Microsoft’s Windows 11 is now available, and to upgrade your PC, you must have TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot configured in your motherboard’s BIOS. Secure Boot is a UEFI firmware feature that helps to prevent harmful programs and unapproved operating systems from being loaded during system startup. In this post, we’ll look at verifying whether your machine has secure boot enabled and, if not, how to activate secure boot so that you may continue installing Windows 11.
What is Secure Boot? Why Do You Need It?
The primary objective of Secure Boot is to block malicious operating systems and boot files from being executed before the computer boots up. It verifies the signature of all boot software, including UEFI firmware drivers (also known as Option ROMs), EFI programs, and the operating system.
The UEFI firmware includes a list of trusted suppliers and will only allow software signed by a trustworthy vendor to be loaded. While most new PCs have Secure Boot enabled, there may be times when it is disabled, or your computer’s hardware is too old to handle it, in which case you can attempt circumventing the TPM and Secure Boot requirements to install Windows 11.
How to Check Whether Secure Boot Is Enabled or Not?
If you’re unsure whether Secure Boot is enabled on your machine, do the following steps to learn more about its configuration status:
- Start by striking the Start key on your keyboard or the Windows icon on your Taskbar.
- Next, key in System Information and choose the one that’s the best match with the same title.
- Under System Summary, check for Secure Boot State and BIOS Mode. For Windows 11 to work on a computer, you require the BIOS Mode to be set to UEFI and Secure Boot State to ON.
Don’t fret if either of the options is the way it should be; keep reading the article to know how you can turn Secure Boot State to ON.
How to Enable Secure Boot via BIOS or UEFI
Enabling Secure Boot is a two-step process since you must also switch your PC Boot Mode to UEFI/BIOS from legacy modes if your machine is old or is not configured appropriately. Your BIOS settings allow you to switch between PC Boot modes simply.
Power down your computer and enter the BIOS; you may enter the BIOS by pressing the F12 or Del keys, depending on the manufacturer; a quick Google search can help you identify your laptop manufacturer’s BIOS boot keys. Enter the BIOS and look for an option that reads Advanced Boot Options, Boot Mode, or anything along those lines, with UEFI or Legacy options; turn it to UEFI if it isn’t already and save the adjustments.
Please remember that if the system already has an operating system (OS) installed, you may need to reinstall it after changing the boot mode. As a result, it is strongly advised that you create a comprehensive backup of your data and maintain a backup installation disc on hand.
Convert Storage to GPT Format
With the PC Boot State switched to UEFI, certain adjustments must also be made to the hard disk drive. For example, the MBR format is not supported on UEFI-based operating systems. Thus, you must convert your hard drive to GPT format. This is readily accomplished using third-party software or a command line. Learn how to convert MBR to GPT in Windows without losing data.
Enable UEFI Mode
Now that you’ve set it up to boot in UEFI mode, it’s time to enable Secure Boot. While the Secure Boot toggle may be easily accessible in some manufacturers’ BIOS, some manufacturers likely keep the option buried deep.
The Secure Boot toggle is commonly found under the Security Tab of your BIOS settings or on some systems with a separate tab for Secure Boot; set the toggle to ON/Enabled, save the changes, and restart your computer. To identify the exact placement of the toggle, we recommend consulting the motherboard manufacturer’s official documentation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is essential to verify whether Secure Boot is enabled on your computer before attempting to install Windows 11 on your computer. To Install Windows 11 on your machine, ensure that you have TPM 2.0, Secure Boot Enabled, PC Boot Mode set to UEFI, and the hard drive formatted with GPT format. Secure Boot adds a layer of security to your PC and can be enabled from the BIOS, as mentioned in the tutorial above.