blog/data/2013-05-27-linux-easynote-lv.txt

   1 Title: How to install Linux on a Packard Bell Easynote LV preinstalled with Windows 8
   2 Tags: english, debian
   3 Date: 2013-05-27 15:10
   4
   5 <p>Two days ago, I asked
   6 <a href="http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/How_can_I_install_Linux_on_a_Packard_Bell_Easynote_LV_preinstalled_with_Windows_8_.html">how
   7 I could install Linux on a Packard Bell EasyNote LV computer
   8 preinstalled with Windows 8</a>.  I found a solution, but am horrified
   9 with the obstacles put in the way of Linux users with Windows 8.</p>
  10
  11 <p>I never found out if the cause of my problems were the use of UEFI
  12 secure booting or fast boot.  I suspect fast boot was the problem,
  13 causing the firmware to boot directly from HD without considering any
  14 key presses and alternative devices, but do not know UEFI settings
  15 enough to tell.</p>
  16
  17 <p>There is no way to install Linux on he machine in question without
  18 opening the box and disconnecting the hard drive!  This is as far as I
  19 can tell, the only way to get access to the firmware setup menu
  20 without accepting the Windows 8 license agreement.  I am told (and
  21 found description on how to do it) that it is possible to configure
  22 the firmware setup once booted into Windows 8.  But as I believe the
  23 terms of that agreement are completely unacceptable for anyone
  24 actually reading the content, accepting the license was never an
  25 alternative.</p>
  26
  27 <p>I feared I had to return the laptops and ask for a refund, and
  28 waste many hours on this, but luckily there was a way to get it to
  29 work.  But I would not recommend it to anyone planning to run Linux on
  30 it, and I have become sceptical to Windows 8 certified laptops.  Is
  31 this the way Linux will be forced out of the market place, by making
  32 it close to impossible for "normal" users to install Linux without
  33 accepting the Microsoft Windows license terms?</p>
  34
  35 <p>I've updated the
  36 <a href="http://www.linlap.com/packard_bell_easynote_lv">Linux Laptop
  37 wiki page for Packard Bell EasyNote LV</a>, to ensure the next person
  38 do not have to struggle as much as I did to get Linux into the
  39 machine.</p>
  40
  41 <p>Thanks to Bob Rosbag, Florian Weimer, Philipp Kern, Ben Hutching,
  42 Michalel Tokarev and others for feedback and ideas.</p>