If you are looking for a new PC to install Linux onto, then you might need to know this, yes, if you are planning to install any Linux distribution on Microsoft Signature Edition PCs from Lenovo then think twice before installing, the agreement with Microsoft will block the installation of other operating systems.
Warning: You Can’t Install Linux On Microsoft Signature Edition PCs
A user, known as BaronHK discovered that in his new Lenovo Yoga 900, he is not able to install any Linux distribution. He purchased the laptop as part of the “Signature Edition” of Microsoft Windows 10 Home that comes pre-installed and promises users a “clean” bloatware free experience.
A Lenovo representative stated that its agreement with Microsoft blocked the installation of other operating systems, but the reality looks different. The headline sums to some extent but beware anticipate events because, once again, the information is very blurred.
The problem seems to lie in a lock BIOS by Lenovo: Linux distributions are not able to detect the SSD makes use of NVMe and RAID technology (Intel RST) mode. Linux detects the unit if it were set to AHCI mode, but the Lenovo computer’s BIOS is locked. Only a complex operation that has to be welded on the plate to reflash the BIOS to change the BIOS settings for the SSD detection. Why should a BIOS setup that would prevent the detection of SSDs with RAID technology and NVMe mode by Linux? Thus, the fire originated in the proper forums Lenovo, finally spreading the News.
Apparently, the lock to install an alternative operating system to Windows is actually found in the NVMe BIOS technology, something that the company still does not provide a satisfactory answer to its customers. However, some have managed to overcome the barriers but this is something which is not available to everyone.
While other teams “Signature Edition” do have the ability to let you install Linux , and just properly configure the BIOS for Linux distributions detect storage units and may use them for installation.
According to the users of Reddit, part of the discussion thread in the Lenovo official forums support had been deleted, but it has now been restored and one of the forum administrators explained that some users had violated the terms of use of these forums.
As explained in another forum user that the only way to install Linux on these machines is like reflashing any custom ROM, yes for changing the preference in the BIOS. The process is not easy and certainly not advisable for most users, and certainly, this user has not yet published the custom BIOS.
However, some user suggested that the issue that prevents Linux from being installed could be the decision of the tech giant Microsoft, while others assume that the issue could be related to how the systems have been configured by Lenovo.
So, for now, we will have to wait to see if Lenovo publishes a firmware update for these devices in which it may enable that option for Linux distributions to detect these SSDs. But, it clear that if you have Lenovo Signature Edition laptop, then be sure that you can not install Linux on it currently.
