Setting up BIOS

This chapter expains how to set up your computer to make it boot from USB storage device.

1. General approach

1.1. Change the BIOS boot order so the USB device option is listed first. The BIOS is rarely setup this way by default.

If the USB port is not first in the boot order, your PC will start "normally" (i.e. boot from your hard drive) without even looking at any boot information that might be on your USB device.

Note: After setting your USB device as the first boot device, your computer will check it for boot information each time your PC starts. Leaving your computer configured this way shouldn't cause problems unless you plan on leaving the USB device attached all the time.

1.2. Attach the USB device to your computer via any available USB port.

1.3. Restart your computer.

1.4. Watch for a Press any key to boot from external device... message.

On some bootable devices, you may be prompted with a message to press a key before the computer will boot to the flash drive or other USB device.

If you do nothing, your computer will check for boot information on the next boot device in the list in BIOS (see Step 1.1) which will probably be your hard drive.

Note: Most of the time when trying to boot to a USB device there is no key-press prompt. The boot process usually starts immediately.

1.5. Your computer should now boot from the USB flash drive or USB based external hard drive.

Note: What happens now depends on what the bootable USB device was intended for. If you're booting to an old version of MS-DOS on a flash drive, MS-DOS will load. If you're booting to the DSL version of Linux, it will start. You get the idea.

2. Newer BIOS Boot Menu

Many newer computers detect the USB device as a hard drive (USB-HDD0). In which case, you can press a specific key (F2, F10, F11 or ESC) during system post to access the "Boot Menu". Select your USB DISK from the Boot Menu and resume startup.

3. Troubleshooting

If you tried the above steps but your computer did not boot from the USB device, check out some of the tips below.

3.1. Recheck the boot order in BIOS (Step 1.1). The number one reason a bootable flash drive or other USB device won't boot is because BIOS is not configured to check the USB port first.

3.2. Didn't find a "USB Device" boot order listing in BIOS? If your computer was manufactured around 2001 or before, it may not have this ability. If your computer is newer, check for some other ways that the USB option might be worded. In some BIOS versions, it's called "Removable Devices" or "External Devices".

3.3. Switch to another USB port. The BIOS on some motherboards only check the first few USB ports. Switch to another USB port and restart your computer.

3.4. Be sure to keep an eye for BIOS updates from your board manufacturer.