How To Erase External SSD Not Showing In Disk Utility

[Viridian5]

I have an external SSD from SanDisk that I'm returning via RMA. In short, my issue is that I used SanDisk software to encrypt the drive with a password but ever since updating to Sonoma (M2 MBA 13", Sonoma 14.1.1) the SanDisk software does not prompt me to enter a password.

How do I erase this external SSD so I can safely return it for a replacement? Only the internal drive shows up when I run "diskutil list" in Terminal. Same in the Disk Utility app. System Information recognizes the drive under the USB settings so I know the Mac sees it, but I can't erase/reformat from System Info.

I need help! If anybody has ideas I would love to hear them.

Also - I tried downloading SanDisk software onto a PC and doing it that way, and long story short, I hit all the same roadblocks that I hit on my Mac. No way to erase via cmd prompt, it sees the drive but can't read its data so it says there's nothing to delete.

 

[cleanton]

Restart in the safe mode and connect to your laptop and erase it.

 

[InvertedGoldfish]

Shoot it

It’s the only way to be sure

 

[Viridian5]

Restart in the safe mode and connect to your laptop and erase it.

It doesn’t show up in safe mode either

 

[Fishrrman]

That's what happens when you use "3rd party" encryption options.
The results can be... well... "unpredictable"...

 

[DeltaMac]

Go to your Disk Utility.
Plug in your SanDisk drive.
Make sure that your Disk Utility is set to "Show All Devices". That's in the View menu.
Do you see any items in the list on the left that shows anything "SanDisk"?
If nothing shows there for your SanDisk device - and you already said that nothing about that drive appears in your terminal when you run the diskutil list command, there's nothing else you can do - the drive is basically dead, and apparently inaccessible.
Before RMA-ing the drive, be sure to try the drive with a different Mac - one where you have not previously used this drive, just as a last check.
If you can't get at the files, and can't erase the drive, keep in mind that when SSD's fail, it often can be a catastrophic failure (often without warning, and no opportunity for recovery)

 

[Viridian5]

Go to your Disk Utility.
Plug in your SanDisk drive.
Make sure that your Disk Utility is set to "Show All Devices". That's in the View menu.
Do you see any items in the list on the left that shows anything "SanDisk"?
If nothing shows there for your SanDisk device - and you already said that nothing about that drive appears in your terminal when you run the diskutil list command, there's nothing else you can do - the drive is basically dead, and apparently inaccessible.
Before RMA-ing the drive, be sure to try the drive with a different Mac - one where you have not previously used this drive, just as a last check.
If you can't get at the files, and can't erase the drive, keep in mind that when SSD's fail, it often can be a catastrophic failure (often without warning, and no opportunity for recovery)

Nothing shows there either. I’ll dust off an old mbp and see what that does but otherwise I think you’re right and she’s a goner. SanDisk is not doing so hot this year… thanks for the assistance

 

[Viridian5]

That's what happens when you use "3rd party" encryption options.
The results can be... well... "unpredictable"...

For real. Lesson learned…