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has anyone found a way to put linux on windows 8 in secure boot

I have a dell with windows 8.1 and I would like to put linux in a secure boot next to it

Some versions of linux should support that.

I might be tempted to just run a virtual machine in windows 8 and avoid the headache and chance to mess up your computer.

You will most likely have to disable "secure boot." Basically, the BIOS has "Windows" defined as "secure", and it will refuse to boot Linux (as far as I know). You will need to disable "secure boot" through the BIOS, but I think some distros can handle UEFI boot.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dellmn (Post 5145474)

I have a dell with windows 8.1 and I would like to put linux in a secure boot next to it

There are several Gnu/Linux that can be used with a (UEFI/EFI) based systems. I use Slackware with little or no issue(s) to get a good install.

You could look at http://docs.slackware.com/start

Quote:

installing_on_uefi_hardware

Some modern computers have started to offer motherboards that use Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) as a replacement for the traditional BIOS. Slackware is perfectly capable or running on such machines, albeit with the provisos that before Slackware 14.1 the official install media could not be booted via UEFI directly and no UEFI bootloader was provided as part of the official selection of packages.
If you do wish to install Slackware on a UEFI based machine it is strongly recommended that you use Slackware64 14.1 or above, thus allowing you to simply boot the official install media.

Most Gnu/Linux that are UEFI/EFI capable do provide instructions for installs. You will need to consult the documentation to learn the techniques.

If you do decide to try Slackware then post to Slackware forum for some help from active resourceful members.

Hope this helps.
:hattip:

Here's a Mint tutorial you might want to have a look at:
[TUTORIAL] Installing Mint on a Windows 8/8.1 Computer. You can apply most of the info there to other distros.

It's geared toward Linux newbies, so gloss over the basics you already know if you're not new to Linux. Pay particular attention to the "Preparing Windows for the Linux Installation" section. In addition to things there, booting your Linux install disk (Mint or other distro) in the same mode that Windows was installed in is the key. You'll need to refer to your computer's user manual for instructions on changing the UEFI settings for that. They differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Also, if installing in UEFI-mode (most likely), grub bootloader gets installed to the EFI System Partition, not the MBR.

Near bottom of tutorial are links to more info on UEFI, Disabling Secure Boot and Fast Startup, etc.

P.s. If you do have a system where Windows 8 is installed in Legacy-mode, then ignore those instructions. Just make sure the Installer disk gets booted in Legacy-mode too, then proceed as if it were any other run-of-the-mill Linux install.

P.s.s. Not sure how many Linux distros support secure booting as of yet. Ubuntu does, but don't think Mint does. Not sure about any others, but possibly Suse & Fedora might as well. Check the distro's site for details on that if it's important to you.