Linux Users Beware

[John P. Myers]

If you find yourself with a system that claims to be "Designed for Windows 8", you may not be able to boot Linux without taking some extra steps first.

http://phys.org/news/2012-10-linux-k...t-lockout.html

[Fire$torm]

This could get.... interesting?

[Mumps]

Ummm, correct me if I'm wrong, but thought UEFI was basically a newer flavor of BIOS POST process. Which still has the ability for a user to access and change settings like this. So, what's the big deal? Hit the "Escape" sequence to get into the UEFI configuration world (AKA your POST/System BIOS setup screen) and simply disable the "Secure Boot" option. Big deal...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified...ware_Interface

Secure boot
See also: Windows 8#Secure boot and Hardware restrictions#Windows 8

In 2011, Microsoft was accused by critics and open source advocates (including the Free Software Foundation) for trying to use the secure boot functionality of UEFI to hinder or outright prevent the installation of alternative operating systems such as Linux, by requiring that new computers certified to run its Windows 8 operating system ship with secure boot enabled using a Microsoft private key. Following the criticism, Microsoft denied that the secure boot requirement was intended to serve as a form of lock-in, and clarified its requirements by stating that systems certified for Windows 8 must allow secure boot to enter custom mode or be disabled, but not on systems using the ARM architecture.

[John P. Myers]

The BIOS firmware code that becomes active as soon as a PC powers on has also been replaced in Windows 8 by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).

It's a big deal because we take making changes to BIOS for granted. 99% of the planet has no clue how to do this. Also pre-built computers will have Secure Boot enabled by the manufacturer (Dell, HP, etc), and as you know, manufacturers allow strictly limited changes to be made in the BIOS, possible locking the ability to disable it. All M$ had to do was allow for it to be disabled. Not their fault if a computer maker masks that. M$ did their job.

On top of that, i don't need Windows in my BIOS when i'm not running Windows. No one does.

[Fire$torm]

I can guarantee you that companies like Dell will mask the BIOS as they already do it. I am sure M$ will make it "Worth their While" to do so. For the near future this "issue" will only apply to pre-built systems. Hopefully the DIY market will not follow suit but may depend on how effective the grass root movement is at putting pressure on the computer industry and world governments.

[John P. Myers]

I can guarantee you that companies like Dell will mask the BIOS as they already do it. I am sure M$ will make it "Worth their While" to do so. For the near future this "issue" will only apply to pre-built systems. Hopefully the DIY market will not follow suit but may depend on how effective the grass root movement is at putting pressure on the computer industry and world governments.

++1

Also with Linux being open source, you can't just put the private key in it so it will boot. M$ was counting on this.

[trigggl]

I can guarantee you that companies like Dell will mask the BIOS as they already do it. I am sure M$ will make it "Worth their While" to do so. For the near future this "issue" will only apply to pre-built systems. Hopefully the DIY market will not follow suit but may depend on how effective the grass root movement is at putting pressure on the computer industry and world governments.

I bought my Inspiron 530 with Linux pre-installed. I assume Dell will still sell computers with Linux pre-installed.

[Fire$torm]

I bought my Inspiron 530 with Linux pre-installed. I assume Dell will still sell computers with Linux pre-installed.

Nope, not for "average Joe" consumer. I checked their product pages on the Inspiron 660, XPS 8500 and the Alienware Aurora 6. There is nothing in the options for selecting a non-Windows OS. Also searched their FAQ and help using Linux and Alternative OS keywords. The only hits were for Enterprise hardware.

[Rattledagger]

It's a big deal because we take making changes to BIOS for granted. 99% of the planet has no clue how to do this.

Uhm, if someone doesn't manage to disable an option in the BIOS, is these users likely to install Linux...

[John P. Myers]

Uhm, if someone doesn't manage to disable an option in the BIOS, is these users likely to install Linux...

Actually, yes. Not every flavor of Linux requires users to know how to build/program a computer from scratch