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Samsung Laptop Bug Is Not Linux Specific
First time accepted submitter YurB writes "Matthew Garrett, a Linux kernel developer who was investigating the recent Linux-on-Samsung-in-UEFI-mode problem, has bricked a Samsung laptop using a test userspace program in Windows. The most fascinating part of the story is on what is actually causing the firmware boot failure: 'Unfortunately, it turns out that some Samsung laptops will fail to boot if too much of the [UEFI] variable storage space is used. We don't know what "too much" is yet, but writing a bunch of variables from Windows is enough to trigger it. I put some sample code here — it writes out 36 variables each containing a kilobyte of random data. I ran this as an administrator under Windows and then rebooted the system. It never came back.'"
it writes out 36 variables each containing a kilobyte of random data
36k clearly isn't enough for anyone.
How about a warning sticker?
"Warning: UEFI Inside!"
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
I might be confused, but don't kernel devs normally destroy their instruments at the end of each show?
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
Don't forget about telling noobs about the great warez site at 127.0.0.1.
"-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
Well, yeah, that's why you have to force them. They're not going to brick their hardware voluntarily, are they?
Alt+F4, Alt+F4, Alt+F4, Alt+F4, Alt+F4, Alt+F4, Alt+F4 ...I'm sure someone will hit it (even now :-).
Why would I want to switch to virtual desktop 4?
It's okay, kernel developers and heavy metal bands are easily mistaken for each other.
I might be confused, but don't kernel devs normally destroy their instruments at the end of each show?
Well, when on the Ed Sullivan Show, they have been known to pack explosives into the drum memory.
Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
You mean to say that bean counters have an actual positive use?
Your theory that there are capable bean counters who understand statistics and make good decisions using them is an interesting one. I'm going to pick option B however, where RMAs for the model are denied because everyone knows those users destroyed their hardware using that nasty Linux program, and they're not going to get a replacement or refund at all. Why, if anything it's proof that the ability to lock down the bootloader is even more important than ever!
The awesome thing about statistics is that the intent of person applying them suggests the outcome long before the data is analyzed. Given enough numbers, people will see what they look for.