Linux Format forums

Nuke · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:36 am Post subject: UEFI

Quite a good article on UEFI in LXF 171, less complacent than some I have seen, but it still leaves me with questions.

It says (penultimate column):-

" there is another way ... it doesn't involve a distro getting anything signed .. uses a pre-bootloader similar to the shim .. also signed by Microsoft's key"

Let me be clear where I am coming from : I do not wish to use anything that has paid a fee to Microsoft.

So even if I get an independent distro, which has not paid MS, it will still need the Linux Foundation pre-bootloader that has a key bought from MS. And even if I turn off Secure Boot, that pre-bootloader will still be present and required as part of the boot sequence - am I right?

Or will there be a version of this pre-bootloader tailored for people who permanently turn off Secure Boot at the outset and which therefore requires no paid key from MS?
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nelz · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:18 am Post subject:

There is no need for any pre-bootloader if Secure Boot is disabled.
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ajgreeny · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 12:35 pm Post subject:

I have just installed Xubuntu 12.04 on a new PCSpecialist machine, the same company that made the system tested in the new magazine 171 on page 27, and though my setup is not nearly as costly as that one, it is just as good for my non-gaming purposes.

I installed using the UEFI bios rather than legacy, but as my machine came without an OS, I did not have any secure boot to worry about, just the details of UEFI, and the need for the small 200MB EFI partition at the start of the disk. There was no problem with the installation, which was the fastest I have ever done, thanks no doubt to the fast cpu, which took about 10 minutes. Just make sure you boot the install medium (CD or USB) in UEFI mode if that is the way you want to install.

All is working superbly now it is installed, so I can assure you that UEFI is not something to fear too much, particularly if you have a machine without windows.

I can also thoroughly recommend PCSpecialist, particularly if you want to avoid any payments of any kind to M$
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Nuke · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:43 pm Post subject:

ajgreeny · Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:52 pm Post subject:

Sorry; bad choice of words I think.

I installed in UEFI mode not legacy mode; you are correct in thinking that you do not get the choice of the type of BIOS (I don't quite know what else to call it but BIOS) but you do get to choose the installation mode. There is a good explanation of everything at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI for ubuntu, but I presume a lot of the basic details will be the same whatever distro you use.
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Ubuntu 10.04 user, and loving it!

johnhudson · LXF regular Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:37 pm Posts: 767