DRM Locks Hardware Upgrades

Manufacturers are increasingly using nonfree firmware and bootloader checks (DRM) to prevent owners from modifying or upgrading physically compatible components like RAM. That software‑enforced lock can refuse to boot altered boards or hide added capacity, even when the hardware modification is technically feasible. — This practice shifts control of physical device capabilities from owners to vendors, with implications for right‑to‑repair, consumer fraud prevention, product longevity, and regulatory responses.