Those who visit Reddit and closely follow Linux news have surely seen a user message revealing an alleged maneuver between Lenovo and Microsoft to block the installation of alternative operating systems on Lenovo computers distributed under the Signature Edition program. With 24 hours of hindsight, we know that no such maneuver exists, and the problem is purely technical. Let's see...
False alarm, false alarm. We can put the pitchforks and torches away, as long as we put them out first (?). Sometimes the web moves too fast for its own good, and information lacking all relevant details reaches our screens. The latest example appeared in several feeds with a link to Reddit where user BaronHK warned that his Lenovo Yoga 900 ISK2 Ultrabook blocked the installation of Linux. Apparently, a brief exchange with a Lenovo representative led him to conclude that the culprit was Microsoft's Signature Edition program, under which Lenovo distributes computers with Windows 10 without preinstalled bloatware.
Add to that Lenovo's decision to prevent changes in the BIOS of its laptops, which keeps the SSD in RAID mode, when it would be logical to find a switch to activate a more compatible option (say AHCI or 'normal' NVMe, outside RAID). However... there is no conspiracy between Lenovo and Microsoft. The words chosen by the representative of the Chinese manufacturer were very poor, but the point is that there is a big difference between 'Lenovo blocks Linux' and 'the Linux distro installers don't see the SSD on Lenovo Ultrabooks'. A more active block on any Linux distro would prevent direct execution of its installer.
The problem here is support, or rather, its lack. Lenovo issued a statement acknowledging the implementation of RAID on certain products to increase performance. This RAID mode is not supported in Linux (yet), and Intel did not write drivers, so Lenovo decided to limit the parameter in the BIOS to focus compatibility of its Ultrabooks on Windows 10. The relationship between Linux and Skylake mobile chips is a disaster (power management issues everywhere), and the fact that Lenovo chose to limit its BIOS is questionable... but there is no aggressive block against Linux or anything like it. As has always happened with cutting-edge hardware, those who wish to use Linux will have to wait for manufacturers, OEMs, or the community to provide the necessary support to enable a proper installation.
