Windows 8 certified machines may be blocked from installing other OS's

BenMcr · 27-09-2011, 10:44

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09...clusion_fears/

Quote:

Computer scientists warn that proposed changes in firmware specifications may make it impossible to run â€œunauthorisedâ€ operating systems such as Linux and FreeBSD on PCs.

and follow up article http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09...ut_row_latest/

**Maggy** · 27-09-2011, 10:54

If that is true I can a court case in Microsoft's future.

Kymmy · 27-09-2011, 11:02

Firmware though can be changed.. so although that firmware won't run anything but MS it doesn't mean to say that other firmwares won't be released by official or unofficial sources.. Just look at everyone who's just recently bought one of the cheap HP tablets (slightly different circumstances).. It can't yet run anything but WebOS which is now defunct but there's talk about changing the bootloader to allow Android..

MovedGoalPosts · 27-09-2011, 11:06

Firmware can be changed, but it all requires expertise to even know how to go about that. OK so the majority of users dabbling with Linux or whatever will probably have the confidence to Google for how to get round such changes, but why should they? You've bought the computer so you should be able to install whatever you want on it.

And what if Microsoft bring out their next windows after 8. Would their firmware still recognise that, or are you going to be stuck with Windows 8 and perhaps earlier legacy versions?

If the EU got so uppity over Microsoft's dominance of things like Internet Browsers, I can't see them being happy about this restirction.

Kymmy · 27-09-2011, 11:13

I think though that with the size of firmwares (which means that the restriction can't be complicated) that it would be very simple for the linux (or any other OS) developers to get passed the restriction.

BenMcr · 27-09-2011, 11:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

And what if Microsoft bring out their next windows after 8. Would their firmware still recognise that, or are you going to be stuck with Windows 8 and perhaps earlier legacy versions?

As Microsoft will have a certificate in the UEFI, then any future versions of Windows signed by the same certificate would run.

Earlier unsigned versions of Windows wouldn't - unless Microsoft released signed versions

downquark1 · 27-09-2011, 15:41

There are a few possibilities, a key could be made available to the user and there is already a screen shot of an option to disable the security feature in the bios/firmware settings. But that is up to manufacturers not microsoft

Even then something like that could act as discouragement for people to try other OSes.

27-09-2011, 20:26

They will not be able to do this to all motherboards its beyond their control. I imagine this will be for OEM machines that carry the windows certificate and any motherboard bought yourself would not have to carry this certificate

If M$ make it madatory to update UEFI to a certified version for the system builder then they will be on a hiding to nothing