Greetings.
Was thinking about how to install Zorin on a new PC/Laptop but still keep the warranty intact. Devices pre-installed with Zorin aren't the easiest to find and neither the cheapest.
Was thinking about just replacing the SSD/HDD that came with the machine with an another SSD that has Zorin installed on it already. (Also easier to move data to a new computer... I think)
And if I need to use the warranty if something is wrong I just put the original SSD/HDD with windows back into the machine as I don't think the store could tell that another SSD with Zorin was used in the machine? Or would the store/repair center be able to discover a 3rd party SSD was used?
Warranty ... Interesting Question. It hink that depends on the Warranty Conditions and the Law. I would think that it doesn't matter what OS is installed. But that is only my persoal Opinion. When the Service must repair something - changing the RAM for Example - that doesn't matter I guess.
But when You want to be careful about that, you could use Your System as a Dual-Boot System. Windows is still installed. But You can use Zorin without Limitations.
I think the key issue here would be if there is any label across any openings/screws which indicate something like 'Warranty void if removed/damaged'.
If there is no such item in/on the hard drive bay of the notebook it should not invalidate the warranty.
But for a real-life scenario I found these results after a search:
Can linux damage a new laptop and void warranty?
Based on the search results, there is no conclusive evidence that installing Linux on a new laptop will automatically void its warranty. However, there are some potential risks to consider:
- Manufacturer’s Stance: Some manufacturers, like HP, Asus, Lenovo, Dell, and others, explicitly allow users to upgrade their systems with new SSDs and RAMs without voiding the warranty. They encourage users to do so, as long as they do not damage internal components.
- Customer Support: It’s recommended to contact the laptop manufacturer’s customer support before installing Linux or making any hardware modifications. They may provide guidance on what is acceptable and what might void the warranty.
- Warranty Stickers: Some laptops have warranty stickers on screwheads. In these cases, it’s crucial to contact support before opening the laptop and potentially damaging the seal.
No Automatic Voidance
The search results do not suggest that installing Linux inherently voids a laptop’s warranty. Instead, it’s the user’s actions during the installation process or subsequent modifications that might potentially void the warranty. For example:
- Improper handling or damage to internal components
- Failure to follow proper installation procedures
- Installation of malicious software or tampering with the system
Best Practices
To minimize risks and avoid potential warranty voidance:
- Contact the manufacturer’s customer support before installing Linux or making any hardware modifications.
- Follow proper installation procedures and manufacturer guidelines.
- Avoid damaging internal components or tampering with the system.
- Keep a record of all modifications and installations, including Linux, to demonstrate compliance with warranty terms.
In summary, installing Linux on a new laptop does not automatically void its warranty. However, it’s essential to exercise caution and follow best practices to avoid potential warranty voidance.
Thanks for your response but I've had nightmares trying to dual boot as windows just doesn't let me select Zorin as default OS. So thinking it's just easier to put another SSD with Zorin into the machine. Also makes moving tons of data from the old machine to newer machine easier I think.
My issue is if the store tries to look for any nonsense reason to not honor the warranty.
For example I got an HP pavilion G6. Had massive issues with it since new (HDD died very soon after purchase which I replaced at my experience with SSD) and the HP store closest to me said "we are not affiliated with HP in any way, take it to the HP store in Sandton you bought it from" (I live in South Africa)
Somehow something gave me the impression that the store in photo is affiliated to HP... Crazy right?
2 Likes
I think, depending on the BIOS, various keys are stored in UEFI page. However, following my recent discovery about Microsoft's August Update that affects SBAT settings, this would prevent GNU/Linux from running. There are supposed to be updates to EFI shims from Canonical for Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 in the near future so might be worth waiting for Zorin to include this update before installing.
Should come on August, 29.
1 Like
Okay, I understand. But when you built in a new Drive they could say that You have changed Your Machine, too. And with a 2nd Drive it would be a Dual-Boot System, too - only seperated on two Drives. But if You prefer that, okay. That is up to You.
When You would install it on one Drive, You should get in the Installer the Option ''Install Zorin alongside Windows''. Then the Installer set it up automatically. You will see a Toggle with that You can adjust how many Disc Space You want use and that's it.
1 Like
The conditions of the warranty are specified by the manufacturer and the applicable law. When you bought your laptop you should've gotten a warranty book stating those conditions. If you don't have it or is not clear whether installing another operating system would void the warranty, contact HP directly and ask them about it.
As a possible workaround, you can use software like Rescuezilla to clone the contents of the laptop's SSD onto another one. In the future, if something goes wrong, you can restore the contents back from this cloned drive. This has two advantages:
-
You are not physically removing anything from your computer, so there's very little chance this will cause an issue with the warranty in the first place.
-
You get to use the original SSD and find out for sure that it actually works. It's rare but if the SSD is faulty in any way, you want to find out sooner rather than later. But if the SSD is stored away without use, you might not find out until it's too late (warranty expired).
But in either case, you need to make a change in the bootloader which will definitely be picked up by the tech support team, so you're back to square one. Make sure to read the warranty carefully or reach out to HP to confirm if this is allowed or not.
1 Like
Interesting, after the recent updates I actually noticed some black spots on the left and top screen borders. Both the left border and the tip of the cursor look going offscreen there.
Interesting, I almost posted that link but didn't in view of the recent kernel 6.8.0-40 release.
According to this, https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-iGPU-Avoid-Linux-5.19.12, the 5.19.12. kernel intel display patch issue was corrected in 5.19.13. Not everone was affected by 5.19.12 but advice was to avoid. Note the date of this warning was 4 October 2022.
Z16 users are stll on 5.15. kernel, but I have noticed software updates sometimes include Intel microcode items.
Surely Z17 users on 6.5 or 6.8 would be unaffected by this.
1 Like
. Moreover then we have to pay for a new device/hardware for this 
. As the software updater has an info section, who releases the new update that can potentially do damage rather than improvements it's common sense to note it clearly on the info section. This is why I always read what I'm going to install there, I avoid a full update right for this, and also update only what I actually use.