Ubuntu – How to understand Ubuntu UEFI Secure Boot install

bootsecure-bootsystem-installationuefi

Now that Secure Boot is supported, what special instructions does one have to follow to install Ubuntu on a UEFI Secure Boot enabled PC shipped with Windows 8?

As I understand, Ubuntu >= 12.04.2 ships with signed GRUB2. I searched but cannot get past the "supported" statement. I am looking for specific instructions on registering Ubuntu keys to let the firmware boot Ubuntu.

UPDATE:

Thanks. SecureBoot in Ubuntu 12.10 gives me the answer. The Ubuntu first-stage EFI bootloader is signed by Microsoft. The last time I read, Ubuntu had plans to publish their own key which had to be registered in the firmware's database before installing. May be I did not track the story long enough to realize that it is not the case anymore.

Best Answer

Probably start here: help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

UEFI (~EFI) is a firmware interface that is widespread on recent computers, especially those more recent than 2010. It is intended to replace the traditional BIOS firmware interface that is prevalent on earlier machines. This page provides information about installing and booting Ubuntu using EFI, as well as about switching between EFI mode and legacy BIOS mode using Ubuntu.

UPDATE:

Ubuntu 12.10 is intended to be able to be used with Secure Boot.

Softpedia (Sep-2012) >> Canonical Unveils Plans for Ubuntu 12.10 Secure Boot

Canonical, through Jon Melamut, announced on September 20th that they will plan to implement support for Secure Boot in the upcoming Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal) operating system.

Therefore, after a discussion with Free Software Foundation, Canonical decided to drop the EFILinux bootloader implementation in favor of the GRUB2 bootloader one, signed with their own keys. ..

Muktware (Oct-2012) >> SecureBoot In Ubuntu 12.10

Ubuntu 12.10 is the first distro that supports the Secure Boot architecture by default. Canonical developers have spent a huge amount of time making sure that Ubuntu runs fine and without problems in all hardware. Steve Langasek, an Ubuntu developer has put forward a nice account in his blog, regarding how they are making Secure Boot supported.

closes with ..

Langasek says that they will backport the secure boot mechanism to Ubuntu 12.04 release as well, so that the LTS version can be installed in Secure Boot devices. So the next major service pack of Ubuntu Precise (12.04.2) will include support for SecureBoot.

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