You can run Linux on almost all Windows 8 PCs

7KH VROXWLRQ LV fiQDOOy RXW—WKDQNV WR WKH Linux Foundation. Previously, we reported that Microsoft had incorporated a Secure BRRW WHFKQRORJy LQ WKH 8QLfiHG (xWHQVLEOH Firmware Interface (UEFI), which prevented users from installing Linux on Windows 8 PCs. Now, the Linux Foundation has come up with a solution to enable users to install an open source operating system in computers that ship with Windows 8.

The solution from the Linux Foundation will allow users to install most of the open source OSs in computers with Secure Boot enabled. It will pick up a licence key from Microsoft and then sign a pre-bootloader tool, which in turn will allow users to chainload additional software without running another signature check.

Microsoft’s plans for introducing Secure Boot in Windows 8 did not go down too well with the Linux community. Installation of Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, or other OSs on Windows computers was easy, but Microsoft PDGH WKLQJV GLIfiFXOW LQ :LQGRZV 8 Ey including the UEFI instead of a traditional BIOS. The Secure Boot technology acts like a gatekeeper. It only allows the booting of an operating system with a security key. So, no gate pass meant, no entry! Secure Boot has the advantage of preventing viruses or other malware from infecting your PC while it boots. But the problem is that with such a strict security feature, unsigned software, like a program to install a Linux-based OS, will be blocked too.