Windows 8 Secure Boot

Anyone using Win 8 tell me how secure boot works? I run a lot of Linux Live CD's so would be good to know if it strangles them.

 

When I installed Win 8 CP, it wouldn't let me boot any linux cd/dvd off my cd/dvd drive.... that really irritated me and was one reason of many why I ditched it. I don't know if the current version does this, or if others have the same experience, but I won't be using it again....

 

Hmmmm anyone running the RTM care to comment?

 

Does your system have the newer UEFI startup software Vs BIOS? I believe the secure boot feature is implemented through UEFI and not through BIOS. In other words if 8 is installed on a system with BIOS it should still be possible to boot other OSs from live CDs.

Here's some information:

http://www.howtogeek.com/116569/htg...e-boot-feature-works-what-it-means-for-linux/

According to this article even if you're system boots with UEFI you can go into the setup and modify the secure boot settings. My motherboard doesn't have UEFI so can't confirm this. It would be interesting to hear from those with newer systems using UEFI.

 

I just have a 3 year old Asus laptop here, nothing special. I have no idea what was going on, but I was unable to boot or start anything from the cd/dvd drive at all. It would start 8 no matter what I did. In the end, I had to disable (via BIOS) all drives except the dvd drive to boot off a linux disk and nuke the 8 partitions. That's about all I know, or even care about...

 

My God why would they do that? It's like PatchGuard; it will prevent some malware, but prevent a lot of security tools, in this case rescue CDs that use Linux, from working. So does it not let you change boot order either?

 

Have a look here to see how this is supposed to work. It should be possible to go into the UEFI settings and adjust the boot options/certificates to allow other OSs to start. It is not simply a block like PatchGuard. Unfortunately I don't have a motherboard with UEFI and so can't confirm.

http://www.howtogeek.com/116569/htg...e-boot-feature-works-what-it-means-for-linux/

 

Hmmmm I know it costs $75 to buy a certificate from MS for secure boot. It's sad it's locking out some great LIVECD's. I'll have to check this out myself.

 

Sorry, just saw this... Changing boot order in the BIOS didn't seem to have any effect. It would just start 8 off the HD regardless of the boot order specified in BIOS. Or at least that was the net effect and bottom line.

 

I'm running a dual-boot in my laptop that uses a BIOS, see signature. I'm also able to run live cd's/usb's without any problem.

Would be nice to hear someone who has a motherboard with UEFI.

 

My has UEFI, but I wiped the drive and disable it first thing,
maybe one day I will take a closer look at it and if I think it
is worth it I may use it then, but for now I got better things
to do with my time

 

That's not good, MS is basically cutting Linux developers out by using the secure boot,

 

He's issue has nothing to do with Windows 8, I have no idea what his issue is with but it sounds like he needs a BIOS update. Secure Boot is a UEFI unique feature and installing Windows 8 on an old machine doesn't "magically" create a Secure Boot feature. I'm using Linux and Windows 8 just fine.

 

I don't know what the issue was either, but it only happened with Windows 8. When 7 was reinstalled, then the issue was gone. Same with linux, no such problems. So I'm blaming it on 8. Pretty simple.

 

I'd like to hear how you reached that conclusion, such as, in what world does the OS you use magically influence your BIOS, 2 completely separate systems..?

 

I have no idea what they've done with Windows 8, elapsed. I'm just reporting what I've experienced. I don't pretend to understand it. How many thousands of times have we heard in this forum how some piece of software works on one man's system, but wreaks havoc on another's?

It's all moot for me anyway, as I don't plan on running 8 at all. If it works for you, then by all means, use it. I'll pass.......