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My, what a tangled web...
Dec. 13th, 2012 11:28 amFor some time, I've been wanting to get a computer that could show me what Linux could do when installed on something with a little more hardware "Oomph!" than the old Dell that I have running Ubunto 12.10, a machine that proudly wears a little sticker informing one and all that not only is the machine compatible with Vista, but that it's been designed to work with XP as well.
And so, the computer I got yesterday is a pretty hot piece of hardware that sold for an easy-on-the-eyes price. I figured I'd "pay the Windows tax" (that part of the hardware cost that covers the presence of Windows on the system), and install Ubuntu over whatever version of Windows was put on at the factory. Afterward, I might entertain the idea of installing VMWare Workstation 9 so as to have the ability to run Windows on the machine, for there are some things that can only be done in Windows.
My plan pretty much started to lose altitude (on its way to crashing and burning) when it became clear that, with Windows 8 preinstalled on the computer, there was no way to boot from any medium that had not been duly digitally signed. Indeed, a few minutes research on the Web turned up the fascinating tidbit that even folks who had bought separate Windows 8 Pro packages, while they could boot their purchased disks, could only install those bits and pieces of the operating system that were authorized by the Windows key embedded in the Secure Boot BIOS. (As I understand it, Windows installation media contains all the parts for all levels of Windows—Home, Pro, etc.—and what gets installed is driven by the key provided to the system during installation.)
The most recent post at the Canonical blog to discuss "activities and recommendations related to Secure Boot" talks about implementing Secure Boot for Ubuntu 12.10, but that information is dated. On the other, hand, there is a thread over at askubuntu.com that appears to suggest that Ubuntu 12.10 supports Secure Boot.
In any event, the backup plan (in case the thread is a bunch of hot air) is to go ahead and run Windows 8, but then install WMWare Workstation 9 to be able to run Ubuntu when I want to.
Cheers...
And so, the computer I got yesterday is a pretty hot piece of hardware that sold for an easy-on-the-eyes price. I figured I'd "pay the Windows tax" (that part of the hardware cost that covers the presence of Windows on the system), and install Ubuntu over whatever version of Windows was put on at the factory. Afterward, I might entertain the idea of installing VMWare Workstation 9 so as to have the ability to run Windows on the machine, for there are some things that can only be done in Windows.
My plan pretty much started to lose altitude (on its way to crashing and burning) when it became clear that, with Windows 8 preinstalled on the computer, there was no way to boot from any medium that had not been duly digitally signed. Indeed, a few minutes research on the Web turned up the fascinating tidbit that even folks who had bought separate Windows 8 Pro packages, while they could boot their purchased disks, could only install those bits and pieces of the operating system that were authorized by the Windows key embedded in the Secure Boot BIOS. (As I understand it, Windows installation media contains all the parts for all levels of Windows—Home, Pro, etc.—and what gets installed is driven by the key provided to the system during installation.)
The most recent post at the Canonical blog to discuss "activities and recommendations related to Secure Boot" talks about implementing Secure Boot for Ubuntu 12.10, but that information is dated. On the other, hand, there is a thread over at askubuntu.com that appears to suggest that Ubuntu 12.10 supports Secure Boot.
In any event, the backup plan (in case the thread is a bunch of hot air) is to go ahead and run Windows 8, but then install WMWare Workstation 9 to be able to run Ubuntu when I want to.
Cheers...
