Windows Wipe Drive -

Whether you are selling an old laptop, donating a PC to charity, or simply recycling a defective drive, one thing is non-negotiable:

: Click Get Started (or Reset PC ) under the Reset this PC section.

| Method | HDD Time | SSD Time | Effectiveness (HDD) | Effectiveness (SSD) | |--------|----------|----------|----------------------|----------------------| | Quick format | 2 sec | 2 sec | ❌ Zero (recoverable) | ❌ Recoverable | | Reset PC (clean drive) | 1.5 hr | 20 min | ✅ Good (one pass) | ⚠️ Moderate | | DiskPart clean all | 4 hr | N/A | ✅ Good | ❌ Not recommended | | DBAN (DoD 3-pass) | 6 hr | N/A | ✅ Excellent | ❌ Harmful | | ATA Secure Erase | N/A | 10 sec | N/A | ✅ Perfect |

clean all and press Enter. This writes zeros to every sector of the disk. Microsoft Community Hub +5 3. Manufacturer Utilities Many SSD manufacturers (like Samsung, Crucial, or Western Digital) provide their own "Secure Erase" tools. These are often the fastest and safest options for SSDs as they utilize the drive's built-in firmware to instantly reset all data blocks. Microsoft Community Hub +2 Critical Tips Before You Start Back Up Everything