Windows 8 UEFI settings

AlecEiffel

Hi all,

My Dell's Windows 8 install exploded and so I tried to do a factory install from the recovery partition via the Windows 8 settings. That failed as it said it couldn't find the files.

So I spent an hour trying to get it to boot via the recovery dvds and eventually had to tinker with the UEFI secure boot settings for it to boot into recovery from the discs. Stupidly I didn't note what the settings were prior and I don't know if the rebuild changed them back to what they were.

They are currently-

Secure Boot - enabled
Load Legacy Option ROM - disabled
Boot List Option - UEFI
Secure Boot Mode - standard

Can anyone confirm these are the correct settings so that it boots from the HDD and securely once the install is complete?

Thanks.

Lum

Secure Boot = The BIOS will refuse to load any operating system other than Windows 8. This is a good thing for most people as it stops malware from replacing the Windows boot loader. The only time you should be disabling this is if you want to run Linux or something.

Load Legacy Option ROM = The system will not waste any time trying to enable any older hardware that doesn't know what UEFI is. Unless you know you have such a piece of hardware attached AND you need it to work in order for the system to boot then leave this disabled for a quicker boot time.

Not so sure on the last two, what available options do they have?

AlecEiffel

Hi.

The options for Boot List Option are UEFI or legacy. As Legacy is disable in the other setting it won't let me choose this.

Secure Boot Mode options are standard or custom.

Looking at your post it looks like it all set up ok then I think!

Thanks for the reply.

Lum

UEFI and Standard it is then Custom will likely enable more options for you to tinker with.

AlecEiffel

I think I'll leave well alone

Am I right in assuming then that it wouldn't boot from the recovery disc at first as it fell foul of the secure boot setting (it would access the optical drive, then ignore the disc and boot to Windows)? The Dell help was great at telling me how to make the recovery discs but useless on how to use them!

Lum

To be honest, I'm not sure.

Secure boot only allows the system to boot an OS that is authorised and has a matching encryption key. You would hope that Dell would authorise their own bloody recovery CD!,

Disable secure boot and try it?

Personally I always wipe the Dell installation and install from a vanilla Windows CD as the Dell (or any other company) builds of windows are always full of shovelware such as a 180 day trial of Norton.

AlecEiffel

I disabled secure boot and it read the disc so I think that was the stopper. You're right though you'd think it would be authorised! Maybe it was because it was an image of the recovery partition rather than an OS disc as such. Who knows, it worked in the end which is what matters I suppose!

Last vanilla Windows I have (or had, dunno where is may be now) was ME.......

So I get the Dell shovelware but its 15 months of McAfee (which is at least a useful length, but still McAfee!).

Lum

Yes, you'll be wanting to get rid of McAfee. It wouldn't surprise me if that is what broke your system in the first place.

I have yet to see McAfee catch a virus, but I've seen plenty of false positives and system problems, it makes me wonder if you're not better off with no AV at all vs. McAfee.

Not that it matters in Win8, as soon as you uninstall McAfee, Windows Defender will activate itself and remain active unless you install a different AV.


As for the boot disk, I guess for Dell it makes sense. They're primarily business PCs and IT departments probably don't want end users reinstalling the OS from a recovery CD.

chunter

"Secure boot only allows the system to boot an OS that is authorised and has a matching encryption key."

"Secure Boot = The BIOS will refuse to load any operating system other than Windows 8."

Ta. Good to know. As people have already started asking if it's possible to revert back to Windows 7 from Catastrophe 8.

Lum

I'd still point people at my thread about removing Metro from Win8 before you start downgrading people to Windows 7 at additional expense.

Mondez

Depending on the version of windows 8, people may have downgrade rights without the need to purchase a new copy of windows 7. You will need the windows 7 slp key and certificate that matches your manufacturer and for the uefi/bios to support it though for it to activate correctly. You would also need a copy of windows 7 that was appropriate to the downgrade rights as well. Requires a bit of knowledge but is doable.