Linux
aardvarchaeology | March 29, 2014As detailed here before, a few Samsung laptop models have a firmware bug that makes them liable to becoming inert bricks if you install Linux. It's a one-way process. This happened to me when I bought an ultrabook from the Elgiganten big-box store last summer. Both Samsung and the store refused to reimburse me for the loss of my machine's use. At the suggestion of my home municipality's consumer advisor (konsumentrådgivare), I took the matter to Allmänna reklamationsnämnden, the National Board for Consumer Disputes (complaint no 2013-10081).
My main argument was that installing Linux is a…
aardvarchaeology | December 16, 2013Here's what I did to replace Windows 8 (boo) with Linux Mint (yay) on a 2013 Asus ultrabook with the problematic UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware, using an external DVD drive linked to the machine with a USB cable.
Download Linux Mint and burn a bootable DVD.
Disable Windows Fast Startup (in Windows' Control Panel).
Reboot machine while pressing F2, to get into BIOS setup.
Under the Security menu, disable Secure Boot Control.
Under the Boot menu, disable Fast Boot.
Under the Boot menu, enable Launch CSM – if you can. (I couldn't at first. This menu option was visible but…