Indeed, I bricked my laptop when I was first experimenting with this technology several years ago. Fortunately it was under warrantee and they replaced it. All you have to do is make sure your BIOS is up to date and that won't be a problem.

As far as XMHF (TrustVisor) I just bought a new system from bitcoinstore.com which should support it. This is a newer technology than Flicker which should remove some of the limitations. I'm worried though because Jon McCune, whose group is doing both of those projects, left CMU for Google. The projects seem a little rudderless now.