User Manual

SanDisk SSD Dashboard User Manual Rev. 1.4.3
SanDisk – a Western Digital brand 22 July 2016
5.5 Crypto Erase
Crypto Erase is used to revert an OPAL-activated or eDrive-activated SanDisk SSD back to its factory
default state. After a Crypto Erase, all security keys will be deleted, rendering the user data
unrecoverable. Also, OPAL or eDrive security will be deactivated so that the drive can be reused with
any compatible security application.
Crypto Erase can only be performed on security enabled SSDs that are not the boot drive. The drive’s
unique Physical Security ID (PSID), which is printed on the drive’s label, is required to perform a Crypto
Erase. Click Erase Now to erase the drive and leave it in an unformatted state.
Figure 34: Crypto Erase
If the SSD is the boot drive, you may create a bootable USB drive with the Crypto Erase tool on it. The
bootable USB drive can also be used as a portable tool to erase SSDs on multiple systems.
Click on the Select USB Drive dropdown to choose the desired USB drive and then click on the Create
USB Drive button. If it is not listed, click on the Refresh icon next to the dropdown menu to scan for the
USB drive. It is recommended to backup any existing data on the USB drive before proceeding.
Note: The USB drive must be formatted as FAT or FAT32.