Zorin OS with Secure Boot?

Installing Zorin OS
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Hey guys! Zorin OS newcomer but long-time Linux user here. I installed Zorin OS 16.2 on my brand new ASUS ROG Scar 17 laptop alongside Win 11.

I disabled Secure Boot to be able to launch the live USB and install Zorin OS in the first place. Once it was installed, I re-enabled Secure Boot, then went into nvidia-settings and found its interface almost blank, only the Prime switch menu was left. So I switched to another Prime profile and it told me I needed to set a password to make the graphics card work with Secure Boot enabled. It said the PC would ask me for the same password when I rebooted.

I did, and right at boot, even before grub, I got a menu with a couple options I never heard of, it was something about reading a key from disk or proceeding like normal? Not sure. I picked one of the options, can't quite remember which one, and Zorin OS booted, but then nvidia-settings was completely empty, no more options at all, just a blank white window.

I never got asked about this Secure Boot password again. I have since re-installed Zorin OS and I'm not sure what will happen if I enable Secure Boot in the BIOS now. I heard Win 11 might become unstable if I keep it disabled.

So what's the right way to proceed now?

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Disabling Secure boot when booting just Zorin OS is preferred.

But Zorin OS can be installed with Secure Boot Enabled.
It just makes things less complicated to install if not using Secure Boot.

Secure Boot was developed solely for Windows OS. It is irrelevant to Linux and ineffective on Linux.

The only reason to use it is if you are Dual Booting Windows and Linux.

Secure Boot operates by comparing the boot-up objects with a list of objects Microsoft signed off as safe. If something is not on the list (Which does not mean it is unsafe, just that it is not on the list); it will inhibit boot.

Microsoft oh so kindly signed off on the majority of Linux objects, but managed to uhhh err... forget a few...
And the result is that sometimes, Secure Boot on Linux can cause some users troubles and headaches.

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As @Aravisian states Secure boot is not needed usually.

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Thanks guys! I've done some more digging and come to the same conclusion. In that case, I'll just leave it off :slight_smile:

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