Secure Boot Arrives

[gregrocker]

Whether you plan on using Windows 8 or not, everyone buying a PC in the future will end up with the Microsoft-driven Secure Boot feature enabled. Secure Boot prevents “unauthorized” operating systems and software from loading during the startup process.
Secure Boot is a feature enabled by UEFI – which replaces the traditional PC BIOS – but Microsoft mandates specific implementations for x86 (Intel) and ARM PCs. Any computer with a Windows 8 logo sticker has Secure Boot enabled.

Secure Boot

HTG Explains: How Windows 8′s Secure Boot Feature Works & What It Means for Linux - How-To Geek

Microsoft Secure Boot Could Ban Windows From PCs | Wired Enterprise | Wired.com

Windows 8 can block the BIOS ?

Our first Secure Boot case with OP wishing to upgrade his new Win8 PC with Windows 7 has arrived: cant install windows 7 in the preinstalled windows 8 laptop - Windows 7 Forums.
Update: Solved by bypassing EFI BIOS.

 

[vsrawat]

how do I get secureboot on my windows 7 pc?

Thanks.

 

[King Arthur]

Time to rev up those jailbreaking skills!

 

[bobafetthotmail]

Sigh, they even need to lockdown BIOS to make sure people doesn't buy Win8 and then install Win7....

I would laugh at their desperation but I'm probably going to cry at the damage they are doing.

 

[LittleJay]

I am glad that my current PC is only a couple of years old, so I won't have deal with this sort of thing for a few years anyway.

 

[Nigsy]

poor,poor Microsoft.

Oh well next rig will be running Linux anyway. But I guess for the everyday user who just buys a laptop from PC World et al, this change will not make any difference to them.

 

[indianacarnie]

Now Ms is really starting to p!ss me off. Looks like I may have to give Linux another shot pretty soon. What a ... pain for want of a better/nicer way to put it.

Have bookmarked the workaround posted by gregrocker for future reference. Kudos!

 

[wkw427]

Bought a windows 8 laptop, because the exact same laptop with 7 was $15 more.
Support chat said sure, I can install another OS on it!
Turns out, I couldn't, without doing some tweaking to the bios. Also, apparently, I can't/couldn't make backup disks for my factory restore.
Secure boot. I hate you.

 

[vsrawat]

Bought a windows 8 laptop, because the exact same laptop with 7 was $15 more.
Support chat said sure, I can install another OS on it!
Turns out, I couldn't, without doing some tweaking to the bios. Also, apparently, I can't/couldn't make backup disks for my factory restore.
Secure boot. I hate you.

so, "do some tweaking to the bios".

Is that such a big thing? On these forums, we have several learned guides who would take us trough all tweaking.

 

[Layback Bear]

As I have posted before on this Forum. Microsoft is going to use all the tricks in the dirty trick book. It's just the begun and we will see many more. They are trying to save Windows 8. Microsoft has been trying to convince us that Windows 8 is the greatest operating system and that didn't work. Now they create pain for us on Windows 7 to try to force us to Windows 8 or at least shut up bashing it. As the cures come out for the new pains Microsoft has created for Windows 7 users more methods of pain will be introduced by Microsoft. Windows 7 and it's users are the number one enemy of Windows 8 and Microsoft. I do believe that is Microsoft's thoughts.

 

[gregrocker]

It's looking like more of a protective feature than a BIOS lock.

Reading the articles and experiencing our first case here, it appears MS and the OEM's have softened considerably so that Secure Boot can now be simply disabled in BIOS setup to install another OS, perhaps even without bypassing EFI itself.

We still need more cases to see how other BIOS's handle it.

 

[wkw427]

Well, I for one can tell you that Lenovo's laptops that come with windows 8 have secure boot enabled.
Disabled it and put 7 on it, but yeah.

 

[theog]

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-windows-7-preinstalled-windows-8-laptop.html

Not a problem.

Set BIOS to Secure Boot.

Clean Install:

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with



View attachment 241629

View attachment 241630

View attachment 241631



Downloadgrade Install:

Reset BIOS to default

Reboot to BIOS make Secure Boot is disabled

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...e-firmware-interface-install-windows-7-a.html



View attachment 241632





Delete all partitions.



View attachment 241633





Remake partitions.



View attachment 241639

View attachment 241640



ReClean Installed:

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 8 with



View attachment 241641

View attachment 241642

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Bought a windows 8 laptop, because the exact same laptop with 7 was $15 more...

Heck, I would have paid morethan that to get one with Win7.

 

[wkw427]

http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...-windows-7-preinstalled-windows-8-laptop.html

I've figured that out already. The problem is, I could not make restore disks for windows 8, for a factory restore.

Bought a windows 8 laptop, because the exact same laptop with 7 was $15 more...

Heck, I would have paid morethan that to get one with Win7.

As would have I, if I would have known things would have gone down the way they are going.

 

[gregrocker]

The problem is, I could not make restore disks for windows 8, for a factory restore.

You can also save a backup image as an alternative .

Did you contact your OEM tech support which is included free in the first year? Please let us know what they say.

I would also not tell them you reinstalled as this can void the tech support but not the hardware warranty.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

ok, let's pretend for a moment that it wasn't a dirty trick.

It does prevent the computer from booting OSs that haven't payed a fee to MS to be included in the list.
Fedora has payed so it won't trigger this annoyance. Likely other big linux distros will pay and will be added.

So, to bypass this nonsense a virus or whatever just has to disguise itself as Fedora, which isn't that hard to do as Fedora (and any other linux distro that pays the fee) is Open Source.

The only OSs left out from that blanket are more obscure linux distros, older Windows OSs, and of course Apple's own OSs (hackingtosh springs to mind). And if the BIOS does not allow addition of certificates OR cannot disable this feature, you're out of luck.

How does that make a computer more safe? It's just an annoyance for common users, not unlike the usual DRM.
Would be more interesting if it did help keep down the number of pirated Win 8.

 

[gregrocker]

Win8 appears to have been developed on the Ipad or SmartPhone model of locking down the device, selling the OS low so you can make more money from the Apps. Hence the rise of MS Store.

This might be fine if it was limited to touchscreen devices. It's trying to force it onto desktops for an unintuitive, unproductive desktop experience that's at issue, and forcing it onto all new PC's being sold now is potentially disastrous. We must wait for almighty market forces to correct it asap while vindicating the best OS ever. My guess is that's already happening.

 

[bobafetthotmail]

point is, this feature just gives the impression of being locked down. Not that for Apple is different, there is just lack of other compatible OSs (and reasons to install them)) on Ipad/phone.