Windows signature edition blocking installation of Linux

[syntaxjedi]

According to Phoronix.com Microsoft has been locking down newer computers with its signature edition of Windows.  According to the article:

Quote

Ryan Farmer wrote in explaining that his Yoga 900 ISK2 UltraBook hasn't been able to see Linux installed over a proprietary RAID mode that's locked by the UEFI/BIOS of this ultrabook.

 

The issue was first reported in this thread on Reddit via /u/BaronHK.  This is not very good for a few reasons, most notably for locking people out of the hardware that they now own.  If they keep doing this it could turn people away from Linux due to how hard it'll be to install it.  By locking down their partners computers they're taking a step in Apple's direction and getting closer to an 'our computer vs their computer' situation where the computer you buy is the computer it's gonna be until you buy a new one.

[vorticalbox]

Sounds like something windows will do, watch the backlash then backtrack. They did they same with the Xbox One. Personally, I would use Linux full time and seeing as I am spending less and less time gaming on it I might do it again.

[Taswell]

I would be running Linux at work full time if I didn't have to use stupid Access so much.  

[vorticalbox]

4 minutes ago, ITheSpazI said:

I would be running Linux at work full time if I didn't have to use stupid Access so much.  

Can't use an open-source version such as open office? I might move back to Linux don't know if my other half will like me to change it again

[suicidalfranco]

embrace, extend, extinguish 

[Centurius]

17 minutes ago, vorticalbox said:

Can't use an open-source version such as open office? I might move back to Linux don't know if my other half will like me to change it again

Sadly in most professional contexts the alternatives to Office simply aren't really good. I've tried switching to open source several times but that suite is just too good.

[Bsmith]

microsoft feels the threat of linux, if it wasn't for office and game compatibility I probably would have switched.

[vorticalbox]

Just now, Centurius said:

Sadly in most professional contexts the alternatives to Office simply aren't really good. I've tried switching to open source several times but that suite is just too good.

 

Have you tried getting it to execute under wine? 

[Vode]

Lol this is never going to happen in the EU.

[suicidalfranco]

1 minute ago, Vode said:

Lol this is never going to happen in the EU.

right.

EU Commission, Assemble!

 

[2FA]

I'm more inclined to believe this is Lenovo's fault than Microsoft's. We've had boot issues with newer Lenovo desktops at work and their support is absolute trash with no level 2 support. All they do is ask the standard simple questions that usually have nothing to do with the problem like "did you press the power button?"

[syntaxjedi]

9 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

I'm more inclined to believe this is Lenovo's fault than Microsoft's. We've had boot issues with newer Lenovo desktops at work and their support is absolute trash with no level 2 support. All they do is ask the standard simple questions that usually have nothing to do with the problem like "did you press the power button?"

when the OP put their review online, outlining all the issues they had, one of the employees replied stating it was locked "per our agreement with Microsoft."  So I'm sure it's on both their heads, but mostly Microsoft pushed it.

http://imgur.com/a/niewu

[NumLock21]

What is this signature edition? Is this your typical home and pro or something else like those single language editions and those free ones with Bing?

[Centurius]

4 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

What is this signature edition? Is this your typical home and pro or something else like those single language editions and those free ones with Bing?

Basically Windows without bloatware.

[tlink]

1 hour ago, vorticalbox said:

Have you tried getting it to execute under wine? 

Microsoft would destroy wine compatability on purpose if they havent already

[NumLock21]

20 minutes ago, Centurius said:

Basically Windows without bloatware.

So those who buys a signature edition are too lazy to just do a clean install or remove whatever bloat or trial ware it comes with? They could have just grab the standard Home or Pro and it won't have this problem.

The signature is also faster than the standard, imo probably some tweaks.

[Ronda]

When you can't keep up your profits by pushing as many units as you used to, you have to squeeze the customers you have harder.

[vorticalbox]

45 minutes ago, tlink said:

Microsoft would destroy wine compatability on purpose if they havent already

older versions of office work under wine.

[Misanthrope]

This is some seriously old news: we know vendors and Microsoft could do this since UEFI was first implemented.

 

It is interesting that someone its openly doing it but actually they're not even the first ones to do so AFAIK.

[Misanthrope]

1 hour ago, suicidalfranco said:

right.

EU Commission, Assemble!

 

I am sorry, the comission you are currently trying to reach is not available at this time. They're too busy dealing with immigration issues and Brexit, please call back later.

[Nowak]

14 hours ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

I'm more inclined to believe this is Lenovo's fault than Microsoft's. We've had boot issues with newer Lenovo desktops at work and their support is absolute trash with no level 2 support. All they do is ask the standard simple questions that usually have nothing to do with the problem like "did you press the power button?"

This is a Lenovo thing. There is no other computer being sold at the MS Store that doesn't allow the installation of alternative OSes; you can install Linux on the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft's flagship computer, ffs. Apparently it's related to the custom NVMe drive in the Yoga 900, which no OS natively supports and requires a custom driver to be used, even on Windows.

 

But let's direct our anger at Microsoft because this is clearly their fault and it can't be the fault of Lenovo at all, even though it's pretty well-known that Lenovo is no stranger to this kind of fuckery on their consumer models.

[Colonel_Gerdauf]

I am left speechless at the sheer size of logical holes made in the article, OP, and posts in this thread. There are so many variables involved in the measly one case, and yet you decide to attack the big guy Microsoft. I am so proud of the intelligence of the tech enthusiasts! The 'Sheeple' and 'average idiot' belittlement certainly do not point back at them!

 

...Just disgusting!

[Delicieuxz]

Can this be solved by disabling Secure Boot in a system BIOS?

 

23 minutes ago, Colonel_Gerdauf said:

I am left speechless at the sheer size of logical holes made in the article, OP, and posts in this thread. There are so many variables involved in the measly one case, and yet you decide to attack the big guy Microsoft. I am so proud of the intelligence of the tech enthusiasts! The 'Sheeple' and 'average idiot' belittlement certainly do not point back at them!

 

...Just disgusting!

Settle down. It's a report of an allegation.

 

And if that disgusts you, then just wait until you find out what Microsoft's conduct regarding Windows 10 has been like: forced installation, forced updates, forced bloatware, forced telemetry and data-collection, forced file associations... it's not as if this news allegation wouldn't be par for the course with Microsoft.

[Colonel_Gerdauf]

6 minutes ago, Delicieuxz said:

Settle down. It's a report of an allegation, and it's not as if this wouldn't be par for the course with Microsoft.

 

And if that disgusts you, then just wait until you see what Microsoft's conduct regarding Windows 10 has been like.

Oh no! My internet broke! Therefore I blame IBM and Cisco!

 

When the sample size is so small (one), and there are so many contributing and more suspect factors, that is not an allegation at all. That is called a hyperbole, and it is a half-witted one at that. As for Windows 10, we would get a much more clear picture of what has been happening (and much sooner too) if certain people were not shouting and screaming blatant misinformation from half-truths... oh wait!

[Nowak]

11 minutes ago, Delicieuxz said:

Can this be solved by disabling Secure Boot in a system BIOS?

It's more up to someone making a driver for the NVMe drive in the Yoga 900 than it is Secure Boot. The drive is special, so it needs a driver to work with OSes.

 

Lenovo is no stranger to pulling things like this in their consumer models. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last.