Microsoft seems to be blocking off the possibility of combination Windows 10/SteamOS PCs with new rules to UEFI Secure Boot.
UEFI Secure Boot is a high level security feature that protects computers from malware that interfere with the booting process. To do this, Secure Boot uses cryptographic signatures the UEFI firmware needs to confirm before it allows the computer to boot.
By its nature, Secure Boot locks out the chance of dual booting multiple OSes on a single computer, such as Linux and FreeBSD. Microsoft acquiesced to consumers, and mandated their manufacturing partners add a way for users to turn Secure Boot off on their Windows 8 PC hardware.
This all seems to have changed today. In a WinHEC hardware conference in Shenzhen, Microsoft revealed hardware requirements for Windows 10. This time, their partners do not have to add the option to turn Secure Boot off. This leaves it up to the computer manufacturers to decide if they even want to offer it.
With no Secure Boot off switch, it’s more than likely that you will not be able to buy a Steam Machine that can dual boot to Windows 10, or install SteamOS on a Windows 10 machine. It’s also likely that PC manufacturers partnered with Microsoft and Valve will charge a high premium for such a product, if they have the leverage to make them.
These may be high level options only advanced PC gamers would play with, but it still represents a narrowing of options for consumers, and what seems to be a shot fired at Valve and their Steam Machines.
You can’t blame Microsoft for being competitive, of course, but what do you think of this action? Does it make you less likely to buy a Steam Machine, or upgrade to Windows 10? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
