Can't disable secure boot, so can't install linux?

[philipteare966]

Secure boot option in Biod does not seem to let me disable it. How do I install Linux from USB without disabling? Or how do I disable secure boot?

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

hi

this is strange, are you 100% sure that you can not disable secure boot in bios setting ? what is your system ? motherboard ?

give a try to fedora distro (as they do have keys for their kernel)

you can have a look a this : https://www.it-connect.fr/debian-10-et-secure-boot-comment-sadapter-au-demarrage-securise/
(in french but very good explanation on how secure boot is working)

J.

 

[philipteare966]

The Secure Boot: Enabled is greyed out (not clickable).

Maybe I have to delete the PK key?

If I try that I get ask if I want to do that for the NVRAM

This worries me. Should I be worried? Will windows still boot if things go pair shaped?

Motherboard: ASUS® PRIME X299-A II: ATX, USB 3.2, SATA 6 GB/s, RGB Ready

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

This worries me. Should I be worried? Will windows still boot if things go pair shaped?

yes it should worry you as windows will not be able to boot afterwards. (some bioses can regenerate keys, but not all of them)

maybe someone with Asus x-299 can help you more than myself.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Is this a PCSpecialist system? Can you post your full specs from the order page?

 

[philipteare966]

Hey. Thanks for the responses guys.

Yes it is. I've bitten the bullet and saved the PK to a USB drive, then deleted it and wiped my SSD (boot drive). Then I could install Ubuntu as desired via a bootable USB.

If I have a tip for PCS it's that you guys should disable secure boot by default for those of us who order specifically with no OS. We are unlikely to want it enabled, and there's lots of unknown scary cr@p to click, in order to get to where we want. Yes CentOS and others have signed ISOs but that is a layer of unhappiness the majority are unlikely to want in their lives (I sure didn't).

It's not about if its possible. After forking out a few grand you generally want it to be easy too.

Great value though!

Thanks
P

 

[ubuysa]

If I have a tip for PCS it's that you guys should disable secure boot by default for those of us who order specifically with no OS. We are unlikely to want it enabled, and there's lots of unknown scary cr@p to click, in order to get to where we want. Yes CentOS and others have signed ISOs but that is a layer of unhappiness the majority are unlikely to want in their lives (I sure didn't).

That assumes that everyone who orders without an OS will not be installing Windows. That's just not true. I have no idea of the actual numbers of course, but just from the queries we get on here, a good many non-OS builds end up having Windows installed.

 

[philipteare966]

Ubuysa, I specifically unchecked Windows in my build spec, yet it came installed and I had to spend hours figuring out how to replace it with my OS of choice. Going into the BIOS and selecting 'other OS' was not even enough. I'm not alone (I see similar comments about MS being highly intrusive here.

At the very least I highly recommend PCS give simple instructions as to how to install a non-windows unsigned distro if the customer has specified they don't want Windows.

It does not surprise me that many end up installing windows if its such a pain to do anything other than that and it still gets installed even if you ask not to have it.

Sorry, I'm grumpy here. Bou may not realise it but your response is kind of annoying. I was just trying to help.

 

[ubuysa]

Ubuysa, I specifically unchecked Windows in my build spec, yet it came installed and I had to spend hours figuring out how to replace it with my OS of choice. Going into the BIOS and selecting 'other OS' was not even enough. I'm not alone (I see similar comments about MS being highly intrusive here.

At the very least I highly recommend PCS give simple instructions as to how to install a non-windows unsigned distro if the customer has specified they don't want Windows.

It does not surprise me that many end up installing windows if its such a pain to do anything other than that and it still gets installed even if you ask not to have it.

Sorry, I'm grumpy here. Bou may not realise it but your response is kind of annoying. I was just trying to help.

I apologise if I've made you grumpy, that wasn't my intention.

Systems ordered with no-OS do arrive with the Windows test system still on. I've installed Linux many times and never had a problem telling the installer to delete everything that's on the drive and just install Linux.

I do agree that it's a good idea for PCS to provide information to non-OS buyers about the changes that may be needed in order to install an OS other than Windows. I will pass that up the chain to PCS.

 

[Tony1044]

It would be useful if there were an option in the configurator to specify that Linux would be installed - even though PCS don't support it etc, it would allow the option for things like secure boot to be disabled prior to being shipped.

Unfortunately, there have been many posts here where people have chosen not to buy Windows simply because they already have a license available where they've simply activated the copy used for burn-in testing and then had issues because it's a generic install and not in any way optimised for their specific hardware.

I would expect that there are more using a previous license than there are wanting to install Linux, being the point.

 

[Stephen M]

Good idea Tony. I do not think any of the 'nix users on here expect or even want any support for Linux, we are realists and know it is a practical impossibility but a little information about the BIOS or any restrictions in it would be a help.