[News] Microsoft Entering Agreements with Laptop Makers to Block Linux

[StyM]

https://www.techpowerup.com/226069/m...to-block-linux

Digital freedom activists are up in arms over a discovery by Lenovo Yoga 900S and Yoga 710S users that you simply can't replace the pre-installed Windows 10 Signature Edition operating system with one of your choice, such as Linux. Redditor BaronHK tried installing Linux on their notebooks and couldn't, so a support ticket was raised with Lenovo to guide them to install Linux. Lenovo responded that the notebook features Windows 10 Signature Edition, and that "it has been locked as per Lenovo's agreement with Microsoft."

On the Yoga 900S and 710S, Lenovo deployed a proprietary soft-RAID setup that cannot be recognized by Linux installers. You can't even change the SATA controller mode in the BIOS setup program. Even Windows installations don't succeed without special F6_install drivers by Lenovo, and the company only provides drivers for Windows. Lenovo cannot argue that its hardware specifically requires Windows, because Live images of Linux, (such as Ubuntu) function just fine on these notebooks. It's just that you can't make your Live session permanent by installing Ubuntu on the device. Lenovo has since gone into full damage control and denial. It removed the thread from its support forums (view a cached copy), and even changed its explanation from "we blatantly admitted to anti-competitive practices that could cost us a billion-dollar class-action lawsuit" to "we simply don't have drivers for our deliberately unusual RAID setup."

[AliG]

I don't understand how this actually benefits Microsoft. Like if someone pays for a Windows license, then chooses to use Linux as well, I really don't see how MS loses money?

[Sparky]

Who knows

[alfaunits]

There is something called a "Windows tax", and people have the right to ask for the price of a Windows OEM copy be credited to them, if they don't want to use a Windoes OS that comes with the machine.

[Sparky]

I doubt someone would get 100 bucks because it doesn't cost anywhere near that for OEMs like HP, Lenovo, etc for each license.

I've also never heard of such a thing.

[StAndrew]

Window's market / store / advertising. More people using windows the more they can leverage developers to invest apps, money, advertising, etc...

Still doesn't make much sense. As most poor decisions, I'm sure this one will be packaged as a mistake and Linux support will be "offered" in the near future.

[Sparky]

Chalk it up to yet another Lenovo stupid moment?

Sometimes I like their stuff (laptops etc) but man, some of the decisions they've made over the past few years (Superfish, Omniture, makes me wonder who's running that show.

That said, if it is a Microsoft thing (even partially), if you're buying a computer to put Linux onto, why would you buy one that is a "Microsoft Signature Edition"? That's all nice if you want a bloatware-free PC running Windows, but if you're gonna load Linux anyway who cares about the bloat, get a non-MS Signature PC. Isn't that more logical?

[Evantaur]

are they trying to sell these in EU? if so they might have a nice lawsuit waiting for them

[zanzabar]

this had already been cleared up. MS requires the boot loader be locked from the factory with secure boot, but secure boot devices are mandated to come with a way to easily disable it. that is what the lenovo person was talking about and you could disable secure boot easily with that laptop.

the problem with the laptop is that they do not have an optical drive and they use samsung TLC. since they are using a samsung TLC drive they opted for a intel single disk raid array with ram cache. that is not currently compatible with the linux open source drivers and since they did not include any other sata device on that platform they did not put the chipset mode switch in the bios menu so it could not be set to AHCI as that would break the stock config. with the other coverage on this you could put a new drive in and it would run AHCI, you also could not use the stock drive with windows without a custom driver since lenovo put this out before it is publicly supported.

[drmrlordx]

Makes me glad I don't buy laptops. Ugh.