Lenovo thinks firmware updates are not for Linux users
My old ThinkPad T420s was really showing it’s age, being fitted with a 3rd gen Intel core i3 and only 8GB of RAM it started failing on building NixOS updates, or ESP firmware build would just freeze.
Sadly, my financials don’t allow me too flat-out replace my ThinkPad with a newer ThinkPad since prices have of-course increased a lot in the last 10 years so I had to cut corners somewhere.
Imagine my surprise when I found the Lenovo allows you to buy their IdeaPad line without a pre-installed operation system. That saves me €100 for keeping the dumpster fire that is Microsoft Windows 11 off my new hardware! WIN-WIN!
But then, it turns out, Lenovo forgot other operating systems exist at best, or is actively hostile towards anything not Microsoft at worst.
What I was sold
As you can see on this image, I ordered a IdeaPad Slim 5 Gen 10 (13" AMD) with the option selected for BYOS (bring your own operating system). No asterisks, no warnings. I ask you, what would you think this option would mean?
If like me you thought that it means you can bring your own operating system, like any flavor of Linux, or BSD or whatever, you, like me, ARE WRONG! According to Lenovo it means, bring your own Microsoft Windows license.
Now why would I say this if I typed this on the actual notebook using sublime text on my NixOS installation…?
Because, I found out I was running an older BIOS then the Lenovo support page showed as available. That same page, listed BIOS update packages for Windows, and for windows only.
Okay… weird, they said bring your own OS and I did, ah maybe it’s a problem with my OS’s packages or something, it can’t be that they only support windows as they sell this SKU without OS, that would make no sense right? RIGHT? Let’s check LVFS as surely, even if not distributed manually, the firmware is at least available for the Linux ecosystem, oh, NOPE. No firmware there either.
At this point I decided to contact Lenovo and ask about the firmware, first by support Chat, they outright told me, sorry, windows only. I was flabbergasted, surely this is a oversight and the response of a first line support employee that has no clue about Linux anyway. So on to the technical support I went.
The employee on the phone was very confused about why I wanted firmware packages when running Linux because “Windows Updates” don’t apply anyway since I’m using Linux. So that’s two for two on the not actually technical support. I managed to pry another phone number from him to call, this time, I was asked to put my case in an e-mail and it would get sorted.
And by sorted I guess they meant get another e-mail in which I’m told to buy an operating system or return the notebook. My question about why Lenovo thinks it’s fine too not keep Linux users safe with up-to-date firmware was not answered and neither was my question why Lenovo does not warm about this on their store page or what the reasoning is behind not releasing firmware for Linux.
In lieu of an actual response on this I can only speculate, so I hereby posit that if u use Linux, Lenovo hates you, wishes you to be hacked in future and doesn’t care about your data safety.
Why I think this matters
In a post Spectre and Meltdown world, the importance of firmware maintenance has been elevated. It should be unthinkable and unacceptable that any mayor hardware vendor would exclude entire device series from up-to-date firmware binaries.
I can’t really think of a reason not to release these and to me it shows a massive disrespect for anyone buying these Lenovo devices that might have missed that the firmware cannot be updated. Those devices will get less secure as time goes on and Lenovo could have done something about this easily, it’s not like they lack the expertise, the ThinkPad line’s firmware is available in LVFS and has entire bootable update media for fucks sake.