Applies to: All editions
What to expect
After confirmation, the computer restarts into the Privileged Execution Environment. The interface displays job validation, device resolution, stage progress, per-device messages, and final results.
Do not power off the computer, disconnect a selected device, change controller configuration, or attach replacement storage while the job is running.
Validation and target resolution
Before erasure, the environment validates the signed job and matches each requested target against the available physical devices. A mismatch, missing device, duplicate disk index, invalid method, expired job, or protected boot disk stops the affected operation.
This validation is designed to prevent a stale or altered job from being executed against a different device arrangement.
Stage execution
For each selected device, DriveErase performs the configured stages in sequence:
- Pre-erasure SMART assessment, when enabled;
- Overwrite, firmware, or firmware-plus-fallback sanitization;
- Post-erasure health assessment, when selected and permitted.
Long-running firmware commands, complete read scans, multi-pass overwrites, and extended SMART tests can take hours. Progress can remain at one stage while the device completes an internal operation.
Errors and continuation
A failure on one device does not make another device successful or unsuccessful. Review each device separately. Depending on the operation, DriveErase can continue collecting evidence after an error or can stop the affected stage when continuation would be unsafe or meaningless.
Never treat the final presence of a completion screen as proof that every selected device was successfully sanitized.
Completion and restart
When all device workflows have finished:
- Review the displayed status for every target.
- Record or photograph the screen only when permitted by policy.
- Follow the prompt to restart the computer.
- Allow Windows to start normally.
- Open DriveErase and review the available results.
- Export the required report before clearing or replacing operational records.
Unexpected shutdown
If power is lost or the computer is restarted during sanitization, treat the affected result as incomplete. Re-scan and identify the device, assess its state, and begin a new approved operation. Do not infer completion from elapsed time or from a device appearing blank.