Microsoft Entering Agreements with Laptop Makers to Block Linux

[btarunr]

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."



View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[NutZInTheHead]

Micro$h!t at it again.
I so much like Vulkan to really take off fast so I don't have to deal with Microsoft products.
I am a PC gamer and currently the only reason I put up with Microsoft is because there is no other option for me.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

any idiot that buys Lenovo deserves have their identity sold and abused. Ya'd think Lenovo wouldnt pull BS like this since the Superfish scandal.

the DOJ should be investing Lenovo for shady practices. But, I'd also be happy if they get sue'd for this.

#boycottLenovo

 

[FR@NK]

Meh

Wont be long til someone releases a modded BIOS.

 

[Melvis]

Lenovo! how could you do such a thing? you had so much great support in the past, my x131e runs on Linux, XP, Vista, 7, 8,8.1 and 10, what happened? oooh a big wad of cash came your way from Microshaft? Disappointing!

 

[KainXS]

Any manufacturer that agrees to something like this are just out of their minds. I personally don't buy Lenovo's trash anyway because of hardware issues and update issues they have but thats just me(still get stuck with it at work though).

 

[64K]

Amazing the crap that some companies pull.

 

[OneMoar]

oi @btarunr
there is no 'agreement' what is going on here is that lenvo is using RAID with some of there NVME controllers
and for whatever bassackwards reason removing AHCI support from the bios
the issue is linux doesn't have drivers for said NVME ssd

there is nothing going on here other then Lenvo being stupid

think about it if microsoft wanted to prevent linux installs why would they do it buy telling lenvo hey use THIS brand new raid controller coupled WITH this NVME drive to prevent Linux from being installed

WHAT sense that makes none

what this is is a bunch of wanna be linux users pointing the figure at Microsoft when the issue is with the linux kernel not supporting the hardware

the register of all places clarifys
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/09/21/lenovo_denies_plot_with_microsoft_to_block_linux_installs/
there is also entries on various Linux-Distro wikis telling users the same thing that linux doesn't support those controllers in raid mode

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Lenovo_IdeaPad_Yoga_900

 

[HTC]

Do these products get sold in Europe? Why don't we show the relevant people in the EU so that they can fine the sh!t out of both Lenovo and, most especially, Micro$oft?

Give them a big enough fine to discourage ANY others to even attempt this again!

 

[OneMoar]

Do these products get sold in Europe? Why don't we show the relevant people in the EU so that they can fine the sh!t out of both Lenovo and, most especially, Micro$oft?

Give them a big enough fine to discourage ANY others to even attempt this again!

READ my post there is nothing going on here other then Lenovo being retarded
this thread stops here I am tired of seeing this story today

 

[64K]

oi @btarunr
there is no 'agreement' what is going on here is that lenvo is using RAID with some of there NVME controllers
and for whatever bassackwards reason removing AHCI support from the bios
the issue is linux doesn't have drivers for said NVME ssd

there is nothing going on here other then Lenvo being stupid

Then what is meant by the Lenovo reply in the OP screenshot?

 

[OneMoar]

Then what is meant by the Lenovo reply in the OP screenshot?

rep doesn't know what hes talking about or is lying
given the level of education the reps on that board had neither would surprise me

hes just a forum rep he in no way speaks for either company and I suspect he was caught off guard and didn't know how to reply so he just made up some bullshit the mods the operate out of china and we all know how that ends these are the same so called 'reps' that threatened to ban people over speaking out against the company
the kernel doesn't support the driver and anybody thats been any-ware near UEFI security would tell you that removing ACHI support is probably the stupidest way to restrict a os install ever

 

[HTC]

Then what is meant by the Lenovo reply in the OP screenshot?

Wondering that myself.

 

[OneMoar]

Wondering that myself.

I am assuming its just stupid script-reading support agent being stupid or really bad translation
'agreement` could refer to them being told to use the RAID driver path because it radically improves performance on NVME systems which doesn't excuse lenvo completely removing AHCI from the bios

 

[HTC]

I am assuming its just stupid script-reading support agent being stupid

As they say: "assumption is the mother of all f**kups".

@ the very least, this suggests foul play and SHOULD be looked into.

 

[OneMoar]

As they say: "assumption is the mother of all f**kups".

@ the very least, this suggests foul play and SHOULD be looked into.

where does it suggest fowl play

explain it if Microsoft wanted to block linux installs all they would need todo is tell lenvo to revoke the public GRUB UEFI keys AND The key self-install option which is a whole hell of a lot harder to get around then simply not supporting ACHI mode

again anybody that remotely understand the subject here will tell you that disabling ACHI is in no plausible way related to blocking linux its just a stupid decision made by lenvos historically inept firmware team

 

[Prima.Vera]

any idiot that buys Lenovo deserves have their identity sold and abused. Ya'd think Lenovo wouldnt pull BS like this since the Superfish scandal.

the DOJ should be investing Lenovo for shady practices. But, I'd also be happy if they get sue'd for this.

#boycottLenovo

I always associate Lenovo with cheap, crappy and slow laptops that comes with a ton of blotware installed.
Like those laptops you can buy for cheap in Akihabara or some shady shops in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong....

 

[Tom.699]

I always associate Lenovo with cheap, crappy and slow laptops that comes with a ton of blotware installed.
Like those laptops you can buy for cheap in Akihabara or some shady shops in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong....

Apparently you've never seen W540, I will not replace mine for anything any time soon

 

[TRWOV]

I always associate Lenovo with cheap, crappy and slow laptops that comes with a ton of blotware installed.
Like those laptops you can buy for cheap in Akihabara or some shady shops in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong....

Can't vouch for every model out there but my L412 has been going strong for 5 years now and it's built like a tank.

Also, I concur with onemoar. The rep probably didn't know exactly why Linux couldn't be installed on the laptop (no support for NVMe RAID) so he said that it was because of the Windows Signature edition being exclusive to that laptop.

 

[Readlight]

Same is with windows 8.1 bink its not free when recovery partipartition and usb disk die only bootable media from manufacturer will work its not dowloadable you haw to give your info and euro to ship it. Toshiba, Lenovo, LG, Sony Pioneer Microsoft suks newer by ther produts...

 

[OneMoar]

Same is with windows 8.1 bink its not free when recovery partipartition and usb disk die only bootable media from manufacturer will work its not dowloadable you haw to give your info and euro to ship it. Toshiba, Lenovo, LG, Sony Pioneer Microsoft suks newer by ther produts...

what

 

[OneMoar]

my post count and time here says you would be wrong
but hey I only been here 6 years what do I know

 

[Nordic]

Last laptop I bought new was a lenovo. I was looking for either a lenovo or toshiba because I read they had the lowest hardware failure rates after 3 years. Lowest as in 1/6 died in 3 years, while 1/4 hp and dell died in 3 years.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Last laptop I bought new was a lenovo. I was looking for either a lenovo or toshiba because I read they had the lowest hardware failure rates after 3 years. Lowest as in 1/6 died in 3 years, while 1/4 hp and dell died in 3 years.

There's big difference between ones made in China, and the ones made in U.S.

 

[Octopuss]

I always associate Lenovo with cheap, crappy and slow laptops that comes with a ton of blotware installed.

Funny, that's the definition of HP in my book Wait, minus the cheap part.