Starting a laptop or computer from a flash drive

A USB source for booting is often used to install or repair the OS. Using a flash drive for this purpose is convenient. Consider how to run a computer or laptop from a flash drive.

There are several ways to boot a computer from a flash drive.

You need to start by choosing one of the alternative actions:

  • Change in BIOS boot device order;
  • Select boot device in Boot Menu.

We change the priority in BIOS

You must first get into the BIOS Utility settings. Get into them with the keys Delete (more often) or F2 (the most common cases).

The BIOS call must be made before the OS is loaded - with the first black screen or the reflection of the manufacturer's logo.

Sometimes what you need to click - you can have time to look at the picture on the initial screen:

It's time to enter the BIOS settings

Change boot in UEFI

UEFI software is graphical and changing boot devices is available at the level of intuition:

In this section, you can specify which media to load first.

Most of the options, as a rule, involve changing the boot order by simply dragging the disk images with the mouse.

AMI BIOS actions

Before entering the BIOS, the USB flash drive is pre-connected to the PC.

To start a computer or laptop from a flash drive, the following operational procedure is performed:

  • From the top of the menu, use the "right" button to select "Boot";
  • By clicking “Hard Disk Drives”, “Enter” is pressed on the “1st Drive” item of the menu that opens;
  • The list contains the name of the flash drive - the cursor is placed on it;
  • Alternately, press Enter and Esc;
  • Then, in “Boot device priority”, “Enter” is beaten by “First boot device”;
  • The flash drive is again indicated:

Specify your drive as the first carrier.

We work in BIOS AWARD

The choice of boot device in Award BIOS is made in the settings menu. It is necessary in the "Advanced BIOS Features" select the cursor "First Boot Device" and repel "Input":

In the list that appears, in order to load a computer or laptop from a USB flash drive, “USB-HDD” (“USB-Flash”) is installed.

After that you need to use the Esc button to move up a level to select the "Save / Exit" item:

Configurable in H2O BIOS

You can boot usb flash drive into the InsydeH20 BIOS like this:

  • Use the "Right" key to open "Boot" in the main menu;
  • “External Device Boot” should be “Enabled”;
  • Control keys F5 and F6 put “External Device” in the first position in the “Boot Priority” section;
  • Exit (“Exit”) from the menu when saving settings.

The computer will be rebooted from the required drive.

Without visiting BIOS (for Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 with UEFI)

For such devices, you need through the panel on the right to open the tab "Update and recovery", call "Restart". And in the "Special Options" panel on the "Select Actions" screen, select "Use USB Device." There will also be a choice of network connection, DVD.

The next screen will provide a list of devices among which the flash drive is selected.

If it is absent in the list, click “View others”.

This choice will force the computer to reboot from the selected drive.

Boot Menu Boot

The boot menu (Boot Menu, English) is called when the overwhelming number of laptop / computer models is turned on. Being one of the BIOS or UEFI tools, allows you to select a drive to start the computer in this particular case.

This method is convenient to use to select the boot device once before starting the OS from the Live CD, using a USB flash drive to install Windows OS and not only.

After all, a computer with a flash drive is started far from often - why change the BIOS settings?

IMPORTANT. Through the menu Boot in some laptops have the ability to restore the system.

Path to Boot Menu

In the list that opens, select your USB drive.

Just like BIOS (or UEFI), the Boot Menu is called by certain keys. Most often this is F12, F11 or Esc. Other options are possible. Sometimes (not always) it can be seen from the information appearing on the monitor when the computer is turned on.

Getting into this section, you can see a list of connected devices from which it is possible to start the download (hard disk, USB flash drive, disks, etc.). You can choose the network boot of the computer or start the OS recovery using a backup partition.

Entry Features in Windows 8, 8.1 and 10

Turning off a PC running Windows 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 is not “shutting down” in the strict sense (hibernation). Therefore, the entrance to the boot menu may not be performed on the above keys.

In this case, you need to perform one of the actions:

  • If you hold down the “Shift” when choosing the option “Shutdown”, the PC will turn off “fully” and the next time it is turned on, the keys will work;
  • Use the necessary keys when rebooting (and not with pre-shutdown);
  • In the "Control Panel" (view - icons) / "Power" / "Actions of the power buttons" - disable the quick launch (sometimes you need to "change the currently unavailable parameters"):

Uncheck if it is installed

One way will definitely work.

Login to Asus

Desktop computers with Asus motherboards allow you to enter the boot menu by pressing the F8 key (at the same time when Del or F9 is pressed to enter BIOS).

With laptops, the same is complete confusion:

Most modern uses Esc;

For containing at the beginning of the model name x or k - the F8 key is used (however, there are models among those starting with x, where the input is via the Esc key).

Need to try all the options!

Log in to Lenovo

With the Lenovo brand - almost the easiest of all - we enter the cherished menu on the F12 key for almost all models of laptops / all-in-one PCs.

There is also a button with an arrow next to the power supply - other boot options are available by it:

We fall on Acer

For Acer laptops / monoblocks, the F12 key works. But for some to make the entrance to the menu work, you need to turn it on.

To do this, first enter the BIOS by pressing the F2 key, and then switch the “F12 Boot Menu” parameter so that it is set to “Enabled” (the default is “Disabled”).

Then the settings are saved before exiting the BIOS.

Entering the menu by pressing F12 is configured in the BIOS menu.

Other models

List of keys to enter the Booth Menu for other branded models:

  • HP - F9 or Esc, and then - F9;
  • Dell - F12;
  • Samsung - Esc;
  • Toshiba - F12.

For motherboards:

  • Gigabyte - F12;
  • Intel - Esc;
  • Asus - F8;
  • MSI - F11;
  • AsRock - F11.

After reading this publication, you are guaranteed to be able to launch from your computer’s or laptop’s flash drive.

Leave your comments, share your experiences.