I’m about to sell a Windows 11 laptop that I’ve essentially used as a web browsing machine. I only have one folder with some photos on it. How do I securely wipe the SSD and then give it to the buyer? Would it be a good idea to just use a super long complex password (say, 20 or more characters/numbers/symbols) and encrypt the folder and then do a factory reset of the laptop? If so, what’s the best way to do this?
The easiest solution is to remove the SSD and either have the buyer purchase and use their own SSD or replace your SSD with a blank one and change the price accordingly.
1 Like
As others have said, take out the ssd. Other option is to take it out and format it but untick quick format option. If it’s a m.2 ssd you can wipe those. May be worth looking at Wiping Disks | rTS Wiki
Well, the best way would’ve been enabling BitLocker before you started using it in the first place.
The second best way is performing a secure erase. Your BIOS may have an option for it, otherwise you’ll need to do it from some live Linux. Personally I just use Parted Magic (a paid Linux distro, or free if you know where to look 
) since it has a nice clickable gui, but you can get the same results with the nvme and hdparm Linux commands (for NVMe and (S)ATA drives respectively), just ask ChatGPT or read the Arch wiki on how to use them.
You may want to install Windows on it afterwards so that whoever buys it won’t be confused.
What about enabling BitLocker now? Or will it not encrypt anything on the SSD after the fact?
It’ll just eat a bunch of endurance without achieving much. The wear leveling algorithm in the SSD will intentionally try to write the new encrypted blocks in the least used (likely previously free) parts of the flash, leaving the unencrypted versions behind. Your only option now is a secure erase (short of physical destruction).
I’m not going to destroy the SSD. How do I securely delete the data?
Re-read my first post. Here’s the Arch Wiki article I mentioned: Solid state drive/Memory cell clearing - ArchWiki
1 Like