Microsoft says that Windows 10 will be a lot stricter when it comes to setting the Secure Boot feature. Once this feature is enabled, unauthorized installation of an OS other than Windows 10 is not allowed.
Microsoft has made it clear that this time, OEMs are no longer prevented from permanently enabling the Secure Boot on their personal PCs. This will give OEMs full discretion on whether or not to allow users to install other OSes beside Windows 10.
In previous Windows versions, Microsoft has allowed, and at times has even required, OEMs to make the Secure Boot setting user-adjustable. As indicated in the rules for the "Designed for Windows 8" logo, Microsoft mandates that every system should have a user-accessible switch that allows Secure Boot to be turned off, eventually making the PC more compatible with other OSes. The rules also required users being allowed to add their own signatures and cryptographic certificates to the firmware. This helps them to enjoy both the protection offered by Secure Boot and the freedom to compile their own software.
In the case of Windows 10, OEMs may enforce a non-disable option on the Secure Boot feature. This means that any OS the user wants to install will have to be digitally signed before it is allowed to be installed by Secure Boot.
Details on how Secure Boot's new feature will affect Windows 10 users are shown on slides presented by Microsoft at its hardware conference, WinHEC 2015.
"Win10 Desktop: It's OEM option whether to allow end user to turn off Secure Boot. Win 10 Mobile: Must not allow secure boot to be turned off on retail device," states Microsoft on one slide from the conference.
While the new feature may not seem an issue to some users, those who are keen on running an alternative OS may find it a bit troubling. For example, those who use their PC for gaming will have issues because there will be no way for them to dual-boot their Steam Machine to Windows 10 or to run SteamOS on a Windows 10 PC. Moreover, the absence of the Secure Boot off switch will make users unable to downgrade their new Windows 10 PCs and laptops to an older or even additional version such as Ubuntu and Linux.
