SSD Formatting to allow S.M.A.R.T.

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Hello

Can one format an SSD to factory defaults? Will the SSD be left with all its S.M.A.R.T. data at zero?

Thanks

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If you want simple answers, they’re  yes you can “low level format” the drive – return it to as near as you might have recieved it – blank, and no.. doing that wont fix and actual errors..might get slightly better, could get a lot worse.

You can usually do a full drive, data destructive write test and recertify on the drive using the manufacturer diagnostics before, repartitioning and reloading the operating system, which most times removes most of the user data.

Formatting usually won’t do anything about data in theoretically recoverable “bad sectors” of media (which are just memory in the SSD so could be read by other means if the drive could be persuaded to put them back in use – they’re swapped for spare sectors electronically). That is why, if really paranoid, you should use encryption from the outset. That said you’d need a lot of tech to get at the out of use sectors, and their data content in probability terms could be very low.. Windows rewrites loads of files regularly, users tend to write one and leave it there, a sector problem is flagged if the data read back after writing doesn’t match the data which should have been written – to avoid performance issues the drive marks the bad media and tries the next unallocated area until the write succeeds.

Running a low level format with manufacturer diagnostics won’t usually alter the SMART data in any positive way – it might even add some errors if the drive is in difficulty and push the drive to the “SMART fail” state, so really you need to back up anything on the drive before going near the diagnostics. The SMART data is “private” to the drive controller and though the manufacturer probably has software to change it they usually don’t give end users the option.

The only positive thing is if you had a lot of “pending sectors” (flagged as problematic but not “tested, found bad and reallocated” or “tested, found good and returned to use”) the diagnostic process will force evaluation, so they’ll be returned to use or mapped out to working media. Thus if you have corruption as the result of a loose power connection or repeated power outages you need to back up your data, after which running diagnostics in non destructive mode may well sort the pending sectors, and if not, write mode should as if that fails really its worth considering replacement if you can’t get and warranty support on the drive.

Again – just for clarity – destructive write mode diagnostics will mean you won’t be able to recovery anything sensible – you will need to reinstall and restore from backups.

You can twist a little if you’re in the certain areas (it might not apply but being “difficult”  helps encourage the rep at the other end to help you!) – in the EU under the regs as “One of the most important pieces of EU consumer legislation is the Directive on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees (1999/44/EC). Under the Directive you have a minimum 2-year legal guarantee against faulty products, or products that do not look or work as advertised.” (quote from https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/consumer_laws/consumer_rights_in_eu.html)

The drive data will include the operating hours (you might need to run the drive to work out which SMART field it is – some have poor labels!. The drive datasheet will include a MTBF figure (mean time between failure) so if you had the drive in the drawer for six months you can prove that by the low operating hours and suggest your two years (or whatever) isn’t up (hopefully) and indicate the likelihood of drive failure, as long as the SMART data doesn’t also show you broke another condition such as exceeding the maximum operating temperature.. Which is why the data isn’t volatile and the vendor will want the problem drive back “to inspect”. Just make sure it’s seriously well packed with a good lump of card guarding the connectors.

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Thank you

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You cannot (and do not want to) reset the SMART data. It is there to keep track of the drive health.
Do you want to reset it? Why?

cheers, Paul

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