Best Buy and Linux

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1

:frowning: I recently inquired at Best Buys about a new HP desktop, it came with all Windows 7 and all the bloat ware. I ask costumer service about installing Linux on it and here is their email response, which I also sent to HP to verify what they were say is the truth. I’m awaiting HP offical response about this.

From:
“Best Buy Consumer Relations” <cr@bestbuy.com>

Thank you for contacting us. I’m sorry for our delayed response to your email. Yes, if you install a Linux Operating System that will void the manufacturer’s warranty. This is because you would be modifying the computer from the manufacturer’s specifications. I hope this information is helpful! Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.

Best Regards,

Kelli
Best Buy Consumer Relations
68496335

2

That sounds like Bull* to me. I own a HP laptop, installed openSUSE on it the first day I got it, and it did broke down multiple times (4 to be exact, the famous nVidia problem), and HP Malaysia fix it for me every time. Maybe it’s a different division though, I can’t say for sure about HP USA, but I’m sure you hold certain consumer rights though.

And… what is “manufacturer’s specifications”? Do the manufacturer get to say that I can’t run OpenOffice.org on my Windows installation? :stuck_out_tongue: What about SpeedFan? RMClock? :wink: You think running Windows won’t hurt huh BestBuy :open_mouth: (and virus that totally destroy the BIOS… Good try…)

3

My first PC was a Packard-Bell (no relation) and it was a POS. At one point, a PB tech person suggested to me over the phone that by installing software, I was modifying the computer from its specifications. “Stick with the pre-installed bundle,” he said. That was when I scrapped it and returned it to the store.

4

Read this; Welcome to TechNewsWorld

  1. Do you really want to deal with Best Buy. Dell and others sell computers with Linux preinstalled. Believe it or not, HP does to, although that is more for their enterprise customers. Workstations. But you can get them.

  2. Any time you alter the device/computer from its original settings, you void the warranty. Technically, if you install software on there that it didn’t come with, then you void the warranty. Add new hardware…you void the warranty. The question is, should this stop you?

When I bought my computer from Best Buy several years ago, they were configuring it before it left the store. I told them it wasn’t necissary, that I was going to format Windows off and install Linux as soon as I got home. They said, “you’ll void the warranty”. I said “Ask me if I care”. I got home, and formatted Windows off and installed Linux. I didn’t even check the HCL (Hardware Compatibility List), and no recovery CD’s to fall back on. The only issue I had was with the hard drive, and HP was willing to help. Turned out there was some how, some static charge, and we just needed to clear it.

So think carefully. There are other places where you can get a computer with Linux. Or, if you just don’t care about the warranty, then the field is wide open. But I suspect it does, since you emailed them.

5

I gave up even going in these stores over 3 years ago. Complete waste of space!
When I’m buying Computers, Hardware or Electronics, I know exactly what I want and it isn’t even remotely like anything such stores can offer.

The closest I come to any interest is the latest showing of ‘Chuck’:wink:

6

this is not the first time, nor the first vendor, who has reserved the
right to VOID the warranty if you change operating systems…

i bet if you read their warranty you will see that plainly written (if
you are a graduate of Harvard Law school, have specialized in IT and
have about a million years experience)…

think about it! pretend you were selling Linux computers and you
bought a motherboard to put into them which had a sound subsystem
engineered to work with Linux and had never been tested nor designed
for Apple, BeOS, Windows, PlayStation, Wii or any other system…and
you sold that computer with Linux…and, someone bought it, loaded
Windows and then wanted the machine fixed because the sound didn’t
work… i bet you would say no way, i sold it as a Linux machine and
if you try to change it, too bad!!

now, most folks who want to ‘cheat’ (and change OS) make sure they
have all that it takes to restore the machine to its factory installed
OS prior to sending the machine to a warranty station for repair…

but, the BEST way to use Linux and have a machine warranted by the
maker is to buy a machine with Linux installed by the maker…

HP sells machines pre-loaded with Linux–as does DELL, IBM, Levono,
Asus and several others…

then, if they sell it loaded with Ubuntu you are probably STUCK with
using that, or voiding the warranty…

i agree with caf, buy components and build your own

–
palladium
Ubuntu is an African word meaning “I can’t set up Debian.”

7

I too agree with Caf, I have never owned a brand name desktop system. My philosophy has always been, do the research, buy the components and set it up yourself. That way it is what you want, how you want it and probably at a lot less cost. Also if a component goes south, it has a warranty regardless of the operating system. I absolutely refuse to speak to the drones in the PC World type stores as most of them are care in the community cases who wouldn’t know how most of the stuff works anyway. Buying main components, MBs etc., is always best done, IMO, at small shops where the owner knows what s/he’s on about.

8

No way in the EC. No way they contacted the manufacturor.

When my previous ASUS broke down completely (mobo went berserk), the support centre even called me, asking how to move the entire content of my HDD to a new one, so that it would not hurt my openSUSE install…It was me who forgot that the disk-ID would be different, but that was easily fixed.

9

I concur, things like this would never fly in EC - the manufacturers are required by the law to provide 12 months of warranty no matter what happens (with certain restrictions of course but installating another operating system would never, ever void the warranty).

However you might lose content on repair unless you specially specify that you had Linux or other alternative OS on the machine.

10

I remember ASUS even advized me to stick an A4 on the laptop, stating “Contains linux OS” or something like that. They stated they did not support linux on my laptop, but that I was free to do so, no danger to warranty.

11

Best Buy is so full of **** …

12

> :frowning: I recently inquired at Best Buys about a new HP desktop

Build your own computers and don’t worry about it.

13

…no risk, no fun! ;-)…next time you better buy a HP ProBook or Mini…you can get it with Linux…Winblows is anyway BULL SH… they would better install nothing than Windows

14

For everyday people who dont know how to build PC’s from scratch this is a though suggestion, and what if they want a laptop?
Cant build a laptop from scratch.
Buying a PC direct from the manufacturer is best bet for those who dont know how to build a PC, buying linux preinstalled is a rare find but it can be done though yes most use Ubuntu…
But meh, linux is linux.

15

On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:46:01 +0000, caf4926 wrote:

> I gave up even going in these stores over 3 years ago. Complete waste of
> space!
> When I’m buying Computers, Hardware or Electronics, I know exactly what
> I want and it isn’t even remotely like anything such stores can offer.
>
> The closest I come to any interest is the latest showing of ‘Chuck’:wink:

I stopped going to Best Buy after trying to return a defective DVD I
received as a gift (purchased from their store). My wife wasn’t given a
gift receipt, and she didn’t keep the original receipt. I just wanted to
exchange for another of the same thing, and instead of accommodating me,
they said “most people without receipts have stolen property”, implying
that I had stolen the DVD. Of course not even thinking about “if he
stole it, why would he want to exchange it for the exact same thing”.

I swore I’d never buy another thing from them because that’s how they
seemed to feel was appropriate to treat a customer. And I never have -
and I never will.

Jim

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Moderator

16

On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:26:01 +0000, microchip8 wrote:

> Best Buy is so full of **** …

Hehehehe, you and I agree on that point. :slight_smile:

Jim

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Moderator

17

montana1054 wrote:

[quote]
> From:
> “Best Buy Consumer Relations” <cr@bestbuy.com>
>
> Thank you for contacting us. I’m sorry for our delayed response to
> your email. Yes, if you install a Linux Operating System that will void
> the manufacturer’s warranty. This is because you would be modifying the
> computer from the manufacturer’s specifications. I hope this
> information is helpful! Please let me know if there is anything else I
> can do to assist you.
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Kelli
> Best Buy Consumer Relations
> 68496335

[quote]

I am sorry
But definitely you can be disagree with windows license. And as for laptop
it should be money back for windows.
and in this case what warranty Best Buy is talk about? they should erase it.
I want to buy hardware, but I’m disagree with license of software… what is
a problem? You can write some letter to Anti-monopoly Committee.
In normal situation Best Buy need to give you choise (I am sure they must
not can)

  1. with windows
  2. with ubuntu :slight_smile:
  3. and we want opensuse :slight_smile:

and one more thing…
I have a asus laptop x51 i buy it with freedos preinstalled, this laptop has
a factory crap(bios issue).
I tald in shop that I have my personal(confidential) information on the
harddrive. tht is not a problem they take it but I want(need) signed paper
guaranty with shop stamp.
I want to get a guarantee that the information stored on your hard drive
will be used by any service level.
And in the case of my information leakage, shop is materially responsible, $
5000. or much more.
Guess who is sign such paper?
So the compromise was in removing the hard disk of workstation.

WBR

18

> Cant build a laptop from scratch.

Sure you can.

http://laptoplogic.com/resources/detail.php?id=22

There are more than enough tutorials out there to build just
about anything these days.

19

I emailed Best Buy, complaining about their practices and telling them I might never do business with them again. Here is their response.

Jonathan,

I sincerely apologize for my late reply. We are experiencing a backlog and are currently doing our best to recover and resume our typical 24-72 hour response time. I am truly sorry for this additional inconvenience.

Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns about references to Linux in the Microsoft Win 7 training. As you probably know, this training was developed and is owned by Microsoft for training employees of every retailer who will be carrying Win 7.

Best Buy has never expressed preference for one operating system over another. Our own training materials encourage our employees to make recommendations that are in the best interests of our customers, and not in the interests of a particular vendor or platform.

We appreciate your sharing your perspective on the benefits of Linux, and have shared your perspective with our Computing business team partners. Thank you again for reaching out to us with your concerns and please feel free to contact me with any additional questions or concerns if need be!

Best Regards,

Rachel
Best Buy Consumer Relations
Case #68838767

20

On Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:16:02 +0000, Jonathan R wrote:

> Here is their response.

I can’t express my opinion of this response, as I would certainly violate
the Terms and Conditions that I’m engaged to enforce here.

Let me just say that there’s a very bizarre force at work when the vendor
(Microsoft) supplies the training to Best Buy’s employees, and that
“training” isn’t vetted well enough to have BB’s employees have the
customer’s best interests put first, nor is it vetted enough to remove
the FUD that’s put into that “training” material.

Just confirms my reasons for not doing business with them.

Jim

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Moderator