Reformatting the SSD on 2010 MacBook Air

[Desmo1098]

So I have been playing around with my 2010 MacBook Air 2.13 GHz, 4 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD. I have been putting it through its paces installing VMWare, CS5, etc... I also been watching videos, etc... Now I want to perform a clean install of OS X. Since OS X does not yet support TRIM what is the best way to optimize a reinstall without filling up the SSD?

I remember when I spoke to Intel about the Intel SSD in my Mac Pro they said a Zero Out is O.K. and this will return the drive to factory conditions. Wether or not that is true, I do not know. I can tell you that when I did a Zero Out on my Intel 160 GB SSD G2 in my Mac Pro the drive was just as fast as the day I first used it.

Therefore, will a Zero Out in Disk Utility work? I know from previous forums that it is not an ideal situation because you are filling up unused cells with 0's. If not, will just a deletion of the existing partition and re-creation of a new partition with a re-install suffice?

I really do not want to jump through hoops of using a Windows 7 boot to get access to TRIM, not do I want to boot off a USB with a string of UNIX commands to re-initilaize it. So what do you guys think?

Thanks,
Desmo

 

[pwolfe]

boot with a gparted live iso and perform a "secure erase" from the command line just to be sure.

 

[aussie.damo]

I zero'd mine out when I got it, no problems that I can tell. Amazingly fast. I used Disk Utility.

Damo

 

[silverblack]

I reinstalled OS X two times WITHOUT doing anything special (just erase and install). On daily use, I don't notice any difference.

If you tell me how I can test and detect a problem, I'll be glad to report back the results. If there's no easy way to detect such problem, why should be even bother?

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/apple/2010/07/01/mac-ssd-performance-trim-in-osx/7