldered) SSD... I'm inclined to wonder just how long these devices will last, before either the MoBo is replaced, if not the whole laptop/desktop... Gone are the days when one could replace a failed HDD/SSD.
When I was one of the mods on a now (sadly long gone computer forum) the whole issue of SSD was a regular event. The SSD gurus advised that an SSD (when not in regular use) need(ed) to be powered up every once in a while (at least once a year) to preserve the data. That the cheapies didn't cut the mustard as the saying goes; and it is worth the extra dosh to get a make that was reliable.
The one thing you do NOT do is to run any form of of defrag utility...
Also if there is data on any HD/SSD that regard as serious long term storage - consider to use an NAS to secure it alongside an external backup of the NAS( to an external HDD); and also for stuff like photos/videos burn to DVD (even 2sets). Store those DVD in a safe place and separate from any other long term storage system/s - just in-case...
Simplest NAS is a mirror system; two drive with identical content. If one fails then after replacing the failed drive the "mirror" will rebuild the system to two identical drives. Some advocate SSD for NAS; most broadcast outfits, for example, now use SSD in their NAS; but other arena/places etc. still favour high spec HDD... WD make excellent HDD for NAS systems - three grades; and worth investigating there if going the NAS route.
As most laptops and desktops now seem to have some form of glued in (i.e. soldered) SSD... I'm inclined to wonder just how long these devices will last, before either the MoBo is replaced, if not the whole laptop/desktop... Gone are the days when one could replace a failed HDD/SSD.
BC'er
Established Member
And the best part is they probably downloaded all your passwords, and personal info for their later amusement or sale to interested parties.
Hang on - no, they probably just left it on your old hard drive and saved the trouble of downloading it.
"We go through you people like a wolf goes through a flock of sheep", as someone from somewhere else said to a friend of mine nearly forty years ago.
Hang on - no, they probably just left it on your old hard drive and saved the trouble of downloading it.
"We go through you people like a wolf goes through a flock of sheep", as someone from somewhere else said to a friend of mine nearly forty years ago.
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Crucial are the retail arm of Micron, one of the world's largest memory manufacturers. Good company - I've used their products many times and never yet had a failure with either SSDs or board-level memory.
Being a bit picky, but NAS just means "Network Attached Storage", a term that in itself does not define how that data is stored. The simplest NAS is just 1 (or more) physical drives configured as a single volume - this is called "JBOD" - Just a Bunch of Disks - and there's no redundancy in that. JBOD disks can all be of different sizes and types.
What you are describing is mirroring, also known as RAID 1, and typically requires pairs of physically identical drives, i.e. 2, 4, 6 etc. drives.
You can get close to SSD speeds with a good NAS and traditional hard drives by using lots of carefully configured cache and preferably a small UPS to allow the cache to write-through as part of an orderly shutdown in the event of a power failure.
Also, you can run a defrag on an SSD, it's just that there's no point as it won't increase the speed of access at all and it'll unnecessarily use up write cycles. i.e. You can do it, it's just a bad plan!
Most PC motherboards I've seen recently have M.2 mounts rather than soldered-in SSDs - some laptops do use a soldered SSD but tend to have an M.2 socket for expansion. Unless you're Apple of course, then all bets are off !
niemeyjt
Established Member
Anyone know how to securely erase an SSD that has gone into read-only mode before I return it.
Samsung - not Crucial - and I am doubly hacked off as they reneagued on a rebate offer as well.
Samsung - not Crucial - and I am doubly hacked off as they reneagued on a rebate offer as well.
It's very tricky to get right. Generally, you need to either physically destroy the drive (e.g. thermite or shredding) or use a vendor supplied tool.
As it happens, Samsung provides just such a free utility; Magician
https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/magician/
Do NOT trust anything else...
FWIW, I have all my old drives shredded by a commercial operation. I have tried other methods, such as 28g 12g from about 2ft, but drives are surprisingly tough, especially older hard drives.
Thermite works really well.
BC'er
Established Member
Samsung? Whose phones came with built-in hardware "backdoors" some years back.
I'm sure they're much better hidden now.
Find someone who has a paid copy of Killdisk.exe and do a 35 pass wipe if you want to.
But since you're stuck in read-only mode your best option is a hammer.
I'm sure they're much better hidden now.
Find someone who has a paid copy of Killdisk.exe and do a 35 pass wipe if you want to.
But since you're stuck in read-only mode your best option is a hammer.
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niemeyjt
Established Member
Thanks both - as it is still under warranty I was quite hoping to get my money back. I am not sure they will refund for a bag of e-waste!
My model of SDD is supported - sadly Linux is not. Ho-hum - I will have to see if a Virtual Windows does the trick.
My model of SDD is supported - sadly Linux is not. Ho-hum - I will have to see if a Virtual Windows does the trick.
Yes the earlier Gigabyte ones have two, the latest ones look to have four.
Yes I had some external drive that was supposed to behave as cloud storage that just would not work with Windows 10 and had to be sent back, to remove the data I just put it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Have you tried booting a Linux Live USB and wiping the rogue SSD with that?
pe2dave
Established Member
Fairly effective way of 'securing' old hard drives.
Unscrew all the screws. Take the actual disk. 16oz hammer does its thing. In the bin.
Probably work with an SSD ;-)
Unscrew all the screws. Take the actual disk. 16oz hammer does its thing. In the bin.
Probably work with an SSD ;-)
throbscottle
Established Member
My employer drills holes through them...
niemeyjt
Established Member
Far too much work!
I believe all modern drives are made of glass or aluminium platters so pop the things on the ground in the parking lot and a few good whacks with a hammer, job done, and you're de-stressed for the day.
Why not? Might stop someone else from using them.
Years ago when I was studying for my MT4 MCSE in SLC Utaah the tutor (he was a Novell guru too) reminded the class that the only true way to ensure a drive destroyed and thus data gone forever: Smashi it to bits; burn it in a hot fire/furnace and grind the ashes to powder; gather the ashes; hire a hekilopter and fly out over the ocea; dump the ash there... Job dun
Also - the only truly secure computer was one in a locked room enclosed in Faraday cage; no ethernet/bluetooth or whatever means of connecting to it; an armed guard outside with "deadly force qualification... And an added touch - even have it powered down and plug removed from the power source.
On my course there were four from a nearby air force base... and they really enjoyed his style...
Also - the only truly secure computer was one in a locked room enclosed in Faraday cage; no ethernet/bluetooth or whatever means of connecting to it; an armed guard outside with "deadly force qualification... And an added touch - even have it powered down and plug removed from the power source.
On my course there were four from a nearby air force base... and they really enjoyed his style...
They were a very unprofessional outfit, one of their remits should always be the protection of customer data and to recover whenever possible and not just wipe it.
collingg
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That's truth I'm thinking filing a complaint or seeking a resolution with the service provider, as they should be held accountable for mishandling data.
