Best workflow to temporarily move Windows 11 to secondary SSD to secure erase primary SSD

Hello everyone,

I am looking for the most efficient workflow to temporarily migrate my Windows 11 installation to a secondary drive so I can perform a secure erase on my primary drive using the manufacturer's tool.

Environment
* OS: Windows 11
* Hardware: Two internal SSDs
* Backup Status: All data is fully backed up

Proposed Workflow
1. Remove/migrate Windows from the first SSD and install it temporarily on the second SSD.
2. Boot from the second SSD to use the manufacturer's tool to wipe the first SSD.
3. Reinstall/migrate Windows back to the first SSD, then wipe the second SSD.

Questions
Assuming everything is already backed up, what would be the quickest and most reliable way to accomplish this?

unallocation said:

Hello everyone,

I am looking for the most efficient workflow to temporarily migrate my Windows 11 installation to a secondary drive so I can perform a secure erase on my primary drive using the manufacturer's tool.

Environment
* OS: Windows 11
* Hardware: Two internal SSDs
* Backup Status: All data is fully backed up

Proposed Workflow
1. Remove/migrate Windows from the first SSD and install it temporarily on the second SSD.
2. Boot from the second SSD to use the manufacturer's tool to wipe the first SSD.
3. Reinstall/migrate Windows back to the first SSD, then wipe the second SSD.

Questions
Assuming everything is already backed up, what would be the quickest and most reliable way to accomplish this?

Click to expand...

Make image backup to secondary SSD of OS drive plus hidden partitions ueing Macrium Reflect or similar

Boot from a image backup tool winpe environment to wipe primary SSD.

Restore image backup to primary drive using image backup tool usb drive

cereberus said:

Make image backup to secondary SSD of OS drive plus hidden partitions ueing Macrium Reflect or similar

Boot from a image backup tool winpe environment to wipe primary SSD.

Restore image backup to primary drive using image backup tool usb drive

Click to expand...

I assume you are using vhdx files -- so why not this :

1) boot any recent Windows install media, choose repair system-->command mode
2) copy vhdx files to alternate device
3) delete / clean the device you want to wipe
4) copy back the copied files to the target disk
5) reboot

(Macrium does work from PE mode too - even the old Free one - but could have issues with bitlocker etc etc).

If for any reason the boot fails - reboot the Windows media again repair system -> command mode and then simply re-create the boot files via bcdboot.exe
i.e if target disk is W and the UEFI partition is S

cd W:\windows\system32
w:
bcdboot w:\windows / s: S /f UEFI

Cheers
jimbo