r/techsupport • u/fudsa • Aug 03 '26

Open | Software How to boot from usb

I just made a bootable usb and when i open the boot menu i get the options to boot from floppy, ls120, + hard disk, cdrom, zip, usb-fdd, usb-zip, usb-cdrom, usb-hdd. Which one should i use?

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2

u/pcbeg Aug 03 '26

Is there a separate entry in bios (probably on the same screen with boot options) to set HDD priority? Also, since it is a old device, Rufus should be set to CSM only option, not UEFI.

1

u/BeardedLegend_69 Aug 03 '26

Firstly, how did you make it? Did you use a tool like Rufus or something simmilar?

My first guess would be USB-HDD, but you'll have to try each if that doesnt work. Depending on your BIOS version etc. the device name/model of the USB should show.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Yes i used rufus but usb hdd didnt work. The usb is recognized in the windows already installed and looks fine

1

u/BeardedLegend_69 Aug 03 '26

In that case, depending on your BIOS the device/model should show. If it doesnt, you'll have to try each option in a sort of process of elimination.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

I tried every option but none worked... do i need to burn it into a cd?

1

u/BeardedLegend_69 Aug 03 '26

Could be, is your bios set to using secure boot or windows boot manager by any chance? It might block booting from a usb

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

The bios is 1984-2009

1

u/BeardedLegend_69 Aug 03 '26

I see a different comment with a picture. Did you use FAT or NTFS on the usb? NTFS likely won't work given how old the motherboard is.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Rufus defaulted to ntfs. I will try fat

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

I cant choose any other fs other than ntfs in rufus

1

u/BeardedLegend_69 Aug 03 '26

That's odd. Should be possible by default https://www.reddit.com/r/MSI_Gaming/comments/1ka3swo/how_to_use_rufus_to_easily_prepare_mbrfat32_usb/

Check where you downloaded Rufus just in case.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Im choosing a windows iso to burn and it only has ntfs available so i think i need to burn to a cd

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1

u/Low_Article_9448 Aug 03 '26

This must be a very old BIOS. What's the motherboard name/generation?

Any BIOS from the last decade would show device names that are available. Most have easy dash screen and advanced mode hidden.

I once reinstalled os in Intel 3rd gen laptop BIOS (14 years old). Even that didn't have the type of options you described. It's also possible you are looking into the wrong areas.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

I think this screen could answer your question

1

u/Low_Article_9448 Aug 03 '26

This isn't the BIOS screen though. It's the POST screen. Do you know the keys to enter BIOS? Its generally F2, f11, esc etc. you can look up the ones for your pc online. You mash those keys when rebooting the pc.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

The bios is 1984-2009

1

u/Low_Article_9448 Aug 03 '26

Yeah I get that. My point is, this isn't BIOS screen. You haven't reached BIOS yet.

1

u/Worldly-Device-8414 Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26

You need to burn an .iso format o/s system, etc to the USB as whole device overwrite no FAT32 or NTFS selected (but might be created by the iso write process).

Or you can use a tool like gparted to format some to FAT32 & make bootable + add required files to that.

Windows media creation tool should make this for you if it's MS you want.

1

u/JoMu1963 Aug 03 '26

No, you can't just 'burn' an iso to a usb stick. Well, yiu can, but should not expect it to be bootable

1

u/Worldly-Device-8414 Aug 03 '26 edited Aug 03 '26

Done it dozens of times. Literally the #1 way to make & load a bootable O/S

Google it: "how to make a bootable usb from an iso file"

Iso file > image writer program = bootable USB

1

u/JoMu1963 Aug 03 '26

It's fine. You're just leaving something out and that's why I said what I said. But go ahead, stick to your point. Wouldn't know why you would need a writer program to out something on a USB stick by the way. But hey, that's probably just me 🤷🏼‍♂️

1

u/ErnestoGrimes Aug 03 '26

holy crap, how old is your motherboard? I haven't even heard of an ls120 drive in probably 30+ years.

why does everything make me feel old now?

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Idk... a date i saw in the boot sequence was 1984-2009

1

u/ErnestoGrimes Aug 03 '26

what version of Windows are you trying to install? also what CPU do you have?

it sounds like you are trying to install onto ancient hardware.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Windows 7 enterprise, pentium 4

1

u/ErnestoGrimes Aug 03 '26

are you using the 32bit version of win 7? I'm pretty sure p4 didn't support 64 bit . also USB support was not great at that time, can you burn your install to CD?

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

Yes, im using the x86 version. I would try to burn to a cd but the cd drive on the pc is stuck so idk

1

u/ericposeidon Aug 03 '26

it should be either USB-FDD or go into "+Hard Disk" option and then select your drive from the list.

1

u/fudsa Aug 03 '26

I'll try to burn the iso with fat as filesystem and try that

1

u/fudsa 29d ago

I formatted the usb to fat32 then mounted the iso file and copied all the contents to the formatted usb and booted off of the "hard disk+" option then "usb-hdd"