Linux can void your warranty

[M‡¢ĦÆŁ Ҝ]

 Linux keeps man from receiving warranty repairs
Business and Law
By Rick C. Hodgin
Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:30

London, England - A British company called PC World has denied a repair request on a physical case defect for an Acer notebook only because it had Linux installed on it.  The owner is currently seeking legal advice and has contacted a local CAB (citizen's advice bureau) to make sure PC World is not acting improperly.  His notebook remains unrepaired.

When 25-yr old Morris took his five month old notebook back to the same retail store he bought it from for warranty repairs, he expected it to be fixed promptly.  Purchased with cash on March 29, the notebook came with the standard one-year manufacturer's warranty which included hardware.  The notebook is an Acer Aspire 9301AWSMi with a 17" display and is powered by a single-core AMD Turion processor.  It originally came with Windows Vista Home Premium installed, though he's now installed Sabayon/Gentoo.

He was having a problem with the screen's left hinge.  It was broken internally and a small crack has formed in the case.  He owned a similar notebook previously with the same problem.  The defect caused the crack to grow to the point where it eventually caused his notebook to completely fail.  Morris believes this crack will also spread, causing the machine to eventually fail.

When two PC World technicians looked at his machine they agreed the hinge was broken and needed repair.  In fact, they even told Morris this hinge problem is a very common issue with notebooks. He then expected them to take the unit away and repair it.  But that's not what happened.

They told him it couldn't be repaired because it had Linux on it.  Linux installations are not covered by warranty requests.  He was told in no uncertain terms that Linux was the exact reason he would not be receiving any warranty service.  He was told this by two separate technicians and, after being denied and asking to speak the manager, the notebook still remains unrepaired.

This story was originally posted yesterday and has already sent shock-waves across the Internet.  The idea that a known hardware defect could not be repaired because of an owners choice to install an alternate OS is really something.  Especially when Morris tells TG Daily he was not informed at the time of sale that installing an alternate OS would void the warranty.

A follow-up post was made today by Morris indicating he's received countless emails offering advice and support on how best to proceed.  He informed TG Daily that although he's currently unemployed, he is in the process of seeking legal advice.  He's also contacted a local citizen's action bureau but has not received a response yet.

The owner's position is really very simple.  Hardware failures, and specifically those which are known to be common like hinge problems, should not be denied because of any software installed.  And especially so when that software would have no bearing on the defect manifesting itself through normal use.  Linux did not contribute to this problem as it would've also happened if any OS was installed.  And yet, PC world is denying warranty service for that reason.

It had been suggested to him that he temporarily re-install Vista to get the machine repaired, then go back to Linux.  However, he informed TG Daily that it's now been logged in their system that he has Linux installed.  As such, his warranty options are gone.

The two PC World technicians who helped Morris agreed that the Linux policy was unbelievable.  They even laughed about it in a sort of "we're with you, man.  Nothing personal, it's just policy, you know" type of way.  And yet Morris now sits with a notebook continuing to grow worse through normal use.  It may eventually fail as his previous notebook did.  And if it does, based on PC World's Linux policy, he'll be left out in the cold with only a broken notebook and bad memories of PC World to comfort him.

Morris has promised to keep TG Daily posted for any relevant developments.  PC World is a sister company with Currys and other UK based retailers out of London.

Souece

[Tsalagi]

hmmm...sounds like a case for precedent to me.  Henceforth, installing a Microsoft OS on your PC will void your warranty from me!

[SippinTea]

Hmmm.... I don't remember having a warranty through you. But... *note taken*. LOL

[BroTrey]

i find it odd, since software (which the OS is software) is never covered by warranty anyhow, that installing an os/software can void a warranty.......  at best they could force him to pay whatever service fee it is to reload the original OS and then doing the repair......   Software cannot cause a physical defective in the hinge, therefore should not be held against the customer in this instance.