You decide to install Windows: you write a digital copy to a USB flash drive, configure the BIOS, restart your computer or laptop, and for some reason the installation does not start. What the heck? Why BIOS does not see the bootable flash drive? Everything seems to be done right...
There are 2 most likely reasons for this. The first is that the BIOS does not display the USB flash drive, because it is not bootable. The second is that you have not configured the BIOS correctly.
Although there is one more nuance - your BIOS is too old. It does not support USB media, and therefore does not see them. In this case, you can install Windows from a disk.
As for the first two reasons, we will consider them in more detail.
Did you burn the bootable flash drive correctly?
The fact is that it is not enough just to copy files from it. In this case, it will not be considered bootable. That is why the BIOS does not see your flash drive. It is necessary to record it only with the help of special programs. There are plenty of them, but personally I use UltraISO. Why? Because she:
- Free (with a trial period of 30 days).
- Records both Windows 7 and Windows 8.
- Easily writes images to a 4 GB flash drive (some programs only support USB drives of 8 GB or more).
And most importantly: creating a bootable USB flash drive in UltraISO is as easy as shelling pears. First you need to install the program (link to the developer's website) and connect a USB flash drive to a laptop or computer. After that, there are only a few steps left:
During recording, all information from the USB flash drive will be deleted. The program will also warn you about this. Therefore, if it contains important data, copy it to another location.
Proper BIOS setup
If you did everything according to the instructions, then be sure that the USB flash drive was written correctly. And now it's really bootable. Try it - you may be able to run the Windows installation.
Therefore, restart your laptop or computer and enter the BIOS. To do this, you need to press a certain button several times. Most often it is Del or F2, although it may be different (depending on the model of the motherboard and the brand of the laptop).
Next, you need to go to the tab, the name of which contains the word "Boot". It is here that the boot priority of devices is configured when the PC or laptop is turned on. By default, the first (First Boot Device) is loaded HDD, followed by the drive. In this case, you need to put a flash drive (USB-HDD) in the first place, and temporarily lower the hard disk (Hard Disk) to the second.
When you exit the BIOS, be sure to save the new settings! To click the button that is responsible for the "Save and Exit" item.
That's all. Now, if the USB flash drive is connected to a computer or laptop, and the BIOS is configured correctly, Windows installation will begin.
P.S. If this is all too difficult for you, then you can go to boot menu. This is one of the BIOS options, which is designed just to quickly set up booting from a USB flash drive.
P.S. If the BIOS stubbornly refuses to recognize the USB flash drive, then it may be corrupted. But before you throw it out, read it. Perhaps everything will work out, and it will last a couple more years.
How to reinstall Windows or attempt resuscitation operating system using Live disks if the laptop does not boot from a USB flash drive? This does not mean rare devices that, in principle, do not support booting from USB media, but modern laptops that provide booting from a USB flash drive, but do not offer an understandable mechanism for setting the boot priority from the start. Using the example of one of the tested Asus models, below we will understand the specifics of booting from a flash drive of modern laptops and consider common reasons why problems may arise with this case.
1. Setting the boot priority in the hard drive selection menu
Lack of prioritization BIOS boot flash drives are a problem not only for laptops, but also for PCs, and usually it is due to the fact that many programs for burning bootable media create a bootable USB flash drive according to the principle of arranging a hard drive. In such cases, the flash drive does not appear in the general list of setting the priority of boot devices, it must be looked for in a separate menu, where the priority hard drive is determined. In this menu, the connected USB storage devices are listed as hard disks along with internal devices laptop storage - HDD or SSD. But even users who have previously encountered this nuance may not remember it, since they may be misled by the fact that the USB flash drive is listed as a device in the UEFI BIOS. UEFI boot(with an appendix in front of "UEFI"). It appears, but upon loading a laptop from such a flash drive does not occur. If the bootable flash drive is not UEFI or we are dealing with a laptop based on a regular BIOS, the flash drive must be set in the priority menu hard drives. For example, in the test Asus laptop you need to go to the "Boot" section, in the "Boot Option # 1" column, install the hard drive.
Then go down to the column "Hard Drive BBS Priorities".
2 And choose a flash drive.
3 In the general list of boot devices, the flash drive will not appear as a UEFI device, and it will boot from it.
4 But it will be realized under the condition of the active compatibility mode with Legacy.
2. Enabling USB media support in BIOS Legacy mode
4. Switching the flash drive to a USB 2.0 port
Many modern laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 port (with a blue pull tab). This is a great advantage when it comes to working with USB devices inside Windows, but booting computers from USB sticks that do not have USB 3.0 drivers in the distribution kit can cause problems. These distributions include official ISO images Windows installation 7 (and versions below), as well as builds of some, as a rule, old Live disks. A difficult way to solve this problem is to integrate the USB 3.0 drivers into the distribution and repack the ISO image. A simple and recommended one is to connect a USB flash drive to a USB 2.0 port on a laptop. Only the USB port on the laptop matters; the fact that the flash drive itself supports USB 3.0 does not play any role. Learn more about the differences between USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports.
Have a great day!
Booting a computer from a USB flash drive is quite simple: in BIOS you must enter the appropriate section and set this media as a priority device. However, alas, it is not always easy. What difficulties can you encounter when trying to start a PC or laptop from an external USB drive? Some versions BIOS may provide for data carriers a single point from among the devices from which, in principle, it is possible to boot a computer.
1. Separate media list in BIOS
According to the carriers themselves - flash drives, HDD, SSD, SD—cards etc. – in such cases, the priority is configured in a separate list. The latter is not always displayed in the same section as other boot devices (commonly referred to as "Boot") . Such a list may be contained separately, in another settings tab. BIOS. For example, in the installation section of the priority storage medium (named "Hard Drive" or similar) .
2. UEFI media
If the computer is based BIOS UEFI - modern firmware that offers certain advantages, in particular, work with GPT -drives, process Windows installations using such advantages will have its own nuances. The installation flash drive must contain program codes that adapt it to the new basic firmware format. So far, not every one of the recording bootable media programs can create those that are compatible with the software UEFI. The software that can do this includes, for example, the official utility for downloading and recording the Windows 10 distribution kit from Microsoft, as well as a third-party program Rufus.
3. Choosing the right download point
flash drive UEFI it is not enough to create as such, it is necessary not to make a mistake in choosing it in BIOS. On UEFI-computers among the possible boot devices, it will be displayed twice - with the usual name and the same name (same manufacturer, same label) , but also with an addition UEFI. The choice of a flash drive with such a postscript and the included interface UEFI are two conditions that make possible installation Windows 8.1 and 10 to disk GPT .
Supplied with UEFI-BIOS technology is a mechanism to prevent unauthorized software from running. A technology has been developed primarily to prevent the penetration of malicious software codes onto a computer. And it is she who can become an obstacle to booting from external media, if the latter contains, for example, a pirated Windows build installer or a handicraft live-disk. In such cases, the technology must be disabled.
5. USB port
The installation flash drive of Windows 7 and older versions of the system must be connected to USB- port 2.0 . As part of the distribution of older versions, there are no port compatibility drivers USB 3.0. The same applies to LiveDisk, the creators of which did not provide a complete set ISO-image drivers USB 3.0. But there are exceptions to this rule.
So, on separate computer devices, in particular on some laptop models Acer With BIOS UEFI on the contrary, you need to insert the Windows 8.1 and 10 installation media into the port USB 3.0. Otherwise, the installation process will either freeze for no reason or give errors.
What situation would we not deal with, if at a certain stage of the installation process of the system a failure occurs, you need to try connecting the USB flash drive to USB -port of another version.
Instruction
To open the BIOS, press Del after turning on the computer and before the operating system starts loading. You may need to press a different key to enter the BIOS on your computer. In the lower left corner when checking the RAM, there is an inscription Press Del to enter setup. If another key is written instead of Del, press it.
The BIOS window opens. You need to control the BIOS with the arrows and the Enter and Esc keys. Main parameters for equipment: Disabled - disable, Enabled - use. Depending on the manufacturer and model, the versions and directory names in the BIOS may differ. The following are the most common names.
The Advanced (Advanced BIOS features) menu disables or uses the USB controller under the USB Functions (USB Controller/USB Ports/USB Device/ Integrated (OnChip) USB Controller) command. The Enabled/Disabled command - enables/disables all USB ports, Both - makes all ports available, Primary - only ports on the rear panel are available. 2/4/6/8 USB Ports - the number of ports available for operation.
USB 2.0 Controller (High Speed USB/USB 2.0 Supports/USB 2.0 Device). Option to deny or allow USB usage 2.0. USB 1.1/2.0 Controller item to use all USB controllers, commands: All Disabled - disable everything, All Enabled - enable everything.
USB speed. An option that changes the operating frequency of the USB bus. Its parameters are: 24 MHz and 48 MHz.
Legacy USB Support (USB Device/USB Driver Select/USB Function to DOS/USB Keyboard(Mouse) Support). USB keyboard/mouse support section at the BIOS level. The Enabled/ Disabled command – enables/disables support, Auto – disables the standard keyboard/mouse when USB devices are connected and vice versa, OS – operating system support, BIOS – motherboard BIOS support.
Port 64/60 Emulation (USB 1.1 64/60 Emulation) - an option to optimize devices connected to the USB port in legacy operating systems. Enabled/ Disabled command – enables/disables. Emulation Type (UFDDA USB Floppy/ UFDDB USB Floppy/ USB Mass Storage Emulation Type/ USB Mass Storage Device Boot Setting) different meanings options USB drive is emulated in Auto mode - detected automatically, Floppy (FDD Mode or USB Floppy) - as removable media, Forced FDD - as a floppy disk, Hard Disk (HDD Mode or USB HDD) - as a hard disk, CDROM - as an optical drive disks.
To boot the OS from a USB drive, go to the Boot menu (or search for First Boot Device in Advanced BIOS features). In the Boot Device Priority section, select 1st Boot Device, then check the box next to the name of your device, or opposite the USB-HDD item.
BIOS is a set of firmware that resides on a memory chip that is located on the computer's motherboard. When you turn on the computer, even before loading the operating system, the BIOS recognizes the installed devices, checks their performance and starts them with the specified settings. USB support in the BIOS should be enabled in most cases. many devices use this interface to connect to a computer.
Instruction
Enter the BIOS setup program. To do this, you need to press a certain key or key combination after turning on the computer when checking devices, before loading the operating system. The most common option is to press the Delete key, or Del. To find out which key to press in a particular case, carefully observe the text on the screen when you turn on the computer. One of the lines will prompt something like this: Press F2 to enter Setup.
Find the menu item that will contain the setting responsible for enabling USB support in the BIOS. Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, this item may be called differently. Common options are Integrated Peripherals, Peripherals, Advanced. If there is no such item, try to go to other sections - in one of them you will find the necessary item from the next step.
Select the option directly related to the USB controller. It may also have different names in different BIOS versions. But its name will necessarily include the word USB, for example, USB Controller, USB Device, USB Function, OnChip USB, Onboard USB Device. It can be located both directly in the previous paragraph, and in the Onboard Device, USB Configuration, OnChip Device sub-item.
How to reinstall Windows or attempt to resuscitate the operating system using Live disks if the laptop does not boot from a USB flash drive? This does not mean rare devices that, in principle, do not support booting from USB media, but modern laptops that provide booting from a USB flash drive, but do not offer an understandable mechanism for setting the boot priority from the start. Using the example of one of the tested Asus models, below we will understand the specifics of booting from a flash drive of modern laptops and consider common reasons why problems may arise with this case.
1. Setting the boot priority in the hard drive selection menu
The inability to prioritize USB flash drives in BIOS boot is a problem not only for laptops, but also for PCs, and usually it is due to the fact that many programs for burning bootable media create a bootable USB flash drive according to the principle of arranging a hard drive. In such cases, the flash drive does not appear in the general list of setting the priority of boot devices, it must be looked for in a separate menu, where the priority hard drive is determined. In this menu, connected USB storage devices are listed as hard drives along with the laptop's internal storage devices - HDD or SSD. But even users who have previously encountered this nuance may not remember it, since they may be misled by the fact that in the UEFI BIOS the flash drive is listed as a UEFI boot device (with an addition in front of “UEFI”). It appears, but upon loading a laptop from such a flash drive does not occur. If the bootable flash drive is not UEFI or we are dealing with a laptop based on a regular BIOS, the flash drive must be set in the hard drive priority menu. For example, in the tested Asus laptop, you need to go to the “Boot” section, in the “Boot Option # 1” column, install the hard drive.
Then go down to the column "Hard Drive BBS Priorities".
And choose a flash drive.
3
In the general list of boot devices, the flash drive will not appear as a UEFI device, and it will boot from it.
4
But it will be realized under the condition of the active compatibility mode with Legacy.
2. Enabling USB media support in BIOS Legacy mode
4. Switching the flash drive to a USB 2.0 port
Many modern laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 port (with a blue pull tab). This is a great advantage when it comes to working with USB devices inside Windows, but booting computers from USB sticks that do not have USB 3.0 drivers in the distribution kit can cause problems. These distributions include official Windows 7 (and below) installation ISO images, as well as builds of some, usually older, Live CDs. A difficult way to solve this problem is to integrate the USB 3.0 drivers into the distribution and repack the ISO image. A simple and recommended one is to connect a USB flash drive to a USB 2.0 port on a laptop. Only the USB port on the laptop matters; the fact that the flash drive itself supports USB 3.0 does not play any role. Learn more about the difference between USB 2.0 or 3.0 ports.
Have a great day!
It so happened that lately I have several times in a row encountered the fact that when trying install ISO images from flash drive various programs in Windows 10, I just couldn’t do it. After starting, either a cursor on a black screen or various inscriptions appeared on the monitor. At this point, everything stopped, attempts to wait for a while did not lead to anything. Nothing loaded. Installing an image from a USB drive simply hung, never starting. For a long time I tried to find all sorts of solutions to this problem: I formatted the disk, re-downloaded the images, re-uploaded them to other flash drives - but everything was in vain. From this I concluded that the matter, apparently, was not at all in the files and not in my USB storage.
I began to guess that the problem lies in the structure of the flash drive itself. Began, as usual, to google the solution of such problems. And I found a solution that helped me out several times already. Another great advantage of this method lies in the fact that ISO image of Windows 10 written to a flash drive you do not need to delete, as well as format the USB drive itself.
The point, apparently, is that when creating a bootable USB flash drive, we use a variety of programs to burn ISO images. Often we force the same drive with these experiments more than once. As a result, the internal markup changes, additional sectors invisible to us may appear, and the existing ones may be modified. How exactly and why this happens to us, as amateurs in general, is not important. It is important that neither deleting files from a USB flash drive, nor even completely formatting a USB drive often helps to solve these issues.
Of course, my solution to the problem with inability to boot ISO image from USB flash drive far from the only one. Perhaps your reason will be completely different. But, nevertheless, since my method described below helped me personally, and repeatedly, I decided to write about it on my website.
So if you have Windows 10(or any other ISO image) no way won't boot from usb drive, then you need to work with this flash drive on any computer where Windows 7, 8 or 10 is installed. It is especially attractive for me personally that we will carry out all manipulations with our removable storage exclusively using the built-in tools of the Microsoft operating system itself, then eat without downloading and installing any third-party programs, which means that without threats to pick up something painful for ourselves, which, of course, we don’t need. It is also IMPORTANT that it is NOT MANDATORY to delete the image already recorded on the ISO flash drive!
Step 1: Working with flash drive partitions
To begin with, let's check whether any additional partitions appeared on the flash drive during operation and numerous overwrites. To do this, in any of the above operating systems, through the search, we find the utility " Creating and formatting hard disk partitions". We just start in the search bar of the Start menu, type its name (“Create and Format ...”) and it is located. We launch this tool that helps manage any disk space. Finding your USB drive Disc 1 on the image) and make sure that our flash drive has only one partition, and not several (as, for example, I have on Disk 0). If the section is the only one, go to the next step.
If there are several sections, then determine which one is the main one.. This can be done by size - the main section on our flash drive (with the image of Windows 10 or any other software) is the one whose volume matches that displayed in our Explorer. Then, in turn, we get up with the mouse on each additional partition and right-click to open the menu in which we select "Delete volume". As a result, we have unallocated (unallocated) space. It is painted black, not blue. To add it to the main partition, you need to stand on the main partition and right-click on "Extend volume". We add all the freed space there. After that our ISO image from a flash drive, you can already try to download again on the computer. If there were several sections, then perhaps this was the problem, why the image with Windows 10 did not want to boot from a USB flash drive. However, personally, for reliability and time saving, I immediately recommend doing the next step number 2.
Step number 2 below, but for now a small digression: If some sections on the flash drive are inactive and during the first step they could not be deleted by any means, then it remains only to completely format your USB drive. To do this, in Windows 10, in my opinion, the easiest way is to use the program HDD LLF Low Level Format Tool. Let's move on to the official website, scroll down the page to the phrase "Download Windows Installer (most people will want this option)" - it is located immediately below social buttons. Download a file whose name ends with setup. Install and run the program. After starting, select the third item " Continue for free" (1). In the window that opens, we find our flash drive (select by volume in the far right CAPACITY column), select it and click "Continue" (2). Next, select the second tab LOW-LEVEL FORMAT (3) and click in it FORMAT THIS DEVICE(four). The process of completely reformatting a flash drive using this program takes a lot of time. But the result has never caused me any complaints.
Step 2: Make the partition with the ISO image active
At this point, we are using the command line in Windows assign the only partition on our flash drive active(what else it can be and why is not important for us). To do this, again, through the search menu "Start" we find and run with administrator rights (right click) utility " cmd”(in the search we type these three abusive letters without quotes).
- We make sure that our flash drive is inserted into the USB port and type in the command line " diskpart", press Enter.
- Next, enter " list disk» + Enter. With this command, we display all the drives connected to the computer in the form of a list. We determine by size which of them is our flash drive, and remember the number. In my case it is "Disk 1".
- Now we select our disk. To do this, we type " select disk=X"(X is the number of our flash drive, which we remembered in the previous step - I have it 1). Press Enter.
- Next, enter the command " list partition» + Enter. Thus, we display all sections already inside our flash drive (there should be one and only "Section 1".)
- Now we need to focus on this single section. To do this, we type " select partition=1", press Enter.
- The last command we type to make this partition active is: active» + as always, press Enter.
As an example, what the whole process should look like activation of the partition of our flash drive, below is a screenshot from my own example of such work in the Command line.
Of course, the likelihood that this instruction will help with problem launching Windows 10 ISO image(or any other software) from a flash drive, far from 100 percent. However, in the vast majority of cases, this method helped me personally. As a rule, it became the last one after numerous attempts to overwrite images and boot from different USB drives. Let me remind you that it is not necessary to delete an already recorded image from a flash drive when carrying out the above manipulations. And, in my opinion, it is even better not to do this, since it is not known how the program for recording the image will mark our active partition on the flash drive.
When you try to install Windows 7 OS from a flash drive, it is possible that the system will not start from this media. What needs to be done in this case will be discussed in this material.
Let's analyze the most common reasons that lead to problems starting the operating system from a USB device.
Reason 1: Flash drive failure
Check if your flash drive is working. Use it on any other desktop or laptop and see if it detects external device in system.
A situation is possible when a flash drive that has served for many years to install Windows fails completely unexpectedly. Be sure to check the external drive for serviceability in order to avoid wasting a large number time to find the cause of the problem.
Reason 2: OS distribution with an error
Reinstall the operating system distribution. You can make a USB flash drive bootable using specialized software solutions. How to do this is described in the lesson.
Reason 3: Faulty port
Perhaps one of your USB ports is broken. Use a different connector if you do not have a laptop, but a desktop computer - install a flash drive on the back of the case.
If you are using a USB extension cable, then test it with another external drive. Perhaps the problem lies in its malfunctioning.
Reason 4: Motherboard
In extremely rare cases, it is also possible that motherboard unable to support system startup from a USB drive. For example, the firm's fee Abit do not support this feature. So installation on such machines will have to be done from a boot disk.
Reason 5: BIOS
There are frequent cases when the reason lies in disabling the USB controller in the BIOS. To turn it on, find the item "USB Controller"(Maybe, USB Controller 2.0) and make sure the value is set "Enabled".
If it turned off ( "disabled"), turn it on by setting the value "Enabled". We exit the BIOS, saving the changes made.