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Windows 8 Secure Boot may lock out Linux

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Edvard:
Well, not Linux specifically, but this certainly has the potential to put an end to dual-booting another OS with your off-the-shelf OEM Windows boxes.

From InterNetNews.com:
http://www.internetnews.com/blog/skerner/red-hat-engineer-calls-out-windows-8-secure-boot-as-a-linux-risk.html
Microsoft's next major OS is set include a secure boot. The system will prevent any executable from loading unless they are signed by a specific set of keys. The problem with that is non-key signed executable - say Linux - might not be able to put on a piece of hardware that has been built for Windows.

That's a problem.
--- End quote ---

From the source:
http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/5552.html
The UEFI secure boot protocol is part of recent UEFI specification releases. It permits one or more signing keys to be installed into a system firmware. Once enabled, secure boot prevents executables or drivers from being loaded unless they're signed by one of these keys.
...
A system that ships with only OEM and Microsoft keys will not boot a generic copy of Linux.

--- End quote ---

o_O

40hz:
Wonder what's next?

Right now, OEM license copies of Windows and Office can only (legally) be installed on the PC they shipped with.

Wonder how long will it be before some of the PC manufacturers start getting leaned on to add their own license clause that says their hardware is only for use with a Microsoft operating system? And that  jaillbreaking will void the warranty.

It worked for Apple.

Those that decline will have to pay a significantly higher price for their Windows licenses since Microsoft can argue any larger OEM discount is what they're 'paying' the hardware people for their help in "promoting" Windows.

 :)

Carol Haynes:
Another nail in the Windows 8 coffin - it will also mean that you can't boot into USB, CD or DVD based utilities to fix problems when Windows 8 won't boot!

This is really worrying and should be made as public as possible as it means if something doesn't work the only option you have is to reinstall the OEM setup!

I am amazed that Apple have got away with this crap but I think the competition commission in Europe will jump on this from a great height.

Presumably Apple manage to get away with it because they ship their own hardware and OS.

MS do not make PCs so what they are saying is that other manfacturers have to lock their systems to MS products - that is the ultimate in anticompetitive behaviour!

zridling:
Maybe Ballmer/Sinofsky think that by making Win8 more exclusive, more people will want it?

If Walmart was smart, it would set up a counter station in each electronics department just to sell computers.
(1)... "You want no OS? Here, take your machine and go."
(2)... "You want Windows installed? Give me $$$ and wait a few minutes, thank you!"

Under #1 they make pure profit off the hardware. Under #2 they make more money off of Windows customers. Win-win.

steeladept:
Um...Did you guys miss that Hyper-V 3.0 is being included?  Sure you may not be able to dual boot traditionally, but you can still install it in it's own virtual machine.  What's more, depending on how they expose Hyper-V, you will be able to switch between the two on the fly and get native or near native performance from the OS.  The only argument I can see here is Carol's about using some sort of rescue CD - but then you should just be able to boot into a different VM anyway.  Indeed, the VM could be your rescue CD.  The only time these wouldn't work is if Hyper-V is borked, but then it isn't a Windows 8 issue anyway at that point.

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