How to Boot From Thumb Drive
Your computer can boot from a variety of sources. Most frequently, your computer boots from its primary hard disk, but it can also boot from the CD drive, a second hard drive, and in some cases, from a USB thumb drive. Not all computers have the ability to boot from their USB ports, but if you have a bootable USB drive, setting up your computer to boot from the device is a straightforward process.
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Instructions
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Setting up the Boot Device
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1
Reboot your computer.
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2
When the BIOS startup screen appears, push the "Delete" key to enter the BIOS. If the "Delete" key does not take you to the BIOS, restart your computer and look for a message that reads "Push 'KEY' to enter setup" on the BIOS screen to learn which key your BIOS uses for initialization.
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3
Look for a tab labeled "Advanced Setup," "Boot Setup," or "Feature Setup," on your BIOS screen. Different motherboards use different labels. Select the label that your motherboard uses.
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4
Select the "Primary Boot Device" and change it to "USB Zip Drive," "USB FDD," or "USB HDD." For most motherboards, "USB Zip Drive" should work.
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5
Save your changes to the BIOS and insert your bootable USB thumbdrive into a USB port on the computer.
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6
Exit the BIOS and reboot your computer. Your computer should boot from the USB thumbdrive.
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Tips & Warnings
Check the website of the motherboard's manufacturer to determine if your motherboard is capable of booting from a USB device.
If your computer does not boot from your USB thumb drive, re-enter the BIOS and select a different option for the "Primary Boot Device."
If none of the options listed under "Primary Boot Device" work, visit the motherboard manufacturer's website and update your BIOS to the latest version before making a second attempt.
Older motherboards do not support booting from a USB device. If you update your BIOS and still cannot boot from a USB device, your motherboard does not support USB boot options.
