Dell Snapdragon Laptop Erasure (Blancco LUN)¶
Complete procedure for data erasure on Dell laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon processors using Blancco LUN Windows Edition via Windows Recovery Environment.
Overview¶
Dell laptops with Snapdragon processors (ARM-based) require a special erasure procedure because: - Standard Blancco boot media doesn't support ARM architecture - Erasure must be performed from within Windows Recovery Environment - Blancco LUN Windows Edition is used via command line
Windows Required
A Windows installation must exist on the laptop to perform this erasure. If Windows is not installed, you'll need to install it first.
Prerequisites¶
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Blancco USB | USB drive with Blancco LUN Windows Edition files |
| Windows Installation | Windows must be installed on the laptop |
| USB Contents | blanccolunerasure.exe, Erasure_Custom_Settings.reg |
| Blancco Portal Access | For uploading erasure reports |
Blancco USB Contents¶
The USB drive should contain:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
blanccolunerasure.exe |
Blancco LUN erasure executable |
Erasure_Custom_Settings.reg |
Registry file for custom fields |
Reports/ folder |
Created automatically for XML reports |
Part 1: Access Windows Recovery Environment¶
Method A: From Sign-In Screen¶
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power on laptop to the sign-in screen |
| 2 | Hold Shift key |
| 3 | While holding Shift, click the Power icon (bottom right) |
| 4 | Click Restart |
| 5 | Release Shift when you see "Please wait" |
Method B: From OOBE Screen¶
If the laptop is at the Out-of-Box Experience (setup) screen:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power off the laptop completely |
| 2 | Hold Shift key |
| 3 | While holding Shift, press Power to turn on |
| 4 | Wait for blue screen with digital clock |
| 5 | Press Enter |
| 6 | You'll see the "defaultuser0" screen |
| 7 | Hold Shift again |
| 8 | Click Power → Restart |
| 9 | Release when "Please wait" appears |
Part 2: Navigate to Command Prompt¶
From the Windows Recovery Environment:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Click Troubleshoot |
| 2 | Click Advanced options |
| 3 | Click Command Prompt |
Navigation Path
Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt
Part 3: Prepare the USB Drive¶
Insert USB Drive¶
Insert the Blancco erasure USB drive into a USB port.
Identify Drive Letter¶
The USB drive is typically assigned E:, but verify:
diskpart
list vol
exit
Look for your USB drive in the volume list and note its drive letter.
Navigate to USB¶
E:
Replace E: with your actual drive letter if different.
Part 4: Import Registry Settings¶
Drive Letter Must Match
The Erasure_Custom_Settings.reg file contains the drive letter for report storage. If your USB is not E:, edit the registry file first.
Edit Registry File (If Needed)¶
If your drive letter differs from E::
- Open
Erasure_Custom_Settings.regin a text editor - Find and replace all instances of
E:with your drive letter - Save the file
Import Registry Settings¶
regedit
In the Registry Editor:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Click File → Import |
| 2 | Browse to Erasure_Custom_Settings.reg |
| 3 | Click Open |
| 4 | Wait for "Successfully imported" message |
| 5 | Close Registry Editor |
This sets: - Report storage location - Custom field prompts
Part 5: Run Blancco Erasure¶
Execute Erasure Command¶
blanccolunerasure.exe /multishred 0 0
Parameters:
| Parameter | Meaning |
|---|---|
/multishred |
Erasure method flag |
First 0 |
Disk number (0 = first disk) |
Second 0 |
Erasure type (0 = standard) |
Enter Custom Fields¶
When prompted, enter the following information:
| Prompt | Action |
|---|---|
| Customer Name | Enter customer/organization name |
| Erasure Provider | Pre-filled - press Enter |
| Erasure Technician | Enter your name/ID |
| RON Number | Enter RON/work order number |
| Asset Number | Enter asset tag number |
Monitor Progress¶
The erasure process will display: - Current erasure pass - Percentage complete - Estimated time remaining
Erasure Time
Erasure time depends on disk size and type. SSDs typically complete faster than HDDs.
Part 6: Verify Completion¶
Success Message¶
When complete, you'll see:
Target specified for erasure has completed with "0"
All targets are done.
Report Location¶
The XML report is saved to the Reports/ folder on the USB drive.
Part 7: Upload Report to Blancco Portal¶
Access Management Console¶
- Log into the Blancco Management Console
- Navigate to Reports
Upload XML File¶
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Click Upload or Import |
| 2 | Browse to USB drive |
| 3 | Navigate to Reports/ folder |
| 4 | Select the XML report file |
| 5 | Click Upload |
Validate and Import¶
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wait for validation to complete |
| 2 | Click Import to add to records |
| 3 | Verify report appears in the report list |
Erasure Types Reference¶
| Type Code | Method | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Standard | Default multi-pass overwrite |
| 1 | DoD Short | DoD 5220.22-M (3-pass) |
| 2 | DoD ECE | DoD 5220.22-M ECE (7-pass) |
| 3 | NIST Clear | NIST 800-88 Clear |
| 4 | NIST Purge | NIST 800-88 Purge |
Troubleshooting¶
Cannot Access Recovery Environment¶
- Ensure Windows is installed on the device
- Try both Method A and Method B
- Check if device needs charging (plug in AC adapter)
USB Drive Not Detected¶
- Try a different USB port
- Format USB as FAT32 (not NTFS or exFAT)
- Some Snapdragon devices only support USB-C ports
Wrong Drive Letter in Registry¶
- Re-import the registry file with correct drive letter
- Verify USB drive letter with
diskpart→list vol
Erasure Fails to Start¶
- Verify
blanccolunerasure.exeis on the USB - Check file permissions
- Try running command from USB root directory
Report Not Generated¶
- Check USB has write access
- Verify
Reports/folder exists - Check available space on USB
Blancco Portal Import Fails¶
- Ensure XML file is complete (not truncated)
- Check portal connectivity
- Verify portal credentials
Command Reference¶
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
diskpart |
Windows disk management utility |
list vol |
List all volumes and drive letters |
exit |
Exit diskpart |
regedit |
Windows Registry Editor |
E: |
Switch to E: drive |
blanccolunerasure.exe /multishred 0 0 |
Run Blancco erasure |
Post-Erasure State¶
After successful erasure:
| Condition | Status |
|---|---|
| Boot files | Erased (reinstall required) |
| OS partition | Wiped |
| User data | Destroyed |
| UEFI/BIOS | Preserved |
| TPM | May need clearing separately |
Reinstallation Required
After Blancco erasure, the laptop will require a fresh Windows installation. Boot files are erased as part of the process.
Process Verification Checklist¶
| Task | Verified | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Recovery Environment accessed | ☐ | |
| USB drive detected and mounted | ☐ | |
| Registry settings imported | ☐ | |
| Custom fields entered correctly | ☐ | |
| Erasure completed successfully | ☐ | |
| XML report generated | ☐ | |
| Report uploaded to Blancco portal | ☐ | |
| Report imported and validated | ☐ |