Secure Erase SSD Doesn't Seem So Secure

[Gorrillasnot]

Hello,

I made a backup image of my SSD using a bootable disc of true image 2014.
A few days later I decided to try secure erasing my SSD.
I deleted some files to the recycle bin, but didn't empty it.
I then booted a copy of parted magic and did a secure erase.
Next I restored my backup image, but noticed something unusual. The same files that I had sent to the recycle bin before using parted magic, but after using true image, were still in the recycle bin after using restoring the backup to the drive.

I thought hmm maybe I forgot to empty the recycle bin before using true image to make my backup. I then empty the recycle bin and then boot up my true image disc and restore my backup. Once finished the recycle bin is empty.
Again I'm using the same backup image untouched.

In other words whatever is in the recycle bin before restoring my backup image is still in the recycle bin after restoring it even if I use parted magic to secure erase in between.

what am I doing wrong?

thanks

 

[Elixer]

What SSD is this, and if that utility did indeed do a secure erase, it would have shown up as an invalid drive.
Was this a OS drive or a data drive?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Do you have multiple drives? Was the backup stored on an external USB HDD? Each drive has a "Recycle Bin" on it, for files on that volume. If you had something in an secondary drive's recycle bin, it would have shown up.

 

[Mike64]

A few days later I decided to try secure erasing my SSD.

Does the drive in question actually support secure erase? I would think any relatively recent drive would, but older ones may not, and if the functionality doesn't exist in the drive's firmware itself, it simply won't work, possibly without the drive utility returning any sort of error. (My agéd Kingston V+100, for example, doesn't support it, and though the "weird" behavior of several utilities should've been, and was eventually, a clue that "something" was wrong, none of the various utilities I tried unsuccessfully ever actually just came out and said "your drive can't do that." And for what little it's worth, it's been so long since I tried that I really don't remember which utilities I tried, but I think partedmagic was one of them, and that it didn't return an error when it's attempt to trigger the secure erase failed on my drive.)

 

[Gorrillasnot]

What SSD is this, and if that utility did indeed do a secure erase, it would have shown up as an invalid drive.
Was this a OS drive or a data drive?

Device manager shows it as a Liteon LCT-256. I purchased it used form the for sale forum here at AT. I believe it is similar to a Plextor m3.
It's a OS drive.

Do you have multiple drives? Was the backup stored on an external USB HDD? Each drive has a "Recycle Bin" on it, for files on that volume. If you had something in an secondary drive's recycle bin, it would have shown up.

I do have multiple drives.
The backup image is not stored on a external drive , but it is stored on 1 of the internal storage drives.
SSD for OS and apps, 2 internal storage drives and 1 eSATA storage drive. How can I check and empty the recycle bins on the storage drives?

Does the drive in question actually support secure erase?

I'm not sure.
When I use parted magic to erase the SSD I get a time to complete estimate of 6 min, but it always finishes in about 1 min or so. which makes me kinda wonder if it's really doing anything.
After it completes I do get a thing that pops up saying it was successful and has a log file I can view (although I have no clue what to look for in it).

Before replying to these posts as a test I copied a large file to the desktop then used parted magic to erase, and afterwards I recovered with true image and the file did not reappear, so maybe it does have something to do with recycle bins on the other storage drives. I just don't know how to check for sure.

thanks

 

[Mike64]

Device manager shows it as a Liteon LCT-256.

I couldn't find a "plain old" LCT-256, if you check the drive's "properties", is there a more specific ID under the "hardware" tab? If it's the LCT-256M3S, I was surprised to find almost no info about it even LiteOn's website, just a data sheet that doesn't specifically indicate whether it supports secure erase or not. It does say it uses the Marvel 88SS9174 controller, if that tells anyone else anything specific about it (I can't help, there...)

 

[Elixer]

I suppose if you secure erase a drive, and the info files in the recycled folder don't get updated, then, what you saw couldn't have been recoverable. It was basically a pointer to those files...

 

[Gorrillasnot]

Thanks for the help everyone.

I think VirtualLarry has it figured out.
I used a hirens boot cd and booted to mini xp. I was able to browse the recycle bins on my storage drives and 1 of them had a file in it with a bunch of random characters but has .tib as the extension which is what true image uses for the extension when making a image.

Mystery solved..thanks VirtualLarry