Lenovo Is Literally Blocking Linux Installs

archive.is/8ML9g

The long and short of this is a bit more complex, depending on the sources you read. Essentially, a proprietary driver for an Intel RAID controller doesn't have Linux support and never will, and these Lenovo laptops use it even though they don't use multiple drives. Instead of allowing a different mode for Linux and other OS users, Lenovo simply made it impossible for someone to use anything other than Windows 10 and wrapping the decision in a pretty press release about folding hinges and touch interfaces. This move is particularly important because they are specifically admitting to blocking Linux installs for and locking everything into Win10.

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Better stock up on x200s while you can still get them.

Really a good machine. I can't use a laptop without a trackpoint now, though.

comfy.

What is this, 2005?

It seems kind of wacky that they're working on a Thinkpad Retro aimed at the kind of user who intends to install a Linux Distro on their laptop while they are doing shit like this with all their other models.

Yeah we use reddit in the current year OP. You should have linked the reddit thread

Looks like the market is beginning to split itself between power users and illiterates. Or rather: The market is slowly getting rid of the power user niche and catering more and more to idiots who can't handle too many options at once.

I feel the same about my x220. Which is why I say to stock up on them. It can't hurt to have 2 or 3 if the first one breaks 5 years down the line, you can't find any in decent condition anymore, and none of the new laptops even support linux.

It's also blocking normal W10 installs since only their restore disks has the RAID driver on it. Disk or thumb drive, most of these newer laptops don't have optical drives.

I knew this was coming, they don't want their computers to have any OS asides the one they ship it with as it destroys the resale value and shortens the lifespan.

They didn't do this to prevent Linux it's to prevent older versions of Windows from being installed. If the hard drive breaks or the OS is infected the owner will buy a new computer instead of fixing it. Right now you can give a typical laptop to any repair shop or tech savvy person and have it be as good as new in no time. Not anymore.

That queer Matthew Garrett wrote a blog post on this and he's right about where the blame for this should be directed but is naive if he thinks removing the option to use AHCI was only done to reduce support costs.

mjg59.dreamwidth.org/44694.html

Does a computer that old really run fast enough for daily use? What distro are you using?

x220 can handle any linux distro no problem, even with a bloated DE. It's got an i5 after all. Right now I have Kali installed on mine with a full GNOME DE. It runs blazingly fast. I'll probably put something better on it soon though.

Yeah, I've got the Thinkpad Yoga and, as shitty as I feel for saying something nice, it's it's a pretty good laptop. I already almost didn't get it after the superfish bullshit, I absolutely wouldn't have touched it after this. The only thing that I would want is AMD/AMD instead of Intel/Nvidia, but I can put up with it for the hardware.

Reckon its worthwhile upgrading from an X200 to an X220?

Pretty fond of my old X200 and I'd probably keep it regardless, but the X220 seems like a really big upgrade.

Got my T400.

Sure, it's a great computer, and if you're thinking of upgrading you can still find them like new for cheap. It couldn't hurt. I'm not really sure you can get much better in terms of both speed and build quality than a 4-5 year old thinkpad for the price, even in current year. The build quality might not be as good as the ancient thinkpads, but it's still better than the new ones.

The day before yesterday they ignored us, yesterday they laughed at us, today they're fighting us. Tomorrow we'll win.

I like it. Who wrote that?

It's a modified Ghandi quote.
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

Who else, the biggest street shitter of all time.

FUCK THIS GAY EARTH

There will always be hardware for power-users, because otherwise how do companies run their *nix servers? But it's possible a lot of laptops get locked-down to Windows, OS/X, and a crummy systemd and blob-ridden commercial Linux distro who signed NDAs and such.

We need a real RISC-V system ASAP

Thanks for showing us that UEFI is still a bad idea. Now unto other real hardware.
-ODRIOD user


Dream on. Silicon on copper wasn't meant to last a year on normal use.


dat detail m8. can replicate. so much vouching for!


Planned obsolescence ftw!


diy, the arch is open: riscv.wpengine.com/specifications/

Call me when it's commercially viable

smh

god you're retarded OP

Do you have trouble reading?

Here's an idea

lol

...

kill lenovo employees
praise gnu

...

Nice try Wong, when was the last time the US government kept prisoners around to harvest their organs, or eat dogs, cats, and human babies because muh 5000 year medicine

肏你妈 tbh fam

Sorry facts trigger you, you slanty eyed subhuman.

Take your three inches elsewhere, whoreson

Lenovo always built IBM machines

i blame the Buddhists for this

Nothing wrong with eating dogs or cats. Human babies are 90% poop though. I wouldn't eat one.

Stay with the X200. It still has a 16:10 monitor.

and?

KALI IS A FUCKING MEMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Good. It's called quality control.

Triggered

Can't you just take out the SSD?

No. It's built into the BIOS that can't be changed.