Purpose: Enhancing Security and Startup Performance

To ensure every company computer is secure, reliable, and modern, we perform routine health checks on all devices. The “System Boot Method” check verifies that your computer is using the latest industry-standard technology to start up.

This fundamental check ensures your device can take advantage of modern security features and is compatible with current operating systems like Windows 11.

How it Works: An Analogy

Think of your computer’s boot method as the way you start a car.

• Legacy BIOS is the old-fashioned way: a simple metal key in an ignition. It gets the job done, but it’s a decades-old technology with minimal security features.
• UEFI is the modern equivalent: a push-to-start button connected to a smart system. It’s not just about starting the engine; it also runs a security check, starts up much faster, and enables advanced features.

UEFI is the new standard because it provides a more secure and efficient foundation for your entire computer system. Our health check simply verifies that your computer is using the modern “push-to-start” method.

What Your Results Mean

The check will result in one of two outcomes. Below is a simple guide to understand your result and the required action.

Status	What It Means	What To Do
PASS	Modern Boot Method Detected (UEFI) Your computer starts up using the modern, secure, and efficient UEFI standard.	No action is required. Your system is configured correctly.
ACTION REQUIREDFAIL	Outdated Boot Method Detected (Legacy BIOS) Your computer is using the older, less secure Legacy BIOS method. This prevents it from using critical security features and makes it incompatible with Windows 11.	This requires a technical adjustment. Please contact the IT Help Desk to schedule a time for a technician to update your system’s configuration. This is not something that can be fixed with a simple click, and it’s important that it’s done correctly by our IT team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

My computer starts up just fine. Why does this matter?

• While your computer may seem to start normally, the older Legacy BIOS method lacks crucial security protections that happen “under the hood.” For example, it cannot use a feature called “Secure Boot,” which prevents malicious software from loading when your computer turns on. Updating to UEFI ensures your device is protected from these advanced threats.

Is my computer broken or did I do something wrong?

• No, your computer is not broken, and you did not do anything wrong. This is a system setting that is sometimes configured by the manufacturer. Our check simply identifies devices that need to be brought up to the current company standard for security and performance.

What happens if I don’t get this fixed?

• Your device will be more vulnerable to certain types of viruses and will not be eligible for future upgrades, including the mandatory move to Windows 11. It is essential to contact IT to have this setting corrected.