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Lenovo Accused Of Locking Linux Out Of Certain Laptops At Microsoft's Request

(Mis)Uses of Technology

from the that-would-be-dumb dept

Wed, Sep 21st 2016 9:35am — Mike Masnick
A thread on Reddit is getting a fair bit of attention today, claiming that Lenovo has set up some of its Yoga laptops to block anyone from installing Linux -- and a Lenovo representative then pointed the finger at Microsoft, saying that it's part of what Lenovo was required to do as part of the Microsoft "Signature Edition" Windows 10 program, though there are reasons to doubt this is true. What is clearly true is that there's a problem installing Linux on a bunch of Lenovo machines. Here's a giant thread on the problems (which apparently disappeared for a while, but is back as I write this). And here's another. And here's another. Some of these threads go back many months. But the issue that has suddenly made it big news is a comment supposedly from a Lenovo "product expert" that the company is forced to block it as a part of the Signature Edition program:
If you haven't heard of the Windows "Signature Edition," it's a program from Microsoft to offer a "clean" (read: no annoying bloatware) version of Windows. Think of it like a Google Nexus phone with a clean Android install, as compared to one from a carrier or handset maker stuffed with annoying bloatware you'll never use. The Signature Edition PCs have received some fairly glowing reviews -- and many (ironically given this story today) of the news stories about the Signature Edition program use the Lenovo Superfish malware fiasco as a reason for why people should look at a Signature Edition computer if they want to run Windows.

So, yeah, based on this storyline so far, you have Microsoft making a clean install of its operating system without bloatware (good idea!), but then being accused of making Lenovo design its BIOS to block the installation of Linux (bad idea!). There is at least some reasonable skepticism that the problem here is really because of the Microsoft Signature Edition program. First of all, Signature Edition computers are supposed to only be available directly via Microsoft's stores -- and the laptop that kicked this off was purchased at Best Buy. Also it wasn't labeled as a Signature Edition PC. And it's certainly not unheard of for low level employees in forums to post incorrect information -- and there is even some question as to whether or not the "Lenovo Product Expert" in the forum post above is even a Lenovo employee or a third-party contractor anyway.

So whether Microsoft is truly to blame here is still an open question. At the very least, it does seem like Lenovo has some questions to answer -- and one hopes that the company will be more forthright and honest than it was back during the Superfish episode when it basically lied through its teeth until it couldn't lie any more.
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Filed Under: bios, blocked, competition, linux, locked, secure boot, signature edition, windows
Companies: lenovo, microsoft

69 Comments

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Another chapter on the you don't own what you buy story. Shame our representatives won't impose heavy punishments for such behavior and will often support it as if it was good for the people.
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  • icon
    crade (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:39am

    it's a program from Microsoft to offer a "clean" (read: no annoying bloatware) version of Windows

    So... It's Linux?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Ninja (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:59am

      Re:

      Certainly not. Not many Linux distros send so much information about your usage, if any. No Linux distro blocks you from choosing what you want installed or not or what updates you will receive let alone forcefully install things you don't want via obscure, closed packages. I could go on but you get the picture.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        crade (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:25am

        Re: Re:

        Yeah but this is a clean version without all that annoying bloatware so it won't have the bloatware that sends the info about your usage and the bloatware that installs things you haven't asked for

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:28pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          No, just the built-into-the-OS-ware that sends the info about your usage and the built-into-the-OS programs you haven't asked for.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2016 @ 5:36am

          Re: Re: Re:

          fyi - From what I've read, the paid for bloatware to which you refer is not the only source of phone home code found in microsoft products.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 3:56pm

      Re:

      Yeah, I smiled sarcastically when I read that, too. This being said by a company that thinks you're too stupid to be informed of what updates you're getting, refuses to let you turn off your updates, and mines your personal files like an insane prospector looking for that last flake of gold.

      No thanks, I like my malware free (not WinMal v.10), oh, but wait, Linux doesn't get malware (or viruses) too easy. What was I thinking?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    crade (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:48am

    update

    According to http://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-reportedly-blocking-linux-on-windows-10-signature-edition-pcs/

    [U PDATE 9-21-16 7:25 PDT: Comment from Lenovo:

    "To improve system performance, Lenovo is leading an industry trend of adopting RAID on the SSDs in certain product configurations. Lenovo does not intentionally block customers using other operating systems on its devices and is fully committed to providing Linux certifications and installation guidance on a wide range of products -https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/pd031426. Unsupported models will rely on Linux operating system vendors releasing new kernel and drivers to support features such as RAID on SSD."

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Jeremy2020 (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:52am

      Re: update

      but I wanted to blame it on Windows..

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:01am

        Re: Re: update

        Yo be fair, I strongly suspect that Lenovo is lying (again) about something they are claimed to have done.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        PRMan, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:44am

        Re: Re: update

        Windows doesn't re-install either.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      DannyB (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:03am

      Re: update

      Lenovo, if you're going to modify your hardware in a way that all major Linux distributions won't install, then either develop the Linux fix, or take the blame that your hardware doesn't allow Linux to be installed.

      None of this "does not intentionally block" stuff. Your hardware change that blocks major non-Microsoft OSes is something that you should consider, or take the blame for not considering it.

      Before anyone says that is unfair, it is no less fair than pointing out that any vendor X of a product (not even a computer) can't do Y. (HP and ink cartridges?) This kind of thing should be made widely known. Especially when large numbers of developers run Linux, and use laptops.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        PRMan, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:47am

        Re: Re: update

        The Linux drivers exist but they are not in the install CDs.

        Linux devs can easily change that and then Linux would install easily.

        But right now there's a catch-22, because you can't load far enough to load the driver, since the common workaround (switch the BIOS to AHCI) is locked.

        Once RAID drivers are installed in Linux by default, it won't be a problem anymore.

        People are also having a VERY difficult time reinstalling Windows 10 on this tablet.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Darkhog, 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:39pm

          Re: Re: Re: update

          Netinstall then? Never had trouble with it as long as computer was physically connected to the Internet. And since Linux, given its status as the "network OS", has support for most if not all network adapters, it can DL necessary drivers, store them in RAMdisk and then carry on with the install.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      JoeCool (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:09am

      Re: update

      Unsupported models will rely on Linux operating system vendors releasing new kernel and drivers to support features such as RAID on SSD.


      But linux has supported RAID on ANYTHING for more than a decade! Try another lie, Lenovo.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:23am

        Re: Re: update

        While true, it also depends an what the raid controller is, and a new controller may not be supported in the Linux kernel.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          JoeCool (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:57am

          Re: Re: Re: update

          You don't need a RAID controller to do RAID in linux. I was doing RAID long before RAID controllers were even a thing. A RAID controller simply makes the RAID a little faster, and maybe a little easier... if it has a driver.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:08am

            Re: Re: Re: Re: update

            If the disks are connected via a raid controller, then you need the driver for that controller, unless there is a way of bypassing it..

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:31pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re: update

            You don't need a RAID controller to do RAID in linux.

            How is that relevant, exactly?

            If an SSD is hooked up to a RAID controller, then your OS needs to be able to access that RAID controller to access that disk. Whether it would be able to implement software RAID if the hardware were in a completely different configuration doesn't really have anything to do with it.

            [ link to this | view in chronology ]

            • icon
              JoeCool (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:43pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: update

              Then don't hook it to the RAID controller. It's THAT SIMPLE. No computer out has ONLY a RAID controller and nothing else. Use the regular drive controller until a RAID driver is done. I don't currently use RAID, so I never even bother installing the RAID driver.

              [ link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                Ehud Gavron (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:50pm

                Ultrabook

                It's an Ultrabook. You can't change the hardware. The solid state drive (SSD) is on the board and not removable (so it can't be replaced by a cheaper larger one not sold by the manufacturer).

                That drive is connected to the built-in on-board controller, which can either do Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) or RAID. Lenovo has elected to have its BIOS only allow the controller to do RAID mode.

                As Intel has not released a Linux RAID driver for this chipset -- or even the specifications -- Linux has no way to access this drive through the built in controller.

                Note that Intel hasn't released the specs to Microsoft either. That's why their proprietary driver is required for e.g. Windows 10 to boot.

                E

                [ link to this | view in chronology ]

              • identicon
                Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 5:22pm

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: update

                Are you trolling, did you not actually read the article you're replying to, or are you honestly just this stupid?

                IT'S A LAPTOP, YOU DINK.

                IT SAYS SO IN THE HEADLINE.

                IT ALSO SAYS SO IN THE FIRST SENTENCE.

                [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:02pm

      Re: update

      ANOTHER lie, for those not familiar with 'Computer BIOS 101'.

      Heads up for the lay-person, a BIOS is a chip on the motherboard that takes the initial or 'basic' instruction set (tells the computer how to boot up to a flashing cursor without an OS) so that you can install an OS. A BIOS (therefore) MUST be instructed NOT to install, or it will try to. If Winjunk can install, Linux can install, UNLESS BIOS is told to 'check first, and deny if it is'.

      Since the BIOS is a $1 chip, simply ask Lenovo why they're using a different BIOS on their 'Signature' series.
      (FYI, I had a Dell Inspiron like this, that absolutely would NOT take a Linux install - comes to find out, the specific motherboard used had been BIOS'd to 'prevent Linux installation', and there were many online complaints from those who wanted to change over, when Winjunk 10 hit the market.)

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      alternatives(), 23 Sep 2016 @ 7:47pm

      Re: update

      Lenovo at one time was destroying FreeBSD on the disk about a decade ago.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:54am

    Lenovo has been on my shitlist since Superfish. This doesn't surprise me.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    experiencias extremadura, 21 Sep 2016 @ 9:59am

    The problem seems to lie in a lock BIOS by Lenovo : Linux distributions are not able to detect the SSD makes use of NVMe technology and operating in RAID (Intel RST ) mode. Linux detect the unit if it were set to AHCI mode, but the computer's BIOS Lenovo is locked. Only a complex operation that have to be welded on the plate to reflash the BIOS to change the BIOS settings for the SSD is detected.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ninja (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:01am

    Another chapter on the you don't own what you buy story. Shame our representatives won't impose heavy punishments for such behavior and will often support it as if it was good for the people.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Avatar28 (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:18pm

      Re:

      Punishments for what? Releasing new hardware that doesn't have a driver for every OS? That's going to cut down a lot on new hardware being developed since it will have to maintain that backwards compatibility.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Darkhog, 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:46pm

        Re: Re:

        How about having driver for every OS supported by its vendor and is released for the public to use with documentation allowing of developing software and drivers for it? So HW companies won't need to e.g. support DOS (unless it's FreeDOS) or win 98 (or even XP)? But they would have to support Windows, Linux, MacOS, Haiku, *BSD. Latter clause (released for the public to use with development docs) is in case some yahoo would develop simple OS from a tutorial and would then demand then demand "okay so myOS that I support, you kinda HAVE TO make drivers for it".

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Thad, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:33pm

        Re: Re:

        Punishments for what? Releasing new hardware that doesn't have a driver for every OS?

        No, for intentionally locking down firmware settings that allow users to *access* those drivers.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:06pm

      Re:

      See, I keep expecting this to eventually hit a major courtroom somewhere, but not like you think. I expect someone to claim a 3-year tax write-off with the IRS for 'lease expenses', where the product isn't 'technically' leased (whether it's Winjunk 10, or Lenovo Big Brother computer). The IRS is going to only allow a 1-year claim, then this goes to court for defining 'what constitutes a purchase, versus a lease'.

      Taxes took down Capone, not the murder of hundreds. I'm sure taxes will take down the 'you bought it, but really, you're only leasing it' crowd, too.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    dpaus (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:05am

    Obviously....

    ...Microsoft considers Linux to be 'annoying bloatware' :-)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:09pm

      Re: Obviously....

      Yep, and Hillary thought Trump was an inconsequential joke not to be entertained, too. Old military adage, 'that attack to your flank that you think is a small, unimportant guerrilla ambush is actually the major offensive that you are ignoring'.

      Then again, maybe that's why Microsoft took away every single programming tool they could from their Terminal Window years ago (thinking the user did NOT need to be able to use command lines), but as of last year, want to but the Linux Bash screen and functionality into their Winjunk 10 ensemble.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:16am

    Enquiry in re other operating systems

    Does it also block the BSD variants, e.g., FreeBSD?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      PRMan, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:49am

      Re: Enquiry in re other operating systems

      Does BSD have Intel RMT RAID drivers built-in to the kernel?

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:17pm

        Re: Re: Enquiry in re other operating systems

        Having a LOT of trouble believing an RMT RAID driver nested in the Kernel is why Lenovo locked out the Linux Kernel. Also having a lot of trouble understanding why this would matter.

        Consider what you are saying, that a computer manufacturer, that buys a host of various BIOS chips (some that CAN run Linux) chose to put a BIOS (which, BTW, is programmed on the Signature Machines to be locked out and apparently not re-flashed while on-board) on this specific computer, which is sorting out what OS's it will allow to be installed on a computer, based on whether an RMT RAID driver is built-into the OS Kernel? That's nothing but fingerprinting for identification, at best!

        I've got an old PC486-Pentium I that runs Linux PERFECTLY, and an AMD64 quad-core 3.0-ghz with 32-GB of RAM running it too (the AMD64 machine is MUCH faster than a Winjunk-OS-peer, too). Linux is FAR MORE versatile than Winjunk - why (other than shady agreements) would they lock Linux out of ANY of their computers?

        Microjunk Win 10 - the best advertisement program that Linux could ever design!

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          MrTroy (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 7:33pm

          Re: Re: Re: Enquiry in re other operating systems

          which is sorting out what OS's it will allow to be installed on a computer, based on whether an RMT RAID driver is built-into the OS Kernel? That's nothing but fingerprinting for identification, at best!

          What? That's like saying that my Intel CPU is performing fingerprinting by not letting me install an OS based on whether it supports the x86 instruction set.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    MDT (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:27am

    Ha... ha... haha... hahahahahaha

    At the very least, it does seem like Lenovo has some questions to answer -- and one hopes that the company will be more forthright and honest than it was back during the Superfish episode when it basically lied through its teeth until it couldn't lie any more.


    Ha...Ha...Ha Ha... Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha...

    Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

    Oh wow, I love the humor here on Techdirt... god I needed that laugh...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      PRMan, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:50am

      Re: Ha... ha... haha... hahahahahaha

      They may have learned their lesson, since their corporate response (not the initial rep) has been confirmed to be accurate.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 10:37am

    Lenovo leading the way again (superfish II)

    Unsupported models will rely on Linux operating system vendors releasing new kernel and drivers to support features such as RAID on SSD.

    Great, Lenovo, and just where have you published the specs for doing so on your new non-industry-standard hardware? Or is this a new version of superfish embedded in RAID drivers this time?
    (crickets)
    Yeah, that's what I thought.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Blaine (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:04am

    I don't see why it matters....

    They can lock anything they want, it won't affect me.

    I refuse to buy anything from Lenovo, they can't be trusted.

    Even better, I have stopped 4 friends from buying a Lenovo.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Thad, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:35pm

      Re: I don't see why it matters....

      It matters because there are people in this world who aren't you, and because unethical behavior is still unethical even if it doesn't affect you personally.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    bob, 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:06am

    Nobody said Lenovo is required to allow Linux or any other OS to install on the equipment. Course you can lock yourself out of potential markets but why would Lenovo give a crap about Linux users.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Machin Shin (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:30am

      Re:

      They are of course free to lock out other OS options. The place this gets really questionable is if Microsoft made a deal with them to place that lock. If so you suddenly are opening up some bigger questions about Microsoft abusing it's power to hurt competition. They kind of got in trouble for this exact kind of thing a few years ago........

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Ben (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:30pm

        Re: Re:

        I think more to the point: that if they did lock out other OS options, did they identify that fact in their literature? Lots of people buy laptops to put Linux on them. If the documentation clearly stated something to the effect of "This laptop does not support Linux" then people would know not to buy it. The problem is them not being open with their customers, not a problem with Microsoft (about this /s).

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:03pm

      Re:

      Because:
      1. it's their laptop and people get to choose which operating system they use
      2. many GNU/Linux users also use Windows
      3. not everyone uses Windows, it's not the only OS available.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Wendy Cockcroft (profile), 23 Sep 2016 @ 5:34am

        Re: Re:

        That's all fine and fair enough till you get to the anti-competitive behavior. That's antithetical to a free market so it needs to be called out until it stops.

        It's easier to tell people to vote with their feet than to get your money back off bad actors.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:49am

    interesting thing to me is that this is the first indication i've come across that microbully realizes what a mess they are making of things and that the need is there to go on the offensive. clearly the numbers have their full and vile attention.

    my very great suspicion is that they have no choice but to be obnoxious. they've likely been subsumed into a higher power and must do the bidding of that higher power. or else.

    they must realize their days are numbered if they can't tilt the playing field even more than they usually do, and this is a ham-handed attempt.

    as for lenovo, this is just lenovo.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Avatar28 (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:21pm

      Re:

      Except that if you bothered to read the ZDNet article that was linked (especially with the updated statement from Lenovo) it becomes a lot more obvious that MS had nothing to do with it. If you didn't want to read that it was also posted in the comments above.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 11:50am

    Easy response. No more lenovo purchases

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:14pm

    Best Bet

    "So whether Microsoft is truly to blame here is still an open question."

    Technically true, but I know where I'd put my money.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    McFortner (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:27pm

    Ooooohhh, this is gonna be good

    I can see the racketeering and RICO charges now, as well as all the class action lawsuits over this one!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:28pm

      Re: Ooooohhh, this is gonna be good

      Don't hold your breath.

      One of my pet conspiracies, is that MS was responsible in part for W. Bush's fraudulent election in Bush V. Gore. There was a HUGE antitrust case against them at the time which they had lost on multiple appeals. Soon after W. took office, the DOJ dropped the case.

      YMMV. But since then I have regarded MS as a branch of government. Indistinguishable from other agencies of state in all ways except formal recognition by the state itself.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Thad, 21 Sep 2016 @ 2:37pm

      Re: Ooooohhh, this is gonna be good

      https://popehat.com/2016/06/14/lawsplainer-its-not-rico-dammit/

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    I.T. Guy, 21 Sep 2016 @ 12:46pm

    Um... isn't this just a matter of the Linux community adding driver support? I dunno... I boot Linux on X1 Carbons every day.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ehud Gavron (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:13pm

    Whom to blame...

    Matthew Garret is a well know Linux kernel developer. He speaks out on this: https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/44694.html

    The crux is that there are two issues here:
    1. Intel has not provided any drivers for Linux. They have for Windows, and
    2. Intel wants Lenovo to put the device in RAID mode so the normal Windows drivers won't attach; Intel's custom driver will; that driver will set some power profile stuff that will make the laptop run cooler longer.

    Put those two together and we have a laptop that COULD have linux installed on it except it defaults to putting storage in an unusable state and has the BIOS setting to fix it locked out.

    Garret also suggests the Lenovo quote is misunderstood and likely references Microsoft's UEFI requirements, not some dastardly deal with Lenovo.

    E

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Skeeter, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:25pm

      Re: Whom to blame...

      So what you're describing then, is Lenovo trying to prevent 'peanut butter meltdown' on motherboard and possibly drive hardware, by means of manipulating the power environment by using RAID, and since Linux doesn't have such support, Lenovo can't let it be placed on this 'top end computer'?

      What a joke, a Pontiac Fiero that repeatedly catches on fire when you try to actually drive them like the sports-cars they are marketed to be - so you put a 4-cylinder 98-HP motor in them, to prevent lawsuits.

      Yeah, uh, this didn't work well for Pontiac, either. People catch on, FAST! Then, you just end up with another market failure, lost shares, etc.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      The Wanderer (profile), 23 Sep 2016 @ 8:40am

      Re: Whom to blame...

      That would seem to suggest that the actual objection here is that Lenovo does not provide a configuration toggle for whether or not the storage controller should be in RAID mode.

      My experience seems to indicate that this sort of toggle is a nearly universal feature for every system that supports a hardware RAID mode within the past several years, if not the past decade or more. The decision to omit it is one worth questioning.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John Mayor, 21 Sep 2016 @ 4:48pm

    LENOVO THREAT

    You might be interested in the story at, http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/lenovos-pcs-spy-china/2015/02/24... and at, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-an-email-sparked-a-squabble-over-chinese-owned-l enovos-role-at-pentagon/2016/04/22/b1cd43d8-07ca-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html... and... the quote from, http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/2055006-ex-spy-chief-white-house-ignores-elephant-in-the-room/?... and which reads:...
    .
    “I won’t go into details regarding companies like Huawei, ZTE, Lenovo, and others, also because there are differences among them,” he said. “But I’ll tell you this, the Chinese industrial effort against the United States is, to my mind, absolutely breathtaking. I have never seen anything of such a scale and persistence coming at this country.”
    .
    Please!... no emails!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Ehud Gavron (profile), 21 Sep 2016 @ 5:01pm

      Re: LENOVO THREAT

      ...and you wrote this mind-boggling truth using a computer with parts made only in the USA?

      *ROTFL!!!*

      E

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 5:29pm

        Re: Re: LENOVO THREAT

        1: "not made in China" is not the same as "made only in the USA".

        2: there's a difference between a computer that contains Chinese components and one that contains Chinese software/firmware. If your motherboard has some transistors on it that were manufactured in China, that's probably not a threat. But I wouldn't go buying a cheap Chinese phone charger, because it could very well contain firmware that installs a malware payload onto my phone.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2016 @ 5:45am

          Re: Re: Re: LENOVO THREAT

          How about all those cheap Chinese capacitors that, to this day, are still swelling up and causing failures across the globe.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mr Big Content, 21 Sep 2016 @ 5:51pm

    Good Ridance

    I for one have no use for this Lunix crap. Where is there local office you go to if something goes wrong with your Lunix? While Microsoft AT LEAST LISTENS TO IT'S USERS!!! I mean, Windows is such a high quality OS, thing hardly go wrong with it. Thats because it was CREATED BY US USERS!! All those features Microsoft put in, its becuase users wanted them. Which is why Windows is THE BEST OS IN THE WORLD!!!

    Why would you use anything else? Their must be something wrong with you if you do.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Sep 2016 @ 5:54pm

    New kind of RAID

    I think that it is called RAID-1N -- One copy on your machine (SSD or platters) and a full duplicate historical/journaled backup at the NSA. Only problem is that you can't delete or recover your drive from your "remote" copy. /s

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    techflaws (profile), 22 Sep 2016 @ 3:01am

    Another take on this: Microsoft aren't forcing Lenovo to block free operating systems.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2016 @ 1:55pm

    Leave poor lenovo alone. They HAD to lock the BIOS down, otherwise someone would be able to remove the ROM-based spyware they've added that (again like previous) turns your webcam on, records sound and sends it straight to a Chinese government server.

    They've done this FOUR TIMES in a row now, when will people get wise that a chinese-government owned 'business computer' company isn't to be trusted?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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