Question and Request to Spread the Word about Bestbuy

[jonathan71381]

I purchased a computer with Windows 8 on it. I purchased it with the intent of putting Linux on it. Then I tried to take it back during the 15 day return policy, and they refused the return stating that I had voided the warranty? REALLY? Does Linux void the warranty for real? Then, the GeekSquad guy said that if I put Windows 8 back on the machine, then he would be able to tell? Is there really something in the BIOS that stores how many times, you put which operating system on the machine? I just want everyone to know that in spite of a Bestbuy Salesman telling you its okay to put Linux on the machine, the store may not accept it as a return, and corporate doesn't care so be careful with that. Please spread the word! Do not buy a computer from Bestbuy if you want to put Linux on it, because they will not accept the return if you don't like it and you will be stuck with it.

[lisati]

Thread moved to The Cafe.

[squakie]

If you made all the backup media right away when you got your PC, you should be able to restore it back to "as-delivered" using those. It *should* appear just as it did when you bought it. They should take it then, however - if they are already familiar with what you have done they might not accept it. It's important to read warranty information very carefully - for a lot of PCs installing Linux (or any other OS) and/or messing with the partitions as they were delivered will void the warranty. It's hard for any seller to honor a warranty when the conditions have not been observed. Do I personally agree with this? No. But the manufacturer makes PC model based on hardware and software support (drivers et al) for a specific OS. Sure, the hardware should run Linux - possibly even better than it runs Windows. But their warranty, and what can be upheld by the seller, is that it be unmodified from the original configuration. Good luck!

[craig10x]

squakie is right..i once bought a laptop from best buy and wiped windows and put on ubuntu but it was an amd and at that time, wasn't playing well with it, so returned it and had no problem getting a refund...but the difference is that before i did that, i made the restore discs and put windows back on the computer, so they were none the wiser....so, one would have no problem with a return with them as long as you take that extra step before either wiping out windows or dual booting linux with it...

After returning that one, i made a new purchase with them of one with intel and was very happy and still using it, in fact....

[Copper Bezel]

Yeah, whereas I actually waited out the return period on my latest machine before installing Ubuntu. It's not unreasonable - you should at least make the effort to put things back as you found them, and a bad kernel could technically cause potentially hardware-affecting problems, like overheats. So, yeah, it's important to just be conscious of that. But you're right that buyers should be aware of that problem, no matter what the salesperson says, and act accordingly. I'm sorry you had to eat this purchase - that's always rough. = /

[RichardET]

I purchased a computer with Windows 8 on it. I purchased it with the intent of putting Linux on it. Then I tried to take it back during the 15 day return policy, and they refused the return stating that I had voided the warranty? REALLY? Does Linux void the warranty for real? Then, the GeekSquad guy said that if I put Windows 8 back on the machine, then he would be able to tell? Is there really something in the BIOS that stores how many times, you put which operating system on the machine? I just want
everyone to know that in spite of a Bestbuy Salesman telling you its okay to put Linux on the machine, the store may not accept it as a return, and corporate doesn't care so be careful with that. Please spread the word! Do not buy a computer from Bestbuy if you want to put Linux on it, because they will not accept the return if you don't like it and you will be stuck with it.

So tell us which machine. What was the price? Will BestBuy sell you windows restore disks? What were the issues which you didn't like about it, that you wanted to return it?

[sudodus]

So tell us which machine. What was the price? Will BestBuy sell you windows restore disks? What were the issues which you didn't like about it, that you wanted to return it?

+1

jonathan71381,

Assuming you are stuck with the machine, let us make the best possible use of it

Let us know

- what machine it is (as many details as possible)
- what you intend[ed] to do with it
- which version of Ubuntu you tried and how you tried to run it live and install it

- what works (with Ubuntu and/or Windows)?
- what does not work

and there any many people here who will try to help.

[WinterMadness]

I purchased a computer with Windows 8 on it. I purchased it with the intent of putting Linux on it. Then I tried to take it back during the 15 day return policy, and they refused the return stating that I had voided the warranty? REALLY? Does Linux void the warranty for real? Then, the GeekSquad guy said that if I put Windows 8 back on the machine, then he would be able to tell? Is there really something in the BIOS that stores how many times, you put which operating system on the machine? I just want everyone to know that in spite of a Bestbuy Salesman telling you its okay to put Linux on the machine, the store may not accept it as a return, and corporate doesn't care so be careful with that. Please spread the word! Do not buy a computer from Bestbuy if you want to put Linux on it, because they will not accept the return if you don't like it and you will be stuck with it.

A similar situation happened with me. I talked to about 5 sales people before I talked to someone who actually knew what linux was. Some of the awesome responses I got were:
"Why wouldn't linux work on it?" (implying that linux is something that runs on top of windows, and no not like a VM)
"No you cant return a computer without an operating system"

You have to realize something here. Sales people dont know anything. They are trained to make up answers. I finally got the leader of the geek squad who actually knew what an OS was and he told me to simply put windows back on before I return it. I decided to get his name just incase they tell me im lying when I return it.

Dont trust people who want your money. If someone isnt helping you out of the goodness of their own heart then theres no honesty.

[LillyDragon]

That is pretty sad, WinterMadness, I thought it was a given for them to ask someone else onsite who actually knows what the customer wants. I've seen that a lot at RadioShack. I also talked to one at a Walmart once asking if they carried art tablets in-store, and she thought I meant tablet computer, but she still went and asked another employee who knew; very nice about it. So I don't see how lying to the customer with made up answers would net them more sales; sounds like it does exactly the opposite.

As for the other topic, I plan on building a PC, but I also still want a secondary mid-end box with Windows 8 on it. So reading this now, I'll definitely look at their PCs online first and check if their hardware works with Linux. (Assuming I want to dual-boot it with Ubuntu later on.) Having to return anything sucks enough as it is.

[SeijiSensei]

So I don't see how lying to the customer with made up answers would net them more sales; sounds like it does exactly the opposite.

Not having to deal with the return is probably a lot cheaper than the effect of a small change in a customer's future purchasing patterns.