[ltp] Linux, Thinkpads and IBM warranties

[Hamie]

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Tony wrote:

> What issues and experiences have any of you had with Linux on your
> Thinkpad and IBM's warranties? Has anyone had a repair issue in
> which Linux was install (dual boot or only Linux) and IBM give you
> a problem? Or do you have to resort to reinstalling windows only
> before contacting IBM?
>
> Tony

I've had 2 warrently repairs on two different laptops. Both running Linux.

The first was my A20p. It had a keyboard with a dead space bar
(Actually just the return spring). It would get stuck down. The
hardware engineer determined over the phone is was basically poked &
sent me out a new one. User install. No problem. he even sent me a US
one to replace the UK one I hated. 5/5 for that one.

The second was my r50p. Just before xmas last year it kept stopping.
Literally. Screen would go dark, no display, and it wasn't responding
on the network any more. Pressing down on the body just above the
"Access IBM" button would bring it back to life. Usually with a
corrupted display. I discovered (Before the pressing body trick) that
removing power & removing & replacing the battery seemed to do the
same thing. It would also do this when booting from cold sometimes.
With a corrupted display at the bios messages.
Support were fine about it. I sent it in, and the only problem I had
was the length of time it took to replicate the problem. The problems
would really only occur in use. And which hardware engineer was going
to 'use' my laptop until it did... It took several weeks & a demand
for return of the laptop when they managed to see the problem. At
which point they stripped it & replaced the motherboard.
I know it's easy for me to say they should have stripped it on day one
& replaced the MB, but how would they know that was the problem,
unless there was a visible problem with it... presumably SOMETHING was
lose (Because it would come back by pressing on the body), but it
still might not have been visible. I guess I couldn't complain, except
for the length time it took to diagnose... Oh and the week to get a
new system board... I guess they were constrained at the time for some
reason. Thankfully it's now fixed & hasn't done it since.

So I guess I'd have to say I'm pretty happy with IBM & their
(Hardware) support of me running Linux on it. Basically I don't expect
them to actively support the OS for my install... But I would be
happier with a more proactive support of device drivers for the
hardware they build into their laptops... I don't see why they should
give better support to Windoze users than Linux users. (e.g. no fglrx
drivers that actually work, support for accelerometer etc).

Hamish.

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