How To Uefi Secure Boot Vanguard

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Of course! Here is a very lengthy and detailed guide on enabling UEFI Secure Boot to resolve issues with games that use Vanguard, such as Valorant.

Solving the Vanguard Secure Boot Error: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide

Tired of seeing that pesky VAN9001 or VAN9003 error message pop up every time you try to launch Valorant or another Riot Games title? You're not alone. This error is a common roadblock for many PC gamers, and it's Riot Vanguard, their robust anti-cheat software, telling you that your system doesn't meet its security requirements. Specifically, it needs UEFI Secure Boot to be enabled.

Don't worry, this isn't as scary as it sounds. We're going to walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, to get your game up and running.

Step 1: The Most Important First Step: Check Your System's Readiness

Before you change a single setting in your BIOS, you absolutely must check your system's current configuration. This is a critical prerequisite to avoid potential boot issues. Trust me, you don't want to get stuck in a boot loop!

Are you getting the VAN9001 or VAN9003 error? These errors specifically indicate that your system is not meeting the Windows 11 security requirements, which include TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. While you might be on Windows 10, Vanguard now often requires these settings to be enabled for enhanced security against cheating.

Sub-step 1.1: Check Your Partition Style: MBR vs. GPT This is the most common reason for boot failure after enabling Secure Boot. Your hard drive or SSD must be using the GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition style, not the older MBR (Master Boot Record). UEFI mode, which is required for Secure Boot, works with GPT, while Legacy BIOS (or CSM) works with MBR.

  • How to check:

    1. Press Win + X on your keyboard and select Disk Management.

    2. In the Disk Management window, find your main C: drive (usually named "Disk 0" or "Disk 1").

    3. Right-click on the disk's name (e.g., "Disk 0") in the left pane, and select Properties.

    4. Go to the Volumes tab.

    5. Look for the "Partition style" entry.

    6. If it says GUID Partition Table (GPT), you are good to go! You can skip to Step 2.

    7. If it says Master Boot Record (MBR), DO NOT PROCEED YET! You must convert your disk to GPT first. We will cover this in the troubleshooting section, but this is a non-negotiable step.

Sub-step 1.2: Verify if your BIOS is in UEFI Mode If your disk is already GPT, you need to confirm that your system is booting in UEFI mode.

  • How to check:

    1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.

    2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter. This will open the System Information window.

    3. In the right pane, look for the entry "BIOS Mode".

    4. If it says "UEFI", great! You're ready to enable Secure Boot.

    5. If it says "Legacy", you'll need to switch this setting in the BIOS/UEFI firmware first (which we will cover in Step 3).

Step 2: Entering Your System's BIOS/UEFI Firmware

Now that you've confirmed your system's readiness, it's time to access the heart of your PC's settings: the BIOS/UEFI firmware.

  1. Restart your computer.

  2. As soon as the screen goes black and the manufacturer's logo (Dell, HP, ASUS, etc.) appears, start repeatedly pressing the BIOS access key. The key varies by manufacturer.

Manufacturer

Common BIOS Key(s)

Dell

F2 or F12

HP

F10 or Esc

Lenovo

F1 or F2

ASUS

Del or F2

Acer

F2 or Del

MSI

Del

Gigabyte

Del

  • If you're unsure, check your motherboard's manual or search online for "how to enter BIOS on [Your Motherboard/Laptop Model]".

You will now be inside the BIOS/UEFI interface, which is a very different environment from Windows, often navigated with a keyboard or mouse.

Step 3: Navigating to the Secure Boot Setting

The layout of every BIOS is different, but the settings are usually grouped under similar headings. Your goal is to find the "Secure Boot" option.

  1. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the menu tabs. Common tabs to check are:

    • Boot

    • Security

    • Authentication

    • Boot Options

    • Advanced

  2. Within one of these tabs, look for settings like:

    • Secure Boot

    • Secure Boot State

    • Secure Boot Configuration

  3. Crucial Sub-step 3.1: Disable CSM (Compatibility Support Module)

    • If you find the Secure Boot option but it is grayed out or unchangeable, it's almost always because the CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is enabled.

    • CSM allows your UEFI firmware to function like an old Legacy BIOS to support older hardware and operating systems. Secure Boot requires CSM to be disabled.

    • Look for a setting named CSM, Legacy Boot, or Launch CSM.

    • Set this option to "Disabled".

    • Warning: Disabling CSM might temporarily prevent your system from booting if your disk is MBR and not GPT. This is why Step 1 is so important!

Step 4: Enabling Secure Boot and Saving Changes

Once CSM is disabled, the Secure Boot option should now be selectable.

  1. Select the Secure Boot option.

  2. Change its status from "Disabled" to "Enabled".

  3. In some BIOS versions, you might need to select an option like "Load default Secure Boot keys" or "Install default Secure Boot keys". If you see this, go ahead and do it.

  4. Navigate to the "Save & Exit" tab or press the designated key for "Save & Exit" (often F10).

  5. A confirmation prompt will appear, asking if you want to save the changes and restart. Select "Yes" and press Enter.

Your computer will now reboot. It might take a little longer than usual on the first boot. If everything went smoothly and your disk was GPT, you should boot directly back into Windows.

Step 5: Verifying That It Worked!

After you've rebooted, it's time to confirm that Secure Boot is indeed enabled.

  1. Open the Run dialog again by pressing Win + R.

  2. Type msinfo32 and press Enter.

  3. In the System Information window, look at the "BIOS Mode" and "Secure Boot State" entries.

  4. You should now see:

    • BIOS Mode: UEFI

    • Secure Boot State: On or Enabled

Congratulations! You have successfully enabled UEFI Secure Boot. You can now relaunch Valorant or your game of choice, and the VAN9001 error should be gone.

What If Something Goes Wrong? Common Troubleshooting Steps

Problem: My PC won't boot after enabling Secure Boot. I get a "No Boot Device Found" error or a boot loop.

  • Likely Cause: Your disk is MBR, and you didn't convert it to GPT.

  • Solution: You need to convert your disk from MBR to GPT. Don't worry, Windows has a built-in tool that can do this without data loss.

    1. Backup your data anyway. This is a critical step before any major disk operation.

    2. Boot into Windows Recovery Environment. You can do this by letting the PC fail to boot 3 times, or by using a Windows Installation USB.

    3. Once in the recovery environment, select Troubleshoot -> Advanced options -> Command Prompt.

    4. At the command prompt, type mbr2gpt /validate and press Enter. It should say "Validation completed successfully." If it fails, you might need to update your Windows version first.

    5. Now, type mbr2gpt /convert and press Enter.

    6. After the conversion is complete, exit the command prompt and restart. Your system should now be able to boot with Secure Boot enabled.

Problem: The Secure Boot option is grayed out and I can't change it.

  • Likely Cause: The CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is still enabled.

  • Solution: Re-enter your BIOS (Step 2) and find the CSM setting (Step 3.1). Make sure it is Disabled. You might also need to set the Boot Mode to UEFI only.

Problem: I enabled Secure Boot and now BitLocker is asking for a recovery key!

  • Likely Cause: BitLocker detected a change in your boot environment (the Secure Boot state) and locked the drive as a security measure.

  • Solution: This is normal and expected. You must enter your BitLocker recovery key to unlock the drive. You can find this key in your Microsoft account, a file you saved, or a printout you created when you enabled BitLocker. Do not panic and do not reformat your drive.

Problem: I can't find the Secure Boot setting anywhere!

  • Likely Cause: Your motherboard or laptop is too old and does not support UEFI firmware.

  • Solution: Unfortunately, if your hardware does not support UEFI, it cannot support Secure Boot. You may be stuck with the error and unable to play the game on that machine. You can try to update your BIOS firmware, but this is a complex process and not a guaranteed solution.

10 Related FAQs

How to check my disk's partition style (MBR or GPT)? You can check it in Windows' Disk Management. Press Win + X, select "Disk Management," right-click your main disk (e.g., Disk 0), go to "Properties," and then the "Volumes" tab.

How to convert MBR to GPT without losing data? Use the built-in Windows command mbr2gpt.exe in the Windows Recovery Environment. This tool is designed to convert the disk's partition style without affecting your files, but you should always back up your data first to be safe.

How to find the Secure Boot setting in my BIOS? The setting is usually located under the Boot, Security, or Authentication tabs within your BIOS/UEFI firmware. It might be called "Secure Boot," "Secure Boot State," or "Secure Boot Configuration."

How to disable CSM in BIOS? Look for a setting named CSM, Legacy Boot, or Launch CSM in your BIOS/UEFI. It is usually found under the Boot or Advanced tabs. Set it to Disabled.

How to fix a boot loop after enabling Secure Boot? If you get a boot loop after enabling Secure Boot, it's almost certain that your disk is MBR. You need to boot into the Windows Recovery Environment and run the mbr2gpt /convert command.

How to check if Secure Boot is enabled on Windows? Open the System Information window by typing msinfo32 in the Run dialog (Win + R). Look for the "Secure Boot State" entry. It should say "On" or "Enabled."

How to find my BitLocker recovery key? Your BitLocker recovery key is stored in your Microsoft account online, a file you saved, or a printout you created when you first enabled BitLocker. You can access it by logging into your Microsoft account on another device.

How to turn off Secure Boot if I need to? Just go back into your BIOS/UEFI firmware (using the keys from Step 2), navigate back to the Secure Boot setting, and change its state back to Disabled. Then, save and exit.

How to update my BIOS/UEFI firmware? This is a brand-specific process. You need to go to your motherboard or laptop manufacturer's website, download the latest firmware file, and follow their specific instructions (often involving a USB drive and a built-in flashing utility in the BIOS).

How to know if my PC supports Secure Boot? If your motherboard or laptop has a UEFI interface (which is the modern graphical BIOS), it likely supports Secure Boot. You can confirm this by checking your motherboard's specifications online or by looking for the "Secure Boot" setting in the BIOS as described in this guide.

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How To Uefi Secure Boot Vanguard

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