Chromebook Blancco Drive Eraser Procedure¶

Complete procedure for processing Chromebooks using Blancco Drive Eraser (BDE), including Developer Mode setup, VT-2 shell connection, erasure, and diagnostics.

Overview¶

This guide covers using Blancco Drive Eraser to securely erase Chromebooks, including: - Checking enterprise enrollment status - Enabling Developer Mode - Connecting Chromebook to BDE via VT-2 shell - Running erasure and diagnostics - Uploading reports to BDE

Enterprise Enrollment Check

Before processing, verify the Chromebook is not enterprise locked. Locked devices cannot be processed without administrator deprovisioning.

Prerequisites¶

Item	Details
BDE Laptop	Blancco Drive Eraser system connected to network
Network	Ghost network or dedicated erasure network
Chromebook Support	Manufactured 2015 or later (ARM or Intel)
Google Account	`hamiltonrentals421` / `qwertyasd`
External Keyboard	Required for keyboardless Chromebooks (tablets)

Supported Devices¶

Device Type	Support Status
Chromebooks (2015+)	Fully supported
Chromebooks (pre-2015)	Not officially supported
Chromeboxes	Supported
ARM-based Chromebooks	Supported
Intel-based Chromebooks	Supported
Rooted Chromebooks	Detected as normal

Part 1: BDE System Setup¶

Boot BDE Laptop¶

Step	Action
1	Connect BDE laptop to network (Ghost network)
2	Boot from network
3	Select BDE for Chromebook
4	Wait for BDE to fully load

Configure BDE Interface¶

Step	Action
1	Uncheck internal disk from selected devices (if required)
2	Select Chromebooks only from dropdown filter
3	Note the BDE IP address (bottom left corner, e.g., `192.168.21.30`)

Record the IP

You will need the BDE IP address later to connect the Chromebook. Write it down or take a photo.

Part 2: Check Enterprise Enrollment¶

Before processing, verify the Chromebook is not enterprise enrolled.

Enrollment Test¶

Step	Action
1	Power on Chromebook
2	Go through Get Started process
3	Connect to WiFi when prompted
4	Check for enrollment message

Result	Status
Setup completes normally	OK - proceed
"This device is managed by [Organization]"	STOP - device is enrolled

Enrolled Devices

If the device shows enterprise enrollment, do not proceed. The customer must deprovision the device from their Google Admin Console first.

Part 3: Enable Developer Mode¶

Developer Mode is required to access the terminal and connect to BDE.

Method A: Standard Chromebook (Laptop)¶

Step	Action
1	Press `Esc`+`Browser Refresh`+`Power` simultaneously
2	Release when "Recovery" screen appears
3	Press `Ctrl`+`D` when asked to insert recovery media
4	Message appears: "You are attempting to enable Developer Mode"
5	Press Confirm to continue
6	Wait for Developer Mode preparation (several minutes)
7	When prompted, boot from internal disk

Refresh Key

The Refresh key is the circular arrow (usually where F3 would be on a standard keyboard).

Method B: Chromebox¶

Step	Action
1	Locate recovery button (small hole at rear)
2	Hold recovery button while powering on
3	Follow on-screen prompts for Developer Mode

Method C: Keyboardless Chromebook (Tablet)¶

Step	Action
1	Press `Power`+`Volume Up`+`Volume Down` and hold for 10 seconds
2	Enter Recovery mode
3	Navigate menus with Volume Up/Down keys
4	Select items with Power button
5	Press `Volume Up`+`Volume Down` simultaneously for Developer Mode

External Keyboard Required

Keyboardless Chromebooks require an external keyboard for terminal commands.

Part 4: Initial Chromebook Setup¶

After Developer Mode is enabled:

Step	Action
1	Complete initial setup wizard
2	Connect to network (same network as BDE)
3	Sign in with: `hamiltonrentals421` / `qwertyasd`
4	Use Google account password, not a device password

Part 5: Connect to BDE (VT-2 Shell Method)¶

Why VT-2 Shell?

Chrome OS updates have restricted sudo commands in the crosh shell. The VT-2 shell method is now required.

Access VT-2 Shell¶

Keyboard Type	Key Combination
Chromebook keyboard	`Ctrl`+`Alt` + Right Arrow (circular arrow)
Standard keyboard	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F2`

Prompt	Response
`localhost login:`	`chronos`
Password	(none - just press Enter)

Connect to BDE¶

Before entering VT-2, note the connection details from the browser (take a photo).

Type the curl command shown in the browser:

curl 192.168.21.XX/s/XXX | bash

Replace IP and path with your actual BDE values.

If Connection Fails

Try adding http:// and port:

curl http://192.168.21.XX:80/s/XXX | sudo bash

Verify Connection¶

Indicator	Location
Blancco logo	Appears on Chromebook screen
"Connection established"	Browser tab on Chromebook
Chromebook ID (e.g., CB-3)	Top right of Chromebook screen
Chromebook appears in BDE	BDE interface on laptop

Exit VT-2 Shell¶

Keyboard Type	Key Combination
Chromebook keyboard	`Ctrl`+`Alt` + Left Arrow
Standard keyboard	`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F1`

Part 6: Run Erasure¶

Start Erasure in BDE¶

Step	Action
1	In BDE interface, locate the Chromebook (by ID, e.g., CB-3)
2	Select the Chromebook
3	Click Erase
4	Wait for erasure to complete

The Chromebook will display: - "Device Erased" - "Starting Hardware Tests"

Part 7: Run Diagnostics¶

Access Diagnostics¶

Step	Action
1	Press `Ctrl`+`F1` to exit VT-2 shell (if still there)
2	Browser shows available tests
3	Click Start
4	Run both CPU and Memory tests
5	Wait for tests to complete
6	Click Next when finished

Review Results¶

Step	Action
1	Review diagnostic results in BDE
2	Verify tests are recorded on certificate
3	Check for any failures

Part 8: Upload Report & Reboot¶

Upload to BDE¶

Step	Action
1	Press `Ctrl`+`F1` to return to Chrome OS
2	Click Upload to BDE
3	Wait for upload confirmation

Reboot Chromebook¶

Step	Action
1	Click Reboot Now
2	Chromebook reverts to normal mode (Developer Mode disabled)
3	Device is ready for next deployment

Chrome OS Version Issues¶

Known Issue: Chrome OS v122¶

Chrome OS version 122.0.6261.137 has compatibility issues with Blancco erasure.

Workaround: Downgrade Chrome OS¶

Method A: Powerwash & Revert

Step	Action
1	Sign out of Chromebook
2	Press `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Shift`+`R`
3	If only "Powerwash" appears, release and press again
4	Look for "Powerwash & Revert" option
5	Select to downgrade to previous Chrome OS version

Method B: Create Recovery USB

Use the Chromebook Recovery Utility to create a recovery image.

Step	Action
1	Install Chromebook Recovery Utility extension
2	Launch the utility
3	Click Get started
4	Select Select a model from a list
5	Manufacturer: Google ChromeOS Flex
6	Product: ChromeOS Flex
7	Insert USB drive and create image
8	Boot Chromebook from USB to recover

Keyboard Shortcuts Reference¶

Shortcut	Function
`Esc`+`Browser Refresh`+`Power`	Enter Recovery mode
`Ctrl`+`D`	Enable Developer mode (in recovery)
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`T`	Open crosh shell
`Ctrl`+`Alt` + Right Arrow	Enter VT-2 shell (Chromebook)
`Ctrl`+`Alt` + Left Arrow	Exit VT-2 shell (Chromebook)
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F2`	Enter VT-2 shell (standard keyboard)
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F1`	Exit VT-2 shell (standard keyboard)
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`Shift`+`R`	Powerwash options

Troubleshooting¶

Chromebook Not Appearing in BDE¶

Verify both devices on same network
Check BDE IP address is correct
Ensure Developer Mode is enabled
Try the VT-2 shell method instead of crosh

Connection Command Fails¶

Verify curl command syntax is exact
Try adding http:// prefix
Try adding :80 port
Check network connectivity

Sudo Commands Not Working¶

Chrome OS has restricted sudo in crosh
Use VT-2 shell method instead
Login as chronos (no password)

Diagnostics Not Starting¶

Exit VT-2 shell first (Ctrl+Alt+F1)
Refresh the browser tab
Ensure erasure completed successfully

Device Stuck After Erasure¶

Some drives may become unusable after firmware-based erasure
Known issue with certain SanDisk drives on older models
Try standard erasure instead of firmware-based

Process Verification Checklist¶

Task	Verified	Date
Enterprise enrollment checked	☐
Developer Mode enabled	☐
Connected to BDE via VT-2	☐
Erasure completed	☐
CPU test passed	☐
Memory test passed	☐
Report uploaded to BDE	☐
Device rebooted to normal mode	☐