Dual Boot Linux and Windows 8 on ASUS laptop (Windows 8 Installed)

linuxmulti-bootsecure-bootwindows 8

I'm having trouble locating information on installing linux on a ASUS laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed. I'd like to (1) retain the existing Windows 8 partition since its loaded and configured to my tastes; and (2) retain Windows Secure Boot.

It appears ASUS has not released any information on the configuration or steps to perform the Linux install. https://www.google.com/search?q=asus+dual+boot+windows+8.

SuperUser has some similar questions, but some questions don't have answers and most (all?) questions don't have anything concrete on steps to perform.

Does anyone know of an official ASUS document or KB covering a Linux/Windows 8 dual boot installation?

Best Answer

You are seeing this from the wrong perspective. There are tons of (answered) queries on Windows/Linux dual boot pcs, on this site and others like this one.

There is nothing instead (or very little anyway) on a dual boot retaining SecureBoot, because this is still either not supported by most Linux distros, or only partially supported by some of them.

This useful blog post states, among many other things:

Choose a Linux Distribution That Supports Secure Boot:

Modern versions of Ubuntu — starting with Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS and 12.10 — will boot and install normally on most PCs with Secure Boot enabled. This is because Ubuntu’s first-stage EFI boot loader is signed by Microsoft. However, a Ubuntu developer notes that Ubuntu’s boot loader isn’t signed with a key that’s required by Microsoft’s certification process, but simply a key Microsoft says is “recommended.” This means that Ubuntu may not boot on all UEFI PCs. Users may have to disable Secure Boot to to use Ubuntu on some PCs.

I am afraid you may have to experiment a bit yourself, and that the outcome will depend on both your pc and the distro you intend to install, i.e., that no general recommendations can be made.

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