Installing Linux would invalidate warranty

[san_d]

My question is not only for PC World but for all major PC retailers who seem to adopt the same policy. I have been told that if I buy a laptop or a netbook with Windows preinstalled and then I format or shrink the hard drive and install anything else, that would invalidate the warranty. I remember a few months ago somebody at a Linux user group telling me this is illegal.

 

At the moment I don't know of any retailers selling a laptop without OS. Novatech sells a netbook without OS but at a premium.

 

Any input appreciated. Thanks.

[ims21]

Why not buy a machine with Linux pre-installed?

[Bang!]

Why not buy a machine with Linux pre-installed?

 

I can only remember seeing a few older netbooks supplied with Linux.

 

There was a court case a few years ago in France or Italy where a consumer challenged and won against a large computer supplier, for only selling machines including windows.

 

The article quoted it had been challenged under EU law - but I have no idea which or how.

[andydd]

There is very little competetion flor Linux machines so its rare/pricey to buy them like that, as 99% are pre-installed with Windows, like Bang! satys there have been various court cases across the world where people have been succesfull although this has mostly been reagrding getting a refund for a unwanted MS OS.

 

I would of thought if you put on Linux and you get a hardware related problem, the warranty should still apply, but you may have trouble with this.

 

Andy

[labrat]

ok

 

installing linux does NOT invalidate your warrenty with pcworld - i see them all the time

 

the hardware would of course still be covered

 

HOWEVER

 

if there is a issue then the workshop/store may remaster it back to windows to eliminate software issues

if you decide to go back to windows and havent made your recovery media you may be charged for that

 

My recommendations:-

 

if your a confident linux user - format and install it but create recovery media first

 

if your looking at it for something differnt - install it on a pendrive, ive run knoppix, unbuntu, mint, and deft 7 all off usb pen with no issue

[Bang!]

Wandering a bit - but I saw someone seeking backers for setting up a gaming console that runs on Linux, the plan being to offer games that coders make without requiring to pay a registration fee with the console owner. The knock on being games would be more plentiful/cheaper.

 

The article also suggested their machine could be opened up/reflashed/run anything, and they would be happy you had taken interest rather than have a mind to see you in court.

 

I saw this on my phone earlier today via a link on twitter, but for the life of me now, I cannot find it on the computer.

[san_d]

 

if your a confident linux user - format and install it but create recovery media first

 

If this was a netbook with no optical drives could you create a recovery image on a USB stick? And would that be enough to recreate all the essential system files once I have wiped out the hard drive or should I keep at least one partition? Thanks

[labrat]

most of the netbooks let you create the recovery media onto a usb drive - would need to be a big one tho - for hp netbooks a 16gb one is ussually ok

 

you wouldnt need to leave any partitions, the recovery media would delete and recreate partitions in any case

 

unbuntu has a fairly good netbook distribution btw

[MrImpartial]

If this was a netbook with no optical drives could you create a recovery image on a USB stick? And would that be enough to recreate all the essential system files once I have wiped out the hard drive or should I keep at least one partition? Thanks

 

Nearly all new netbooks do allow you to create Recovery Media on a flash drive, some require 16GB and others 32GB.

 

Programs for creating Recovery Media are as follows;

 

HP/Compaq - Recovery Manager/Recovery Media Creation

Packard Bell/eMachines - Recovery Management

Acer - eRecovery Management

Advent - Tech Guys Backup/Recovery DVD Backup

Sony - Vaio Care

 

Type any one of those programs in to the Start Menu search and it will locate it for you.

 

Also the warranty is for the Netbooks hardware so formatting and installing your own OS will not invalidate it, but you may be asked to provide the recovery media if a repair is required to illiminate software issues.