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Setting BIOS to Boot from USB Drive on a Computer

When setting up a Windows To Go USB system or installing an OS from a USB image, the computer needs to boot from the USB drive. In the computer...

When setting up a Windows To Go USB system or installing an operating system from a USB image, it’s necessary to boot the computer from the USB drive.

To configure USB booting on your computer, you need to adjust the settings in the BIOS or UEFI firmware. Here are some general steps:

  1. Insert the USB drive into a USB port on the computer.

  2. Restart the computer and press the designated key for accessing the BIOS or UEFI settings (such as F2, F12, Delete, etc.), to enter the BIOS or UEFI interface.

  3. In the BIOS or UEFI settings interface, locate the boot options tab and select the USB drive as the preferred boot device. The USB drive is usually listed after the hard drives, so you may need to move it to the top of the list.

  4. Save the changes and exit the BIOS or UEFI settings, then restart the computer.

  5. If there is a bootable operating system on the USB drive, the computer will boot from it. If there is no bootable OS on the USB drive, the computer will skip it and boot from the default device, which is typically the hard drive.

Note that the BIOS or UEFI settings interface may vary slightly across different computers, so the specific steps might differ.

Here are several common methods for setting USB booting in the BIOS:

To enter BIOS, you generally press Del, F2, F12, or F8 during startup, with Del being the most common. Check the startup prompt for the specific key.

1. Common Phoenix-Award BIOS Options:
Once in, select “Advanced BIOS Features.”

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

Change the “First Boot Device” to “USB-ZIP” or “USB-HDD.”

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

• After making the changes, press F10 to save and exit.

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

2. BIOS Adjustment Options for Dell Computers:

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

3. BIOS for ThinkPad Series Laptops:

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

4. BIOS for HP Business Series Laptops:

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

5. Acer Laptop Settings: Switch to the “Boot” section, use the arrow keys to select “USB-HDD,” and press F5 to move it to the top.

Setting BIOS to Boot from USB

Regardless of the specific settings, the final step is to save the BIOS settings and restart. Typically, this is done by pressing F10 to save and exit. Make sure the USB drive is connected to the computer during this process.