# seeking clarification - what is 'UEFI Ready' graphics card



## patkim (Oct 13, 2015)

I find a term ‘UEFI ready’ Graphics card. What does it actually mean? Could someone clarify please. If I have a mobo that supports UEFI, should I be looking for such graphivs card for compatibility. Also does ‘secure boot’ being enabled affects ability of Graphics card from running / operating as expected?

Any related  technical clarification shall be great to know. Thanks.


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## Flash (Oct 13, 2015)

What does it mean when a video card is UEFI-Ready? [Solved] - Graphics Cards - Graphics Cards


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## DK_WD (Oct 14, 2015)

Hi  [MENTION=4314]patkim[/MENTION],

UEFI is a new system BIOS feature that is provided on most new motherboards. A UEFI system BIOS are required in order for the latest Windows, Secure boot feature to work. Secure boot is enabled by default on certified Windows PCs.

UEFI ready is the new features in latest GPU cards to make the compatibility with the other PC components in the system. 

In order to get the PC to boot with a graphics card that does contain UEFI firmware, the end-user must first enable the secure boot feature in the system's BIOS before installing the graphics card.

If a GPU card is a non-UEFI-enabled, then you have to set the BIOS in legacy boot to access the GPU.


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## patkim (Oct 14, 2015)

Thanks [MENTION=142062]Flash[/MENTION] & [MENTION=293224]DK_WD[/MENTION]



> In order to get the PC to boot with a graphics card that does contain UEFI firmware, the end-user must first enable the secure boot feature in the system's BIOS before installing the graphics card.



So in other words can I say that if I have UEFI based mobo with Secure Boot supported, and I wish to keep UEFI + Secure Boot enabled and want to install a separate Graphics card, I should be looking out for UEFI Ready card.

With secure boot enabled should I as a user be concerned about any additional secure boot keys w.r.t. graphics card? Does secure boot also verify any embedded component (if any)  of the graphics card?    Thanks.


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## topgear (Oct 20, 2015)

TBH there's nothing as UEFI Ready Card -  it's just another marketing term. I've tested a UEFI motherboard with a HD4650 and there's no motherboard available on the market when HD4650 was released I guess.

Secure boot is just another feature to ensure windows licensing ... M$ sells OEM license to oem pc manufacturer which will work with only certain number of hardwares configs / limited upgrades to ensure windows license is in original state and not being used on other sets of hardware for some specific keys. Now to ensure this in collaboration with MS or any other software vendor hardware vendors implements this at low level [ read UEFI firmware ] with special secure boot key.

This key will try to prevent any mismatched config which do not meet it's encrypted keys ... think it as a digital certificate / signature for software. If both keys do not match windows will throw a message about this copy of windows is not a legit one or will refuse to boot at all.

Now where it leaves us - for this manufactures kept an option about disabling secure boot so you can test with all sorts of boot loaders. Secure boot was invented keeping two things in mind .. to prevent malwares to hijack your boot loader process rendering them very tough to remove and do their work silently and of course for windows licensing.

Now many hardware vendors are installing windows generic boot process certificate as secure boot keys to prevent malwares and some additional certificates for linux boot loaders. But if you experiment a lot with different kind os OSes you may need to disable secure boot to ensure other boot loaders can boot normally. Or you need to add your own secure boot keys.

I know I've deviated from the main topic but I think it's worth it.


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## patkim (Oct 26, 2015)

Thanks [MENTION=15026]topgear[/MENTION] This was useful piece of info.


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## topgear (Oct 29, 2015)

you are welcome. Anyway, in short Secure boot is more evil than good for average power user and these should be enough to convince you :

The Secure Boot Controversy: What does it mean to IT?

*www.linux.com/learn/tutorials/588498-uefi-secure-boot-big-hassle-questionable-benefit

Only are it's beneficial is offices or institutions where there is a large number of pcs which should not be tinkered with.


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