Disabling Secure Boot on an ASUS Motherboard Made Simple

Hey there! Today, I’m going to walk you through the process of disabling Secure Boot on your ASUS motherboard. It’s a straightforward task, but I understand it can feel a bit daunting at first. Don’t worry, though—I’ve got your back!

First things first, let’s demystify what Secure Boot actually is. It’s a nifty little feature that helps protect your computer from unauthorized software during the boot-up process. While it’s beneficial in terms of security, there are instances where you might need to disable it. That’s where I come in to assist you.

Now, let’s tackle the steps. Remember, we’re in this together!

Step 1: Power up your computer and press the “F2” key repeatedly as soon as you see the ASUS logo. This will take you to the BIOS setup utility. Exciting, right?

Step 2: Look for the “Security” tab using the arrow keys, and hit “Enter” to access it. Keep your eyes peeled—I promise it’s there!

Step 3: Within the “Security” tab, locate the “Secure Boot” option. Once you find it, highlight it and press “Enter”. This will present you with a list of options. Stay with me!

Step 4: Now, select the “Secure Boot Control” option and adjust it to “Disabled”. This lets your computer know we mean business and want Secure Boot turned off. You’re doing great!

Step 5: Finally, press the “F10” key to save your changes. It’s like sealing the deal—I’m proud of you!

That’s it! You’ve successfully disabled Secure Boot on your ASUS motherboard. Wasn’t that a breeze? Remember, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further guidance. I’m here to assist you every step of the way. Happy computing!

By default, most ASUS motherboards with UEFI BIOS have Secure Boot mode enabled. But disabling it can make it easier to install Windows or set up dual boot on your computer.

On many models, there’s no direct way to disable Secure Boot mode. So, we’ll have to clear the keys that enable it from the BIOS. Don’t worry, you can always reverse this process and enable Secure Boot without any problems. Disabling or enabling Secure Boot won’t void the warranty either.

Before You Begin

Before you disable Secure Boot mode on your computer with an ASUS motherboard, you should enable GPT partitions. For example, if you want to install a copy of Windows on your computer, you won’t be able to do it if the system is not in UEFI mode. The hard drive partition style needs to support this mode or be compatible with it.

Enabling UEFI mode will also enable GPT partitioning on your hard drive. This allows you to create partitions larger than 4GB and have as many of them as you want. There are two ways to do it – Command Prompt or a third-party app.

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Command Prompt

If you prefer using Command Prompt, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows installation disk or plug in a USB stick and boot the computer in UEFI mode.
2. When the setup opens, press the Shift and F10 keys simultaneously. This will bring up the Command Prompt console.
3. Use the diskpart command to access the disk partition tool. Allow it to make changes to your computer.
4. Use the listdisk command to identify and list the disk format.
5. Select the drive you want to format and convert to GPT using the following commands: Select disk, clean (this command wipes the disk), convert gpt (this converts it to GPT).

Third-Party App

If you don’t want to deal with Command Prompt, you can use Partition Master by EaseUS to turn your hard drive into GPT. The app can also help you delete, remove, wipe, merge, and create hard disk partitions.

The app is available in three versions – Partition Master Pro (for a single computer), Partition Master Server (for servers), and Partition Master Unlimited (for multiple computers and servers). All three options offer free trials. You can find them on EaseUS’s official site.

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Disabling Secure Boot

With all the preparations done, it’s time to disable Secure Boot on your ASUS. Just follow these steps.

1. First, connect a USB drive to your computer.
2. Now, open the Start menu and choose the option to reboot your computer.
3. When the computer starts to boot up, press the DEL button on your keyboard to access the BIOS settings. Note that depending on your computer model, you may need to press a different button.
4. Look for the Advanced Mode and open it. This is usually done by pressing the F7 key, although there may be different shortcuts for different models.
5. Now, navigate to the Boot section.
6. After that, open the sub-menu for Secure Boot.
7. In the OS Type section, select the option for Windows UEFI mode from the drop-down menu.
8. Next, go to the Key Management sub-menu.
9. Choose the option to Save Secure Boot Keys.
10. Press Enter to confirm your selection.
11. When prompted to choose a file system, select the USB drive that you just plugged in.
12. The BIOS will then save the DBX, DB, KEK, and PK key files onto the USB drive.
13. Now, it’s time to delete the Platform Key. This will disable the Secure Boot feature. Be careful not to delete any other keys.
14. To save your changes and exit the BIOS, press the F10 key on your keyboard. Your computer will restart and boot up without the Secure Boot mode enabled.

Enabling Secure Boot

If you changed your mind and want to enable Secure Boot again, follow these steps:

1. Plug a USB drive into your computer.
2. Open the Start menu and select the Restart option from the Power menu.
3. When your computer starts booting, press the DEL key (or another assigned key) to access the BIOS settings.
4. Press the F7 key (or another designated key) to enter the Advanced Mode section of the BIOS menu.
5. Go to the Boot section.
6. Then, open the Secure Boot section.
7. Select Windows UEFI mode from the drop-down menu in the OS Type option.
8. Next, navigate to Key Management.
9. Scroll down to the Load Default PK option and press Enter.
10. If you choose to load the default set of keys, select Yes. Afterward, save your changes and exit. Wait for your computer to reboot. If you select No, you can load the keys that you backed up.
11. If you picked No, now choose the USB drive that contains the keys from the Select a File System list.
12. Select the PK key and click OK.
13. In the Select Key file type, choose UEFI Secure Variable and press OK.
14. When prompted to update ‘PK’ from the selected file ‘PK’, select Yes.
15. Save your changes and exit. Wait for your computer to boot up in Secure Boot mode.

Take Control of Your Computer

Disabling the Secure Boot mode gives you more control over your computer. The great thing is that it’s completely reversible and doesn’t invalidate the warranty.

Have you tried disabling Secure Boot? Did you encounter any issues along the way? Let us know in the comments below.