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If VALORANT shows a Secure Boot, VAN9001, VAN9003, or similar Vanguard compliance error, check Windows before changing firmware settings. Press Win + R, enter msinfo32, and confirm BIOS Mode. If it already says UEFI, disable CSM or Legacy Boot in your UEFI settings and enable Secure Boot. If it says Legacy, convert the Windows system disk from MBR to GPT with Microsoft’s MBR2GPT.exe workflow before switching to UEFI.
Afterward, Windows should report BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On. If Vanguard also reports a TPM problem, enable Intel PTT, AMD fTPM, or the equivalent firmware TPM and verify it in Windows.
What Secure Boot does for VALORANT
Secure Boot is a security feature enforced by your motherboard or laptop’s UEFI firmware—not a setting inside VALORANT. It checks that trusted, digitally signed boot software is allowed to load before Windows starts.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRiot Vanguard uses pre-boot and kernel-level security checks to make it harder for malware or cheat components to compromise Windows before Vanguard starts. However, enabling Secure Boot alone may not resolve the problem if the PC still uses Legacy mode, the system disk is formatted as MBR, TPM 2.0 is disabled, or the firmware’s Secure Boot key database is incomplete. Riot explains Vanguard’s broader security requirements in its Vanguard security update.
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Secure Boot is not necessarily required in exactly the same way for every VALORANT installation. Vanguard’s requirements can depend on Windows version, hardware, firmware state, and the specific error shown.
Before changing firmware settings
- Back up important files.
- If BitLocker is enabled, save the recovery key and be prepared to suspend protection before an MBR-to-GPT conversion.
- Record the exact Vanguard error code.
- Photograph or note your current firmware settings.
- Check whether Windows already uses UEFI.
Check whether Secure Boot is actually disabled
Check UEFI mode and Secure Boot
- Press
Win + R. - Enter
msinfo32and press Enter. - In System Summary, find BIOS Mode and Secure Boot State.
| Windows result | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
UEFI and Off |
Windows is already using the correct firmware mode. | Enable Secure Boot, usually after disabling CSM or Legacy Boot. |
Legacy |
Windows is booting through legacy BIOS compatibility, usually from an MBR disk. | Back up and validate the disk with MBR2GPT.exe before changing to UEFI. |
UEFI and On |
Secure Boot is already active in Windows. | Investigate TPM, Vanguard services, firmware, Windows, or the exact error instead of repeatedly toggling Secure Boot. |
Microsoft documents msinfo32 as a way to inspect UEFI and Secure Boot status. See Microsoft’s guide to Windows 11 and Secure Boot.
Check TPM 2.0
- Press
Win + R. - Enter
tpm.msc. - Confirm that the TPM is ready for use and that its specification version is 2.0.
You can also open Windows Security → Device security → Security processor details. Microsoft’s TPM 2.0 guide lists these checks and the relevant firmware options.
Enter your UEFI or BIOS settings
From Windows 11, open Settings → System → Recovery. Beside Advanced startup, select Restart now, then choose Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings → Restart.
Alternatively, restart the computer and repeatedly press the manufacturer’s firmware key. Common keys include F2, Delete, F10, F12, and Esc, but the correct key depends on the manufacturer and model. Microsoft documents both approaches in its firmware and Secure Boot instructions.
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Enable Secure Boot when Windows already uses UEFI
Menu names vary between ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and other systems. Look for equivalent settings rather than an identical menu path.
- Open the Boot, Security, or Authentication section.
- Disable CSM, Legacy Support, or Legacy Boot.
- If available, set boot mode to UEFI Only.
- Set OS Type to Windows UEFI Mode or the equivalent Windows option.
- Set Secure Boot to Enabled.
- If prompted, choose Install Default Secure Boot Keys, Restore Factory Keys, or Load Default Keys.
- Save changes and restart Windows.
- Run
msinfo32again and confirm BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On.
Do not casually choose Clear Secure Boot Keys. Clearing the keys is not the normal first-line fix and can create additional boot-policy problems.
Common firmware labels
| Purpose | Possible labels |
|---|---|
| Switch from Legacy mode | Boot Mode, UEFI/Legacy Boot, CSM, Legacy Support |
| Enable Secure Boot | Secure Boot, OS Type, Windows UEFI Mode |
| Restore keys | Install Default Secure Boot Keys, Restore Factory Keys, Load Default Keys |
| Intel TPM | Intel PTT, Platform Trust Technology |
| AMD TPM | AMD fTPM, Firmware TPM, fTPM Switch |
| Generic TPM | TPM Device, Security Device Support, Trusted Computing |
If BIOS Mode says Legacy
Do not simply switch a Legacy/MBR Windows installation to UEFI. The usual order is:
Legacy BIOS + MBR → validate MBR2GPT → convert to GPT → UEFI mode → disable CSM → enable Secure BootMicrosoft’s MBR2GPT.exe is designed to convert a Windows system disk from MBR to GPT without deleting the data, but it has disk-layout requirements and boot conversion can still fail. Back up first.
Check the disk’s partition style
Open PowerShell as administrator and run:
Get-Disk | Format-Table Number, FriendlyName, PartitionStyleIdentify the disk containing Windows. If it reports GPT, MBR2GPT is not needed. If it reports MBR, continue only after backing up and confirming that the disk is eligible.
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Validate before converting
Open Command Prompt as administrator:
mbr2gpt /validate /allowFullOSFor a particular disk, use its actual number:
mbr2gpt /validate /disk:0 /allowFullOSDo not run conversion unless validation succeeds. Microsoft lists requirements including a supported Windows installation, a compatible system disk, no more than three primary MBR partitions, and sufficient space for an EFI System Partition. See the official MBR2GPT documentation.
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Convert the disk
After successful validation, run:
mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOSOr specify the disk:
mbr2gpt /convert /disk:0 /allowFullOSAfter conversion:
- Restart into UEFI firmware settings.
- Set boot mode to UEFI Only.
- Disable CSM or Legacy Boot.
- Choose Windows Boot Manager as the first boot device.
- Enable Secure Boot and install default keys if required.
- Save and restart.
- Verify the result in
msinfo32.
If BitLocker is active, suspend protection before conversion and keep the recovery key available. Follow Microsoft’s BitLocker-specific guidance in the MBR2GPT documentation. Never use diskpart clean on the Windows disk for this procedure; it is destructive.
Enable TPM 2.0 if Vanguard requests it
If the Vanguard message specifically mentions TPM 2.0, return to UEFI settings and look for:
- Intel systems: Intel PTT or Platform Trust Technology.
- AMD systems: AMD fTPM or Firmware TPM.
- Other systems: TPM Device, Security Device Support, Trusted Computing, or a similar option.
Most relatively modern Intel and AMD platforms provide firmware TPM support. Do not buy a discrete TPM module unless the motherboard documentation specifically requires one and confirms compatibility.
Save the setting, boot into Windows, and confirm in tpm.msc that the TPM is ready and reports specification version 2.0.
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Verify the final configuration and launch VALORANT
Your Windows checks should show:
BIOS Mode: UEFI
Secure Boot State: On
TPM: Ready for use
TPM Specification Version: 2.0Restart Windows completely, then launch VALORANT. If Vanguard still displays the same message, restart once more before reinstalling anything. Record the exact error code and follow Riot’s current instructions, including its Vanguard on-demand security guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting
Secure Boot is greyed out
- Confirm BIOS Mode: UEFI in
msinfo32. - Disable CSM or Legacy Support.
- Set the operating-system type to the Windows/UEFI option.
- Restore default Secure Boot keys if the firmware offers that option.
- Save, reboot into firmware, and try again.
A firmware administrator or supervisor password may also be required. If Windows is installed in Legacy/MBR mode, use the MBR2GPT workflow instead of forcing the setting.
Windows will not boot after changing to UEFI
Return to firmware and temporarily restore the previous boot mode. Check whether the system disk is MBR, whether the correct disk was converted, and whether Windows Boot Manager is first in the UEFI boot order. Do not repeatedly change unrelated firmware settings. If the machine contains important data, contact the manufacturer or a qualified technician.
BIOS says Secure Boot is on, but Windows says it is off
Treat msinfo32 as the operational check. The change may not have been saved, the PC may still be booting through CSM, the wrong firmware profile may have been changed, or the firmware may have a compatibility problem. Confirm both BIOS Mode: UEFI and Secure Boot State: On.
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Check the exact Vanguard error rather than toggling settings repeatedly. Possible causes include an unrecognized TPM, outdated BIOS or chipset firmware, pending Windows updates, a Vanguard service problem, a recent hardware change, or another attestation requirement involving virtualization, VBS, IOMMU, or pre-boot DMA protection.
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Update firmware only when the computer or motherboard manufacturer’s instructions make it relevant. Use the exact model’s official support page, stable power, and save BitLocker recovery information first. Microsoft’s guidance also notes that Secure Boot certificate and key policies are being updated beginning in 2026; unusual key-database errors should be checked against current Microsoft and manufacturer guidance rather than treated as a simple toggle issue.
The PC has no Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 option
Check for a model-specific BIOS/UEFI update and confirm whether the processor and motherboard support firmware TPM. Do not assume an update will add these capabilities. If the platform genuinely lacks the required features, the practical options are manufacturer support, supported hardware replacement, or using a system that meets the current Windows and Vanguard requirements.
Linux dual-boot or unsigned bootloaders
Secure Boot can prevent unsigned bootloaders, drivers, utilities, or older operating systems from starting. Verify that your Linux bootloader and other operating systems support Secure Boot before enabling it. Microsoft describes these compatibility limitations in its Device Security guidance.
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Use the computer or motherboard manufacturer’s official support channel if MBR2GPT validation fails, BitLocker recovery information is unavailable, the firmware has no clear recovery path, the PC will not boot after conversion, or the device is managed by an employer or school. Official support is preferable to generic BIOS-repair utilities because firmware menus and recovery procedures are model-specific.
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