Howdy All,

I have made several post and haven't figured out what my major issue is, other than my brain. I bought a new laptop with vista preloaded. I have not been able to install Linux for some reason it doesn't see the drive, however the drivers are loaded. I called Everex support and they said contact Micro$oft. Well I enter my codes to get support and I get DENIED!
So how can I format Vista, my xp cd won't do it, Mandirva 2006 and 2007.1 won't do it. I read they have something called "pad lock system engine" that is running to protect the laptop. AARRRGGG!
Any ideas???

hmm. how about returning it as defective ?
when you got it, was there any written info about this "lock down feature" ?
if not.... maybe you can return it ?

http://www.logix.cz/michal/doc/article.xp/padlock-en

Should not be a serious obstacle. Probably the HDD controller was not recognized. Can you boot it up with some Linux CD and run lspci?

Nothing is in the paperwork about it. I found it reading a review of these laptops having this feature. The Everex web site doesn't have any info about it! I would like to nuke Vista, I have the Cd that came with it so i could probably put it back if needed.

Sheesh, that blows. Basically I (think I) agree with someone above: Get a Live CD like ubuntu linux, load it up, start Gparted partition manager, and nuke Vista from there. Perhaps if that isn't enough, read up on the DD command, and zero the drive out.


NOTE: Always have a backup of important data before following such advice LOL

NOTE2 - That link by Emerson is indeed interesting, and leads one to believe you may have to do some tip-toeing around first to defeat the thing.. :/

Emerson,
Yes I did the lspci and it see's the controllers. I tried the Mandriva 2007.1 Live install. It boots and loads the drivers and seems to be working, but it does not see the drive, only the CD that it booted from. When I try to do the live install it dies.
I think the laptop stays in a low power mode and doesn't really shut off. I think maybe its holding vista in memory or something else is running to maybe block access to the HD. I was hoping someone has traveled down this path already.
AARRG!

Purge. Shred. Nuke. ICBM. Napalm. Clusterbomb. C4. Whatever you want to call it.

See here:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...highlight=nuke

Works well, takes about an hour and a half depending on the drive size.

Well, it sees the controllers. There are two of them? Are kernel modules for both of them loaded? We want to be sure we don't miss the obvious. Can fdisk see the HDD?
Next, are you sure this feature cannot be disabled somehow?
I do not think it keeps Vista in memory. Mandriva just can't access the HDD, I'd try with Knoppix and maybe some other LiveCD.

Yes, I have a Knoppix 5 CD here and it definitely has padlock support. Give it a try.

Ahhh now that's a good idea: m$ obliges HW manufacturers to include a check in the BIOS to see if the pre-installed windows is still there. If not, the computer doesn't run anymore.

Non-compliant manufacturers can't preinstall Vista anymore.

Cool, why did no one think about this before?

jlinkels

I finally got it, I downloaded Knoppix 5.1 and used the qtparted like GrapefruiTgirl suggested and formated it with ext3. It was a bugger though. Knoppix seemed to get in a confused state like me and I had restart it a few times. But Mandriva still will not see the drive but Knoppix will. I thought that about all Linux flavors were all the same just cosmetic, guess not.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in the General forum and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.

Knoppix comes with padlock module. Mandriva obviously lacks it. You can install any distro on this laptop if you provide the padlock module. Latest kernels have padlock support.

P. S. Why this thread was moved to Non-*NIX? It's definitely about installing Linux.

Congrats Dad: Step 1 (and the key) accomplished --> Visha gone . Now, I have zero experience with (and use for) this padlock stuff. I just now wonder if installing a Linux will *need* to incorporate the padlock thing (eg; hafta use knoppix or something else with support) or can the thing be disabled completely should you want to, so you can install whatever you want.. Curious to hear more on this, for future reference.

Just Wondering...I am thinking about buying a laptop, so what brand was yours, dad?