Linux: Booting Via UEFI Can Brick Samsung Notebooks 232
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."
Re:MS says: (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Typical Samsung... (Score:2, Interesting)
Trying their best to sabotage free software.
I think you are referring to Microsoft. UEFI Secure Boot is their baby.
Re:Typical Samsung... (Score:4, Interesting)
Not an expert, but my impression is that UEFI is (yet another) bad idea poorly implemented from Intel and a committee of camels.
Exactly how booting an OS can permanently cripple purportedly secure firmware eludes me, but after the past two decades of watching strange ideas become accepted wisdom, I don't find it all that surprising. (OK, OK, I guess bricked is pretty secure. Not very damn useful, but very secure.)