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I used to have Windows 10 on my laptop, which ran very slowly. I decided to install Ubuntu 18.04 on it, so I disabled secure boot. Now, the laptop takes a long time to boot up. Is it safe to re-enable secure boot? If the model is neccessary, it's an ASUS X551MA.

Tristian
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2 Answers2

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The ubuntu kernels are signed, and compatible with secure boot. However, they are not signed by the microsoft key that is surely enabled in your bios. What is signed though, by microsoft key, is somehting called shimx64. To enable secure boot, what I did was:

  • sudo apt-get install shim-signed, to install shimx64

  • sudo apt-get install grub-efi-amd64-signed, to enable the signed grub loader

  • rerun sudo grub-install /dev/[your device here], to reinstall this, but making sure to use the option --uefi-secure-boot

Then I restarted my computer, enabled secure boot in the bios screen, and it booted ok :)

Note that I had already configured my partitions to be in GPT, and to boot using UEFI.

Hugh Perkins
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    For those using proprietary drivers like display link, you also need to setup EVDI kernel modules with DKMS. – mindlid Aug 02 '22 at 05:37
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To answer your exact question, yes, it's safe to re-enable secure boot.

All current Ubuntu 64bit (not 32bit) versions now support this feature.
Sources:
Ubuntu Secure Boot
How UEFI Secure Boot works on Ubuntu

As for the slow booting, I doubt secure boot is affecting this. How long does it take to boot? Windows 10 uses a hibernation method called "fast startup" to rapidly load your system from a saved image, though it's not a true "from zero" boot. Maybe you're comparing Ubuntu's load time to this, and it just seems slow by contrast. Anywhere in the 1 minute ballpark shouldn't be worrisome.

jordy
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  • Thank you for the answer. And by booting more slowly, I meant it boots into what seems like a legacy BIOS boot screen, and takes about 2 minutes before the Ubuntu booting GUI pops up. – Tristian Jun 19 '18 at 18:49
  • I change my mind. Enabling secure boot completely erased my hard drive. Now I have to reinstall Ubuntu. Its fine though, I guess, since I only installed it yesterday. – Tristian Jun 19 '18 at 19:20