Can You Erase A Usb Flash Drive

1. How To Erase A Usb Flash Drive
2. Securely Erase Usb Flash Drive

Dec 03, 2020 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions

SanDisk Cruzer is one of the best USB flash drives available in the market today. It offers you the chance to transfer media, documents, and other files from one computer to another. It is a USB flash drive that can carry a lot of data. You need to erase SanDisk Cruzer if you don't need the data stored on it anymore and want to utilize it for storing something else. Formatting the SanDisk Cruzer is one way of erasing the files it contains but it isn't reliable. The other method is to use a third-party data erasure tool which can safely erase the data on the SanDisk Cruzer and make it unrecoverable. Erasing the data stored on it will ensure that the person you are giving the SanDisk drive won't be able to view your files.

• Part 1: How to Completely Erase Files from SanDisk Drive
• Part 2: How to Format SanDisk Drive and Erase Data

Part 1: How to Completely Erase Files from SanDisk Drive

SanDisk Cruzer is a useful memory storage device that can be used for transferring data between computers. Erasing data from the SanDisk drive only requires you to format it. While formatting can delete the files stored on the drive, it won't be able to completely erase them. Anyone determined to recover the deleted files on the SanDisk drive will be able to piece back the files using a data recovery tool. So, if you want to completely erase SanDisk Cruzer, you must use a data erasure tool. These tools are capable of permanently erasing all of the data stored on the drive and can ensure that it can't be recovered by any data recovery software. When it comes to permanently erasing data there is no software better than Stellar BitRaser for File.

DBAN will permanently wipe all the data from a hard drive before you recycle or dispose of it. This is a good thing to ensure no data can be recovered. Skip to content. Make a bootable USB flash drive to wipe an old hard drive. To use a USB to wipe an old hard drive on a Windows PC. Just add or select the files/folders you want to erase from SanDisk USB flash drive, then click on 'Erase Now' button to permanently erase the selected files/folders from SanDisk USB flash drive. Wipe SanDisk USB flash drive. Wipe Hard Drive will help you permanently erase all data information on the SanDisk USB flash drive and format it. You cannot wipe data from the USB flash drive completely with a simple deletion or formatting, because any one can easily recover them with using any data recovery software. USB drive recovery programs can be easily downloaded from the Internet and it is quite easy to retrieve deleted. So, SanDisk Cruzer is a great USB flash drive which can help you in transferring various types of data from one PC to another. If you are sharing the drive with another person, you need to erase it after every use. This will ensure that the other person doesn't get to see your data. After choosing the wiping method, simply click on ' Wipe ' and the program will automatically start erasing everything from the USB flash drive. Wait for few minutes until the data are securely removed from the disk drive. Now, you can audit the USB flash drive and everything will be permanently erased.

• It is compatible with multiple versions of Windows including Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10.
• It offers a search module that can help you in finding individual files that you need to erase from your system.
• It is capable of permanently erasing the data stored on any memory storage device as long as it is compatible with Windows.
• It can remove all trace of internet history from your computer and ensure that no one can find out the activities you have been doing on the internet.

The following is an instruction manual that explains in detail the steps that need to be followed to completely erase SanDisk Cruzer using Stellar BitRaser for File.

1. Download Stellar BitRaser for File on your Windows computer, and connect your SanDisk Cruzer hard drive to PC.
2. Select your SanDisk hard drive on the section of 'Erase Now'.

1. Click the 'Erase Now' button to start to erase files from Sandisk Drive.
2. After erased complete, you can reboot your system.

Stellar BitRaser for File doesn't need multiple passes for erasing files from SanDisk Cruzer. It can erase all of its data in a single pass. However, if you aren't satisfied that the files are erased forever, you can have two more passes. This would make sure that the data is erased from the SanDisk Cruzer and can't be recovered by any means.

Part 2: How to Format SanDisk Drive and Erase Data

These are the steps that you have to follow to format SanDisk drive and erase all of its data.

1. Connect the SanDisk Cruzer to your PC and give time to the PC to recognize it.
2. Click the Computer after clicking the Start button. Choose the Explore option after right-clicking the SanDisk Cruzer drive. If you hadn't renamed it, the USB flash drive would be listed as a Removable Disk. Go through the files stored on the Cruzer and save the important files.
3. Close the SanDisk Cruzer window by clicking the ‘Back' button. Choose the Format option after right-clicking the SanDisk Cruzer drive.
4. Choose ‘FAT' if the storage capacity of your USB flash drive is lower than 4GB. For USB flash drives with 4GB or higher storage capacity, choose ‘FAT 32'.
5. For initiating a quick format, check the box in front of the ‘Quick Format' option. This will simply erase the files. Don't put a checkmark in this box if you plan on doing an extensive format. An extensive format will not only erase the files from SanDisk Cruzer but will also try to find and repair bad sectors present on it. You can use this method to reliably repair your flash drive.
6. Start the format by clicking the ‘Start' button. The storage capacity of the Cruzer and the system's speed will determine how quickly the format process is completed.

So, SanDisk Cruzer is a great USB flash drive which can help you in transferring various types of data from one PC to another. If you are sharing the drive with another person, you need to erase it after every use. This will ensure that the other person doesn't get to see your data. To erase SanDisk Cruzer, you can either use the format option or make use of a third-party data erasing tool like Stellar BitRaser for File. While formatting can erase files from SanDisk Cruzer, Stellar BitRaser for File can make the files unrecoverable.

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USB Flash drives are one of luminous and disparate invention to store thousands of files in one convenient location. There are myriad of reasons to use USB flash drives over CD and DVDs. They are portable, fast and easy to use and carry. But after using it for few times, you might need to erase data from USB flash drive to make some more room to store new data or sell it.

A simple deletion will not really erase everything from the USB flash drive securely since any advanced computer user can easily recover them in no time using any data recovery software. You will be amused to see how easy it is to get back all the deleted data in no time. So, if you have any sensitive information stored from company or client information then you must erase them using some third party software to make sure all data are securely deleted and can never be restored using any data recovery software whatsoever. So most people choose to wipe data on computer or wipe Mac clean before selling.

In this guide, we will introduce you to two methods that helps to erase data on USB flash drive permanently. Both are free to implement and can get the job done as quickly as possible to give you the best user experience.

Method #1: Wipe USB Flash Drive by Using In-built Format Option

All Windows and Mac computers comes with an in-built format disk option to erase everything from a USB flash drive. We will show you how to use this feature as your advantage to make sure everything is deleted permanently.

Step 1. Insert the USB flash drive to the computer and let the PC detect it.

Step 2. Open 'My Computer' and right-click on the flash drive disk name.

Step 3. Find 'Format' from the option and make a left click on it with the help of your mouse.

Step 4. You will be able to see a window with the following option.

It will show you the storage capacity and file system. By default, it can be either NTFS or FAT32 and the volume label just indicates the name of the flash drive. Just leave it to the default settings and click on 'Start'.

Step 5. Wait for few minutes until the formatting process is finished. It may take several minutes depending on the size of the USB Flash drive. Make sure to keep it connected while the process is taking place.

Step 6. After you see the 'Format Successful' pop up messages, you can eject the flash drive.

How To Erase A Usb Flash Drive

Warning: This should delete all the files from the flash drive. But as we mentioned earlier, a simple deletion and formatting doesn't really permanently delete everything from the USB drive, they're still be easily recovered by some data recovery softweare. . If the files are not important then you can use this simple deletion option but if you do have confidential company and client information stored in it then you might have to use a professional external tool to erase everything permanently.

Method #2: How to Completely Wipe USB Flash Drive with SafeWiper for Disk

To reduce the risk that someone might recover sensitive data from your USB flash drive, you need to use eraser software to securely erase data from removable USB disk.

SafeWiper for Disk is a professional data deletion tool that erases everything from a drive disk permanently. This little tool deletes data from a disk drive as it never existed on the first place. So, if you are erasing confidential and sensitive data from your USB flash drive then it is assured that the data deletion is beyond recovery. No data recovery has succeeded to recover data from any drive after being deleted using SafeWiper. It is easy to use but to use advanced deletion techniques, you will have to pay a small fee to enjoy the full benefits of this software.

Safewiper for Disk - Permanently Wipe Your USB Drive

Securely Erase Usb Flash Drive

• Wipe data and hard drives permanently beyond recovery.
• Permanently wipes data on partitions and disk volumes with advanced wiping algorithm which overwrites your data up to 35 times.
• Uses advanced algorithms (Dod 5220-22.M, US Army, Peter Guttman) to 100% completely wipe data.
• Supports all popular Windows file systems, NTFS, Fat, Fat32.

Download SafeWiper for Disk on your computer, install and run it. SafeWiper for Disk offers to complete hard drives or logical hard drives. So you either completely remove everything from a hard disk or only the hierarchical partitions created from the hard disk. Choose the USB flash drive disk and click on 'Next'.

Click the Setting on the proram, you will see four wiping method in the list. You can use the featured high level deletion techniques including Peter Guttmann Secure Deletion, North Atlantic Treaty Organization_NATO standard, Guttmann Method and so on. The more advnaced wiping algorithm you choose, the more time it will take.

After choosing the wiping method, simply click on 'Wipe' and the program will automatically start erasing everything from the USB flash drive. Wait for few minutes until the data are securely removed from the disk drive.

Now, you can audit the USB flash drive and everything will be permanently erased.

Note: Realize that the data deleted using this software is permanent and there's no going back after this. So, make sure to generate a full back up before using this software.

Summary:

It is recommended to use professional external software like SafeWiper Data Wiper to permanently delete everything from a USB flash drive if it contains any classified and private data to make sure nobody can steal it. Any computer genius can easily recover deleted data from your USB flash drive if you use the simple deletion technique. You must take a step further to maintain the safety and privacy of the data. Hopefully, you guys enjoyed and found this article useful.