SanDisk® SSD Dashboard User Manual
Accessing Online Support Visit our product support website at kb.sandisk.com and choose from these topics: ▪ Downloads — Download software and updates for your SanDisk product ▪ Registration — Register your SanDisk product to get the latest updates and special offers.
Table of Contents _________ Accessing Online Support........................................................................................... ii _________ 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Minimum System Requirements.................................................................................................1 Supported Operating Systems...................................................................
Erase Drive......................................................................................................................................... 17 Bootable USB Drive for Erase Drive...................................................................................... 17 PSID Revert........................................................................................................................................ 18 S.M.A.R.T............................................................................
Introduction 1 Introduction This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Minimum System Requirements ▪ Installation ▪ Supported Operating Systems ▪ Usage ▪ Supported Languages Minimum System Requirements The SanDisk SSD Dashboard is a Microsoft Windows application. Administrative rights are required for installation and execution of the application. Supported Operating Systems ▪ Windows 10 (32/64 bit) ▪ Windows 8.
Introduction 1. Double-click on the SanDiskSSDDashboardSetup.exe file icon to launch the installation. Note: To cancel the installation, click on the X in the upper-right corner of the dialog box. 2. When the installation is complete, click Finish. The SanDisk SSD Dashboard launches and populates the Status section. When the installation has completed successfully, click on the Finish button. This will automatically launch the SanDisk SSD Dashboard and load the Status section.
Introduction If a SanDisk SSD is connected to the system after Dashboard is launched, the Dashboard will automatically scan the system. It will add the drive as the current model if this is the only SanDisk drive in the system, or add it to the list of drives in the Select Drive drop-down. If, for some reason, you do not see the drive, click the Refresh icon in the upper right corner of the screen to rescan the system for SanDisk SSDs.
Status 2 Status This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Status Section ▪ Life Remaining ▪ Capacity ▪ Temperature ▪ Volumes ▪ Interface Speed Status Section The Status section displays the overall state and health of the selected drive. Note: To select an SSD drive, click the Select drive drop-down menu. The following information is listed at the top of the Status screen: ▪ Model - The product model name of the selected SanDisk SSD.
Status ◦ If the security protocol is active, the name of the active security protocol displays, for example, “Activated, TCG Opal 2.0/eDrive”. Capacity As used for storage capacity on our packaging and device label, one gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes and one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes.
Status Capability speed, the following message appears in red: For best performance, connect your SSD to a 6.0 Gb/s-capable port.
Performance 3 Performance This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Performance Chart ▪ Transfer IOPS ▪ Transfer Speed MB/s ▪ TRIM Performance Chart The Performance chart provides two different real time performance metrics: transfer speed MB/s (megabytes per second) and transfer IOPS (I/O operation count per second). The chart scrolls from right to left and shows moving, 5-minute time line increments on the horizontal axis.
Performance TRIM (This feature will be displayed if the operating system supports it.) The TRIM function frees up space on the SSD that was used by files that have been deleted. Note: SanDisk recommends that TRIM be run on a weekly basis. ▪ Click the Enable Windows TRIM checkbox to automatically run TRIM. ▪ Select Weekly, for the frequency, if available. ▪ Click Run TRIM Now to manually run TRIM.
Tools 4 Tools This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Firmware Update ▪ Check for Updates ▪ Update Using Bootable USB Drive ▪ Update Using File on My Computer ▪ Erase Drive—Secure Erase ▪ Delete User Data with Secure Erase ▪ Create a Bootable USB Drive for Secure Erase ▪ PSID Revert ▪ S.M.A.R.T.
Tools After the firmware has been downloaded to the SSD, a full-system shutdown is required to complete the firmware update process for SATA SSDs. This is typically done by shutting the computer down, and then turning it back on. A dialog box appears that provides the option to shut the computer down now, or later. Check for Updates Click Check for Updates to manually check if a firmware update is available for the selected drive.
Tools If a firmware update is found, the status message will change to “There is new firmware available for this drive,” and the update options will be displayed. Update Using Bootable USB Drive Note: The USB device must be formatted in order for the Dashboard to recognize it. During USB creation, it will automatically be reformatted to FAT32. All data will be permanently erased from the USB device.
Tools 1. Insert a formatted USB drive. If the USB drive is added to the system after the Dashboard is launched, it won't be recognized automatically. Click the refresh icon next to the "No USB Drive Found" drop-down. 2. Before proceeding, backup any existing data on the USB drive. 3. Click the drop-down list to select the USB drive. Note: If the USB drive is not listed, click the Refresh icon next to the drop-down list to scan for the USB drive. 4. Click Create USB Drive.
Tools A confirmation dialog box appears. Erase Drive—Secure Erase Secure Erase permanently destroys all user data on the selected SSD. Note: Secure Erase deletes the mapping table on the selected SSD, but it does not erase all blocks that have been written to. This makes Secure Erase a faster “erase” option than the Sanitize function (also see Sanitize). Secure Erase can only be performed on an SSD that is not the boot drive.
Tools Delete User Data with Secure Erase Note: 1. Ensure that the correct SSD is selected on a system with more than one SSD. The Secure Erase function permanently destroys all user data on the selected SSD. In the blue section at the top of the Dashboard, click the Select drive dropdown menu to select the SSD on which all user data will be permanently deleted. Note: If the SSD to be deleted is not listed, click the Refresh icon next to the Select drive drop-down menu to scan for the SSD.
Tools 4. Click Create USB Drive. Sanitize Sanitize permanently destroys all user data on the SSD. Note: Sanitize deletes the mapping table and erases all blocks that have been written to on the selected SSD. This makes Sanitize a slower “erase” option than the Secure Erase function (also see Secure Erase). Sanitize can only be performed on an SSD that is not the boot drive. However, if the SSD is the boot drive, the Sanitize function can be performed from a formatted USB.
Tools 2. Click Erase Now next to Sanitize to delete all user data and leave the drive in an unformatted state. Create a Bootable USB Drive with Sanitize 1. Insert a formatted USB drive. 2. Before proceeding, backup any existing data on the USB drive. 3. Click the drop-down list to select the USB drive. Note: SanDisk SSD Dashboard User Manual If the USB drive is not listed, click the Refresh icon next to the drop-down list to scan for the USB drive.
Tools 4. Click Create USB Drive. Erase Drive Erase Drive permanently destroys all user data on the selected SSD. Note: Erase Drive deletes the mapping table on the selected SSD, but it does not erase all blocks that have been written to. Bootable USB Drive for Erase Drive Note: 1. The USB drive must be formatted as a FAT or FAT32 file system. Insert a formatted USB drive.
Tools 2. Before proceeding, backup any existing data on the USB drive. 3. Click the drop-down list to select the USB drive. Note: If the USB drive is not listed, click the Refresh icon next to the drop-down list to scan for the USB drive. 4. Click Create USB Drive. PSID Revert PSID (Physical Security ID) is a unique 32-character alphanumeric identifier for SanDisk security-capable SSDs, which is required to restore the drive to a clean state.
Tools If the SSD is the boot drive, you may create a bootable USB drive with PSID Revert tool on it. The bootable USB drive can also be used as portable tool to erase SSDs on multiple systems. Click on the Select USB Drive dropdown to choose the desired USB drive and then click Create USB Drive. If it is not listed, click the Refresh icon next to the dropdown menu to scan for the USB drive. It is recommended to backup any existing data on the USB drive before proceeding. S.M.A.R.T. S.M.A.R.T.
Tools Diagnostic Short Test The S.M.A.R.T. Diagnostic Short Test runs automatically run every time the SanDisk SSD Dashboard application is launched. It is a quick, drive health test as defined by the S.M.A.R.T. specification. Diagnostic Extended Test The S.M.A.R.T. Diagnostic Extended Test is an extended drive health test as defined by the S.M.A.R.T. specification. The SanDisk SSD Dashboard cannot be used while the test is running. However, you can cancel the test at any time.
Tools If the test is unsuccessful, click the provided link to go to the test details. Drive Details Drive Details displays the following information for the selected drive: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Model Name Model String NVMe Revision / SATA Revision NVMe Link Speed / SATA Link Speed Serial Number Maximum LBA World Wide Name (a unique identifier used for storage technologies) 4K Alignment For additional information, click Show Advanced Details.
Tools System Details System Details displays information about the operating system, computer hardware, and ATA controller(s) used in the system on which SanDisk SSD Dashboard is installed.
Settings 5 Settings This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Application Update ▪ Starting SanDisk SSD Dashboard with Windows Startup ▪ Select Language Application Update If a newer version of the application is available, a message will be displayed in the Notifications area. Clicking on the New Application Available link will take you to the Settings section, which will display the number of the new version available. Click on Update SanDisk SSD Dashboard to initiate the update.
Settings Starting SanDisk SSD Dashboard with Windows Startup To launch the SanDisk SSD Dashboard at Windows startup, check Start SSD Dashboard with Windows startup. To open the SanDisk SSD Dashboard in Windows’ system tray on the taskbar, check Start minimized. Select Language Click the Select Language drop-down menu to select the display language of the SanDisk SSD Dashboard.
Settings SanDisk SSD Dashboard User Manual 25
Help 6 Help This chapter contains the following sections. ▪ Online Support ▪ Generate Report ▪ About SanDisk SSD Dashboard Online Support The Online Support section contains links to the SanDisk Support website, where you’ll find product-specific information and user guides, a searchable Knowledge Base, and the SanDisk Community forum.
Help About SanDisk SSD Dashboard The About SSD Dashboard section contains the current version number of the SanDisk SSD Dashboard software, as well as links to the End User License Agreement (EULA), Third Party Notices, and the SanDisk Privacy Statement.
SanDisk and the SanDisk logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks that may be mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. As used for storage capacity, one gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes and one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes.
