BIOS / UEFI Error Code
Systems & Devices
BIOS / UEFI
SECURE BOOT VIOLATION | Boot blocked by policy
Industry
Systems & Devices
Canonical
/systems/bios-uefi/error-codes/secure-boot-violation/
Last Updated
Feb 27, 2026
Summary
Firmware blocked boot because Secure Boot validation failed.
Advertisement after-summary
Ad Space
What This Code Means
“SECURE BOOT VIOLATION” indicates Secure Boot validation failed and firmware blocked the boot process. It can occur after changes to bootloaders, keys, or boot configuration that the firmware does not trust.
Where Users Usually See This Code
- During POST at startup
- Firmware security checks (TPM/Secure Boot)
- Boot device selection and initialization
- Hardware monitoring screens
Why This Code Appears
- A required component did not initialize correctly
- Boot configuration could not find a valid device
- Security policy blocked boot
- Firmware detected a health or configuration issue
What Typically Happens Next
- Boot may stop or loop at startup
- A firmware message is displayed
- The system may enter recovery or setup screens
What This Code Is Not
- It is not safe to guess at hardware fixes
- It is not always solved by a firmware update
Troubleshooting Checklist
- □ Record the exact message and the device model
- □ Check official documentation for the specific OEM mapping
- □ Confirm boot order and whether the expected drive is detected
- □ Verify date/time settings if security validation is failing
- □ Avoid hardware disassembly unless qualified and instructed
- □ Use vendor support pathways for repeat boot failures
Notes And Edge Cases
Firmware messages and beep codes vary significantly by vendor and model.
Related Codes
8 links
- CMOS CHECKSUM BAD CodeFirmware settings invalid
- PXE BOOT FAILED CodeNetwork boot fallback
- BOOT DEVICE NOT FOUND CodeBoot device unavailable
- BOOT FAILURE CodeInsert system disk
- NO BOOTABLE DEVICE CodeBoot device missing
- PXE-E61: MEDIA TEST FAILURE CodeNetwork boot attempted
- CMOS BATTERY FAILURE CodeRTC/CMOS battery issue
- DISK BOOT FAILURE CodeBoot device not bootable
Advertisement near-bottom
Ad Space