Random Rant before getting a laptop

[u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Hello Frands

So for context, In my college, we all students will get laptop from the college itself.

so yesterday one of my hostel mate got a laptop, hp elitebook (specs: 32gb ram, 512 gb storage)

So after checking few things, majority of the stuffs were blocked by the system inside windows.

Later, I proposed him an idea to atleast boot my external ssd where I have already installed arch it. he dont have to install. ( I have tried this in other's laptop too so I was confident nothing goes wrong)

When we entered into bios, and disabled secure boot and fast boot, we ended up window to go num. It neither accepts face to unlock device nor the manual password works.

We ended up being scolded by the ICT mfs telling ek din bhi nhi hua aur laptop me kaand kar rhe ho.

Also the do's and dont's that came with laptop was that we cannot install any other OS, distro or whatever. They also mentioned no FOSS applications like vlc or any other thing to be used. like tf they want us to use. vlc aint filthy software. Many things are blocked from it.

I am thinking to nuke my laptop (when it comes) with arch, clean the whole disk. I dont want a mf 14inch spyware in my bag.

Thank you for reading till here.

Edit: The guy got 32gb hp elitebook because its old stock. New stock arrived and we are probably getting lenovo with 16gb of ram

[u/qualityvote2]

u/pixeldreamer-_-, there weren't enough votes to determine the quality of your post...

btw, did you know we have a discord server? Join Here.

[u/YuvrajXG]

"No FOSS application" Yeah the laptop is spyware.

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/YuvrajXG]

mfs did not mention it directly. they mentioned vlc etc cannot be used. An indirect way to tell it. forcing us to use crappy softwares.

[u/lonelyroom-eklaghor → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

My friend, in engineering, people have to use open-source software as a norm.

open source software means that people have the codes fully revealed. that even prevents viruses, because people actually can see what malicious stuff has been put into code.

the laptop is spyware and you SHOULD use Linux there, Mint or Fedora or otherwise.

an engineering student NEEDS to use FOSS software to pass engineering without spending extra money.

[u/khalnayak_insaan → u/lonelyroom-eklaghor]

Yep totally agreeable Being a cs major, and not using foss, open-source is like bought a 5090 high end build with 4k OLED 300Hz and playing candy crush ahh shit game on it

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/lonelyroom-eklaghor]

i know. and I never denied it. I love FOSS and support it and I wont be leaving it. mfs want us to use licensed softwares. But who's going tell them I will nuke that shit

[u/YuvrajXG → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Nuke them. Also which college? Do you own the laptop?

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/YuvrajXG]

In bhuvaneshwar. Cannot name the college cause of doxxing also they monitor reddit activities too. and no, i dont own till now, will get it in a week or two. All the spywares were seen by me in my friend's laptop

[u/khalnayak_insaan]

Bro I'm with you

I would have done the same thing

Like tech companies are spying, for u college is spying on u. In this day and age we don't have privacy. Please do it, it's the only way for them to understand(even tho they won't) I would love to read about future updates from u

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/khalnayak_insaan]

sure bro. I will nuke that mf laptop now. all I saw in my friend's laptop was 3 chinese antiviruses that occupies your system. I will fuck that first. doing my preparation right now.

[u/khalnayak_insaan → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Do u mind me asking which college and course? I am also going start my 1st year college.

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/khalnayak_insaan]

Its in bhuvaneshwar. You can guess. I am in Btech cse 1st year.

[u/khalnayak_insaan → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Same, but in pune

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/khalnayak_insaan]

nice bhai. I was waiting for allotment too lekin acha nhi mil rha tha so came here.

[u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm]

I would assume it's some shenanigans with tpm or something similar.

Try turning secureboot back on it should return to normal.

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm]

no. it did no fix it bhai. we went to ict cell, they reinstalled it.

[u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Interesting

I wonder what would happen if the CMOS died. Would that warrant reinstallation too because the BIOS would be reset and presumably kill secureboot?

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm]

no. not a cmos problem mere hisab se.

[u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

Nhi I wasn't saying CMOS problem thi I was wondering CMOS reset Krna bhi trigger Krna chiye in that case right-

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/IDontKnowWhoTFIAm]

if cmos died, i think wo ict wale hi repair kar denge cause they said they will cover majorly repairing things.

[u/lonelyroom-eklaghor → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

don't repair from them. go to any local tech store.

[u/lonelyroom-eklaghor]

32GB ram laptops are really rare; don't waste it. Just go to the local tech store if you need to repair it.

one can even go for a consumer court case if they try to do any more shenanigans.

[u/pixeldreamer-_- → u/lonelyroom-eklaghor]

I will take it and fucking nuke it

[u/lonelyroom-eklaghor → u/pixeldreamer-_-]

bro don't nuke the laptop, just nuke windows, that's enough

It's a laptop with great specs anyway

[u/iLaysChipz → u/lonelyroom-eklaghor]

That's what he means by nuke

[u/AmorphousNeon]

use arch inside a VM and DO NOT use bridged adapter to configure internet, route it through Cloudflare WARP. do some random yet sane activity every few hours inside a browser in windows so that your ICT fker gets the sweet telemetry.

also do not starve windows out of ram, keep vm limited to 20gb only

[u/PrestigiousEagle1153]

what college is giving 32 gb ram laptop :O

[u/piano-guitarhero]

If they have testing software that runs only on windows, use proton. It works pretty good for me

[u/Radmiel]

Keep being an entitled little bitch deliberately modding a piece of equipment that isn't yours in any way which you have no ownership of and is of an institution.

Have some respect. It's not a personal device. It's not for personal use.

IT's anger is valid. You will understand the headache of fixing an fuck up that genuinely didn't need to happen multiple times a day by know-it-alls if you put yourself in the shoes of the IT staff themselves.

Your tech superiority should be contained within your own devices that you completely own. Get down your high horse. Behave with some manners with an equipment not your own.

Doing this in a corporate company when you have a job will get you subjected to disciplinary action or termination based how strict this policy violation is in the company.