Linux: Booting Via UEFI Can Brick Samsung Notebooks

wehe writes "Heise News reports today some Samsung notebooks can be turned into a brick if booted just one time via UEFI into Linux. Even the firmware does not boot anymore. Some reports in the Ubuntu bug tracker system report that such notebooks can not be recovered without replacing the main board. Other Linux distributions may be affected as well. Kernel developers are discussing a change in the Samsung-laptop driver." It appears even Samsung is having trouble tracking down the problem (from the article): "According to Canonical's Steve Langasek, Samsung developers have been attempting to develop a firmware update to prevent the problem for several weeks. Langasek is advising users to start Ubuntu installation on Samsung notebooks from an up-to-date daily image, in which the Ubuntu development team has taken precautions to prevent the problem from arising. It is, however, not completely clear that these measures are sufficient."

Comments

Bricked device

[P-niiice]

Now THAT ladies and gentlemen, is a true brick. Not these smartphone soft-bricks that can be solved by a quick flash. you don't go home happy after a brick. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

Re:Bricked device

[Hatta]

A true brick is always the manufacturers fault. Software should never be able to do anything irreversible to hardware. If there's flashable firmware that could be corrupted, keep a ROM copy that can be used by setting a jumper. Anything less is pure negligence.

Re:"One time"?

[Anonymous Coward]

Samsung notebooks can be turned into a brick if booted just one time

Why do people say "one time" when there's been a shorter word for it for hundreds of years? Damn Fugees...

Why do people say "hundreds of years" when there's been a shorter word for it for centuries?

Re:Typical Samsung...

[marcello_dl]

Please.
When I first installed linux it was the powerpc version, that is, a port, on a powerbook, in 2002.
One kernel recompilation and wireless worked, sound worked, gigabit ethernet worked, radeon 3d worked (lots of frames too). Only thing missing, the faxmodem.

Logic says the intel version should have been simpler, because of the 10x-100x mindshare it had. When I switched to intel, not exotic models, it wasn't. In the following years, i had INCREASING difficulties with laptops. The broadcom driver, 3d needing proprietary drivers (and proprietary IMHO means more lockups, instead of more quality). Then with desktops (firmware for the network card, a blasphemy because common protocols for any os to speak to a network card are there at any level of hardware abstraction).

Now, bricking a machine needs something more than a bug, it needs a feature. It makes perfect sense commercially. Hardware makers might bicker about windows to get better deals, but they sure know that if the world switched to linux their sales would go down, for lack of artificial obsolescence represented by the OS/drivers/app upgrade cycle.

The fight for the desktop has begun. Valve, restricted boot, UEFI, ACPI... Buy wisely.