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After Protest, Lenovo Releases BIOS For Loading Linux on Yoga 900, IdeaPad 710S (liliputing.com)

Posted by msmash on from the rectifying-mistakes dept.

Lenovo received a lot of heat in September when it said the Yoga 900 and Yoga 900S hybrids would only support Windows, and not Linux. The company has now changed its stance, though there is still a catch. An anonymous reader shares a Lilputing article: But now you can install Linux, because Lenovo has released new BIOS options for those laptops. There's a bit of a catch though. Lenovo's new BIOS has an AHCI option that lets you install Linux... but if you're using the new BIOS, then Windows is not officially supported. In fact, Lenovo says it's not officially supporting the new BIOS either... if you want to install it, you're pretty much on your own if you run into any problems. While Lenovo is presenting this as an either/or solution for choosing whether you want to run Windows or Linux. But some users have discovered that it is possible to set up dual-boot system using the new BIOS, allowing you to choose between Windows and Linux when your computer boots.

16 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. Big deal : no spyware for me, thanks. by Thanatiel · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Lenovo has been caught putting spyware on its laptops.
    Who in his right mind would buy any of their products ?

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    Irrelevant news and morons using moderation to mod down what they disagree on. 2018 resolution: so long.
    1. Re:Big deal : no spyware for me, thanks. by devnulljapan · · Score: 2

      Last time I looked, they were the only ones making laptops without those goddawful shiny glossy screens (been using Thinkpads since IBM's T21).
      First thing I do is format and install the OS of my choice anyway. Not that that excuses preloading crapware on their machines.
      I do need a new laptop though -- would love some recommendations for Linux-friendly brands.
       

  2. Intel already posted Linux source for this by godamntheman · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you want to use Linux on this platform in "RAID" mode with the supported BIOS, the source code to enable it is part of this patch series from an Intel developer: http://lists.infradead.org/pip.... It's not pretty, but it sounds like that's just how the hardware works.

    1. Re:Intel already posted Linux source for this by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      As it should. This was never an issue of a BIOS problem and very much a missing driver from Intel for something that their hardware should be capable of in any operating system.

  3. "consumer" vs "business" computers by yuhong · · Score: 2

    I have been thinking about whether the distinction between "consumer" (eg IdeaPad) and "business" (eg ThinkPad) machines even makes sense. This is not even limited to Lenovo of course.

    1. Re:"consumer" vs "business" computers by DarkOx · · Score: 2

      It makes a lot of sense. A huge part of the cost of a modern laptop is case materials, as compared with the guts.

      I need my business laptop (Macbook Pro) to stand up to being open and closed at a minimum of several times a day. It needs to be able to be shoved in a messenger bag that gets banged around in rental cars etc. It needs to do all this without the display hinges failing or the case fatiguing, it needs to say looking nice so clients don't think we use some old beater hardware for our work etc.

      My home PC needs to do none of these things. It might need to have the lid open and close once per day tops, and almost never leaves my desk. Its not nearly as important what it weighs in at, etc.

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    2. Re:"consumer" vs "business" computers by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I have been thinking about whether the distinction between "consumer" (eg IdeaPad) and "business" (eg ThinkPad) machines even makes sense. This is not even limited to Lenovo of course.

      Sure it does. The goals differ in several important ways.

      Cost: A "Consumer" laptop has to be as cheap as possible. Under $500 preferably. A business laptop can cost a lot more ($1500-2000) as long as you focus on what business users care about - small, lightweight, etc. Also, use higher quality materials that can withstand mobile use.

      Accessories: Business laptops are generally purchased en masse, or at least purchased alongside similar models. Thus, if you have a line that share accessories like docking stations, adapters, batteries, power cables, etc, this simplifies IT departments inventory, etc. Consumer laptops don't generally require docking stations so you can get rid of those and the only things require standard ports.

      Features: Business laptops need management features - remote management, inventorying, etc. Consumer laptops generally don't, though a LoJack option might be desirable,but optional.

      Operating System: Business laptops generally run a stable Windows - Windows 7 is typical. Consumer laptops generally run the latest since that's what all the splashy advertising shows, so they'd ship with Windows 10. (Windows 7 is typically a Windows 10 downgrade license). In addition, business laptops may be used by people in a company who don't necessarily run Windows, so alternate OS support is desirable, like Linux.

    3. Re:"consumer" vs "business" computers by Rastl · · Score: 2

      I have been thinking about whether the distinction between "consumer" (eg IdeaPad) and "business" (eg ThinkPad) machines even makes sense. This is not even limited to Lenovo of course.

      Mind you my knowledge is from some years ago but there was a very important reason for the difference. Consistency. When a company produced a busines line they committed to using the same parts in every machine. The consumer line can be a mixup of components since they're standalone machines. But having a thousand of the same model laptop in a business means they expect that they'll all work the same.

      This may have changed but I doubt it. Businesses don't have time to deal with multiple types of components that may or may not work in their environment. What they test is what they expect every time they buy one.

  4. Makes it sound like a bad thing? by unixisc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    but if you're using the new BIOS, then Windows is not officially supported.

    They make it sound like it's a bad thing. But if one wanted to support Linux, why would one be interested in Windows? Laptops nowadays are inexpensive enough that if one had to, one could buy a separate laptop for Windows. In fact, given the way some Windows 10 updates have disrupted dual boot capabilities, I'd say that the only safe way of doing things would be to have completely separate laptops for Windows and Linux/BSD. Screw this whole business of dual booting, and dedicate complete systems for either platform

  5. Hmmmmm by JustAnotherOldGuy · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Lenovo's new BIOS has an AHCI option that lets you install Linux... but if you're using the new BIOS, then Windows is not officially supported."

    Lenovo: "ARE WE NOT MERCIFUL?"

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    Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
    1. Re:Hmmmmm by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      They are providing a workaround for an INTEL PROBLEM.

      Linux the OS that has the best hardware support in the world. .... except when Intel decides it won't show the OS your HDD in one of the modes the chipset can operate under.

  6. Re:Real Reason by bws111 · · Score: 3, Informative

    So according to your brilliant analyses, a hardware vendor offering a piece of hardware that Linux did not support was a plot by Microsoft? I say 'did not support' because now Linux does support it, and there is no need to mess with the BIOS.

  7. Re:Too much work by Camel+Pilot · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yeah I suspect in the near future you will get a virus or maybe some ransomware or just a crud filled slow system and you will be thinking about tjos while your stress level with skyrockets.

    At home I have made the switch to a linux only lifestyle... one machine still has a dual boot. I rarely ever boot back into to windows and I don't have to mess with malware bytes, mcaffee, etc. And when it is time for a new OS upgrade I can do this in couple of hours with yum or apt-get to install all my tools.

  8. For new shiny toy. For enterprise, the opposite by raymorris · · Score: 2

    > hardware that doesn't work properly on Linux

    I use four different models of RAID cards, from two different manufacturers. I'm fairly sure neither is supported by Windows 10, and all will be supoorted by Linux for another ten years. That's true of a lot of hardware I use, but I use heavy-duty hardware, not some toy from Best Buy.

    If your interest is in the latest new toy from Best Buy, Windows has a slight advantage. For serious, big boy hardware that you plan to use for many years, Linux has a HUGE advantage.

  9. Re:Real Reason by bws111 · · Score: 2

    Uh, no. This had absolutely nothing to do with secure boot. The laptops in question had an SSD controller from Intel. Linux could not see the controller when it was in RAID mode. The BIOS did not provide a way to turn off RAID mode, so Linux didn't see the disk. You could still boot Linux from USB, etc, which would not be possible under your wonderful conspiracy theory. Intel has now released patches for their drivers, and now Linux can see the disk. Amazing!

  10. Re:Real Reason by amiga3D · · Score: 2

    Your statement is backwards. Not that linux did not support it but it did not support linux. When a vendor deliberately makes hardware incompatible with software it's not the software that is at fault. The simplest way to avoid this is of course to avoid such hardware vendors.