Can Ubuntu run on a Microsoft Surface with Windows RT?

Solution 1:

Since on the RT tablet I would say no, since Microsoft requires secure keys in order to boot up it. It would probably on a standard Windows 8 tablet though, since the secure boot is an optional thing for OEM's, unlike the mandatory one for the Surface.

Here is a similar question

http://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/1229uw/question_linux_on_a_windows_surface_tablet/

Solution 2:

In short, it doesn't look likely without some extreme hacking that nobody has done.

Microsoft have deliberately nobbled the Windows 8 specification so that this can't happen on ARM-based machines.

To be Windows 8 RT compatible (ARM machines only) it must not be possible to disable or reconfigure secure boot. So if you have an ARM machine that can run Windows 8 RT then it can only run an operating system signed by Microsoft.

So the Surface RT is like all other Windows 8 RT in that it's very much a device for muggles and mouse mittens; no Linux or BSD wizardry allowed, no dual-booting hacked-up iOS and no Android either. I can understand why they'd do this because most people are pointers and clickers, but it's not a machine for tech-heads.

The Surface Pro has an Intel i5 machine so hopefully Ubuntu 13.04 will support it of the box, if it does then I'll get one.

Source: Windows Phone Central Forums

Solution 3:

Yes: Microsoft recently leaked so-called "golden keys" used to (essentially) disable secure boot on RT devices.

This makes it possible to run Ubuntu on RT devices; how to do it would be a nice follow-up question, and there doesn't seem to be many guides out there.