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Disable Secure Boot

At the moment, NixOS/Clan does not support Secure Boot. Therefore, you need to disable it in the BIOS. You can watch this video guide or follow the instructions below:

Insert the USB Stick

  • Begin by inserting the USB stick into a USB port on your computer.

Access the UEFI/BIOS Menu

  • Restart your computer.
  • As your computer restarts, press the appropriate key to enter the UEFI/BIOS settings.
The key depends on your laptop or motherboard manufacturer. Click to see a reference list:
Manufacturer UEFI/BIOS Key(s)
ASUS Del, F2
MSI Del, F2
Gigabyte Del, F2
ASRock Del, F2
Lenovo F1, F2, Enter (alternatively Fn + F2)
HP Esc, F10
Dell F2, Fn + F2, Esc
Acer F2, Del
Samsung F2, F10
Toshiba F2, Esc
Sony F2, Assist button
Fujitsu F2
Microsoft Surface Volume Up + Power
IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad Enter, F1, F12
Biostar Del
Zotac Del, F2
EVGA Del
Origin PC F2, Delete

Note

Pressing the key quickly and repeatedly is sometimes necessary to access the UEFI/BIOS menu, as the window to enter this mode is brief.

Access Advanced Mode (Optional)

  • If your UEFI/BIOS has a Simple or Easy mode interface, look for an option labeled Advanced Mode (often found in the lower right corner).
  • Click on Advanced Mode to access more settings. This step is optional, as your boot settings might be available in the basic view.

Disable Secure Boot

  • Locate the Secure Boot option in your UEFI/BIOS settings. This is typically found under a Security tab, Boot tab, or a similarly named section.
  • Set the Secure Boot option to Disabled.

Change Boot Order

  • Find the option to adjust the boot order—often labeled Boot Order, Boot Sequence, or Boot Priority.
  • Ensure that your USB device is set as the first boot option. This allows your computer to boot from the USB stick.

Save and Exit

  • Save your changes before exiting the UEFI/BIOS menu. Look for a Save & Exit option or press the corresponding function key (often F10).
  • Your computer should now restart and boot from the USB stick.