Data Recovery Digest

If your computer came with Windows 8 preinstalled then secure boot is going to be enabled by default. This feature is present in order to combat low level malware infections like rootkits. Secure boot will also stop unauthorised (or what it classes at that, anyway) operating systems and software from loading up during the start-up process. However, at some point it may be necessary to boot a live DVD with data recovery software on it, or an alternate operating system. If this is the case then you will need to disable secure boot. This guide will show you how to do just that.
Disabling the secure boot process is going to be a tricky procedure if you are not comfortable fiddling with your computer’s BIOS (Basic Input/Output system) settings. If you are not totally confident in following this guide then it is recommended getting someone to help you through it as changing the wrong things in the BIOS could cause more harm than good to your computer.
First, press Win+C on the keyboard and a sidebar will come up on your screen. Select the ‘Settings’ option. You will be taken to a new screen. Here, select ‘General’ from under the ‘PC settings’ heading and then, under ‘Advanced startup’, click ‘Restart now’. You may be told to wait a brief while.
You will be greeted with a new screen asking you to choose an option. Select ‘Troubleshoot’ and then on the next page click ‘Advanced options’. Next, click ‘UEFI Firmware Settings’ and then, finally, press ‘Restart’.
Your computer will now restart. What you see from this point onwards will vary depending on what manufacture you have – there’s no universal guide or set standard, which makes things a little bit tricky.
You are going to need to access the BIOS when your computer starts up. Some computer manufacturers will display their logo and then tell you which key to press to enter setup. Usually it’ll be something like Delete, F1, F2, or a combination of them. Hold them down until your system enters BIOS.
Again, each BIOS is going to be different, but usually you will need to click a ‘Security’ tab. You may be able to see an option already that details the secure boot configuration. If not, look for a further option labelled ‘Secure boot’. Once you have found it, disable it and then restart your computer by pressing the F10 key (this will save your settings automatically).
Bear in mind that the secure boot option may not even be under any ‘Security’ heading, so search every page if needs be. You should also note that not all hardware will let you disable the secure boot feature. While most should, it could be the case that yours does not allow it.
Hopefully this guide has helped you in disabling the secure boot setting in Windows 8. If you are just using it to test something out and do not need it disabled permanently, be sure to follow the above steps again in order to reactive the function.