Hardware warranty - Microsoft wins

[russellrobinson]

Hi,

I've called 3 major laptop manufacturers in my country (Australia) and all of them say the hardware warranty is void if I install Linux on the computer.

Does this mean Microsoft has killed Linux on laptops?

Who can afford to risk the cost of a hardware failure just because you want to run Linux?

Maybe it's time to switch to Apple Mac....

regards,
RR

[MikeTbob]

Hello and Welcome.
Maybe you could consider running Linux from a LiveCD only, this does not install anything to the HD and run directly from the CDROM and RAM.

[russellrobinson]

Hi,

Thanks, but that's not an option.

I'm not playing with Linux - I need a serious computer and Linux needs to be the operating system that is running it.

regards,
RR

[MikeTbob]

You can buy Laptops with Linux pre-installed from Dell and other places, but i am not sure about Australia. You might want to check it out here.
Dell - Dell Linux - Desktops & Notebooks

[russellrobinson]

Hi,

Great! Thanks for that.

I checked the sticky thread at the top for links, but I might have missed that one.

I tried calling Dell but got through to India and the line was so bad I couldn't hear the person!

Maybe I'll pursue Dell some more.

My first laptop was Dell (now runs Fedora 10 for my wife, quite well) and I was very happy with the hardware.

As long as they will keep the warranty going here in Oz, that will be the solution I'm looking for (if I don't switch to a Mac, that is).

regards,
RR

[Kieren]

If you were to install Linux and later run into problems can't you just reinstall the laptop with Windows before sending it back? I have done this several times with my Eee PC. Even if I kept Windows on a laptop I would reinstall it before sending it off anywhere anyway

Just make sure you have an external CD drive, keyboard and mouse and you should be just about covered for any hardware faults stopping you from putting Windows back on if any of those things were to break. If the laptop went totally belly up then how are they going to boot up and see Linux was installed?

If all else fails the risk of you contacting the media on the fact that your warranty was voided because you chose not to use Windows may convince them to change their policy

In my experience what tends to happen is when I send something back under warranty I just get a replacement and I don’t think they even look much at the device I send back as the turn around times are so quick. With Amazon (in the UK, anyway) their policy is to send out a new laptop before you send yours to them!

[russellrobinson]

Hi,

Ummmmm....there are no "n-series" notebooks. That page is blank.

All the other links go to pages that talk about laptops from several years ago.

Are you sure Dell still support Linux?

regards,
RR

[russellrobinson]

Hi,

If you were to install Linux and later run into problems can't you just reinstall the laptop with Windows before sending it back?

Yes, that's a good idea and exactly what I just tried.

I bought an XX (manufacturer) notebook, and it worked fine with Windows, but the fan operated incorrectly with Linux.

6 weeks down the track, literally days of lost time trying to find a solution, arguments with XX and they've now agreed to refund my money.

They just won't support the hardware if you don't run Windows.

So, I've been bitten.

I can't afford to get bitten by this again.

regards,
RR

[Kieren]

Hi,

Ummmmm....there are no "n-series" notebooks. That page is blank.

All the other links go to pages that talk about laptops from several years ago.

Are you sure Dell still support Linux?

regards,
RR

See Dell - Dell Linux - Desktops & Notebooks

[Kieren]

I bought an XX (manufacturer) notebook, and it worked fine with Windows, but the fan operated incorrectly with Linux.

Ah, I see they might have a problem if the OS caused the hardware to fail

If you are willing to get a notebook then a lot of these come with Linux installed. For instance my Eee PC comes with Xandros (SP?) which is an awful OS but at least the machine supports Linux. I am also able to do a system restore (get rid of Ubuntu) by pressing a certain key sequence on boot up