How to boot directly from a USB drive without a HDD installed?

djames on 17/11/2013 - 17:01

Hi all,

I am really stuck and hoping to get some help. I stupidly thought it would be easy to build a PC from scratch and create the necessary bootable drives however, it's turned out a lot more difficult than I thought.

I managed to assemble the PC relatively okay, now the problem I'm having is booting and installing Windows 8 on a USB drive instead of a HDD.

I bought a Windows 8 CD and managed (after several attempts) to create a bootable USB drive (FAT32) with my mac. When I connect the bootable USB to the PC and select the USB drive to boot from I get the following error:

"Reboot and Select proper Boot device
or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key"

Can anyone provide any advice?

Computing

Comments

  • vludax on 17/11/2013 - 17:41
    +1

    Hey there. Apparently your USB drive is not bootable enough. :)
    Do you have access to another Windows PC? I've created a Windows 7 bootable USB using this tool: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/html/pbPage.Help_W…
    Although it would probably be easier to install it directly from a CD. Do you have an optical drive in your new PC?

    • enforcer on 25/11/2013 - 19:04

      Yep, the USB drive probably just wasn't set as bootable.

      I used this tool recently http://rufus.akeo.ie/ it makes the drive bootable and copies all the files off the cd/iso. Then just boot from usb like normal

  • Master Bates on 17/11/2013 - 17:45

    I would go with the 1st link (Tom's Hardware)

    Answers seem to point to BIOS settings and changing the boot order, the settings of which vary from motherboard to motherboard; it is not for the faint hearted. When you turn on the PC watch for something that says "BIOS settings press F8" or similar and press the relevant key. You can poke about in there to change the boot order to USB first, but be careful not to make any other changes unless you know what you are doing.

  • retiredfeline on 17/11/2013 - 18:01

    You have to change the boot priority in the BIOS but the image on the USB storage has also to be bootable. Details are OS dependent.

  • djames on 17/11/2013 - 18:02

    Hi vludax,

    Unfortunately I dont have a windows PC. I have installed windows 8 on my mac using parallels though, I'll give this a go, hopefully it works. Been having a lot of trouble with parallels though.

    Hi killperry,

    I have gone into the BIOS and changed the boot order to the USB even though that's the only drive there, still get the same problem.

  • altomic on 17/11/2013 - 18:58

    what is your usb formated as?

    • djames on 17/11/2013 - 19:10

      Hi,
      I formatted it as FAT

  • p1 ama on 17/11/2013 - 19:58
    +1

    When you turn on your computer, at the flash screen there should be an option, like F11 or something to select a boot device, hit that key and you should see your USB drive, if not, try plugging it in another port (i.e. the back if you're plugging it in the front), ALSO USE A USB 2.0 PORT! That usually does the trick.

  • mic180802 on 25/11/2013 - 12:23

    I've had so many hit and misses when it comes to bootable usb drives and hard disks via USB that I just thought bugger it, getting a USB optical drive. Best thing I ever did too.. will be keeping it in my kit :)

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