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In the past, users would insert a disk into their DVD or CD drive to start their computer. But nowadays, many computers don't have optical disk drives anymore. As a result, using USB media to start the computer has become the standard.
The process of starting the computer with rescue USB media can vary depending on the operating system you have, but there are a few general guidelines that can help. So, if your computer is not working well, you need to check the hard drive using a diagnostic tool, let's see how you can start your computer using a rescue USB boot media.
Part 1. Overview Of Bootable Media
Part 2.What Is a USB Drive Boot Work Mechanism?
Part 1. Overview Of Bootable Media
Bootable media refers to CDs, DVDs, USB flash drives, external hard drives, or other removable devices that allow users to run a program without an operating system on their computer. The main purpose of bootable media is to install Windows on a new computer or reinstall Windows if it crashes on your current PC or laptop.
Computers are usually set up to search for an operating system first from a CD, DVD, or USB device, and only then from the hard disk drive or solid-state drive. That's why it's a good idea to create and test bootable media when you're making a backup of your entire disk. It's also recommended to make a new bootable USB, CD, or DVD after each major update to the program that provides protection.
Part 2.What Is a USB Drive Boot Work Mechanism?
Bootable USB drives are like the old floppy disk drives (FDD) that were used in the past to start a computer. They offer a different way to fix, restore, or install an operating system. To perform a USB boot, you will need a valid bootable USB drive that you can connect to your computer.
You can create the bootable USB using built-in software or third-party tools that you can find online. The tool will copy all the necessary parts of the operating system and boot instructions onto the USB so that your computer can start up correctly.
Part 3. How To Create a USB Boot Media?
Making a bootable USB drive doesn't have to be difficult, but there are some suggestions you can follow. If you use a Mac, we suggest going to Apple's support page about USB boot media.
They provide instructions specific to your version of OS X (like Sierra, High Sierra, Yosemite, etc.) to help you get the right boot version. For Windows and Linux users, you might want to try Acronis Disk Director 12.5. It has a user-friendly Boot Media Builder that simplifies the process and gives you many options for creating different types of boot media, including WinPE media.
1. Making Bootable Media In Windows
Download the bootable media ISO file. To do this, click on the account icon (located in the top-right corner of the menu) -> click on "Downloads" -> click on "Bootable media".
Once the ISO file is downloaded, you can choose one of the following options:
Use the ISO file to create a bootable USB drive. You can find free tools online that can help you with this. If you have a UEFI machine, you can use "ISO to USB". If you have a BIOS PC, you can use "Win32DiskImager". For Linux, you can use the "dd" utility.
Once you have prepared the installation media, you can connect the media drive to a new computer, your current one, or a virtual machine. This will allow you to install Windows or recover the existing operating system.
2. Making Bootable Media In Macos
You will need a Mac machine with the Agent for Mac running. Click on "Applications" -> click on "Rescue Media Builder".
The software will show all the connected removable media. Choose the one you want to use.
YKeep in mind that this process will erase all the data on the chosen drive. Click on "Create".
Wait for the feature to finish creating the bootable media.
Part 4. Ways To Boot From USB On PC
While theoretically all USB drives can be made bootable, simply copying files onto a blank USB drive won't make it bootable. As we discussed earlier, there is a specific process involved in creating a bootable USB drive. Additionally, not all USB drives are suitable for bootable media, so it's important to check the specifications of a USB drive online before purchasing it.
For instance, if you buy a 2GB drive, it won't be sufficient to install Windows because the Windows installer media requires at least 8GB of free storage to hold the ISO file. Once you have the appropriate USB drive, you'll need to use a dedicated tool to correctly transfer the installer onto it.
1. How To Boot a Mac From USB?
1:Insert the USB boot media into an available USB port on your Mac.
2:Press the Power button to turn on your Mac (or Restart it if it's already on).
3:When you hear the startup chime, press and hold the Option key on your keyboard. This will bring up the OS X Startup Manager screen.
4:Release the Option key and look for the USB drive with bootable content on the Startup Manager screen.
5:Use either the pointer or arrow keys on the keyboard to select the USB drive.
6:Once you've made your selection, press the Return key or double-click on the USB drive. This will instruct your Mac to start up from the USB drive.
Note: If you have multiple USB devices connected to your Mac, don't worry. The Apple Startup Manager will only display drives with bootable content.
2. How To Boot From USB On Windows?
Starting your PC using USB rescue media is not difficult, but it requires adjusting the BIOS settings. The BIOS determines the boot sequence of your computer, which devices it checks for the necessary software to start up, and the priority of each device in that search.
If you want to boot from a USB device, you need to change the BIOS boot order so that the USB device is listed first. Here's how you can do it:
1:Plug the USB thumb drive into a USB port on your computer.
2:Press the Power button to turn on your computer.
3:During the initial startup screen, press ESC, F1, F2, F8, or F10. (The specific key depends on the BIOS manufacturer, and a menu may appear.)
4:Once you enter the BIOS Setup, look for the BOOT tab using the arrow keys on your keyboard. This tab displays all available system devices in their boot priority order.
5:Rearrange the boot sequence by moving the USB device to the top.
Note: If you can't find USB or Removable Devices in the device options, it may be listed under Hard Drive Devices. In that case, move Hard Drive Devices to the top, expand the list to show all options, and then move the USB device to the top of that list.
6:Save the changes and exit the BIOS Setup. Your computer will reboot using the new settings, and it will boot from the USB drive.
Note: Pay attention to any prompts on your screen. Some BIOS versions may ask you to "Press any key to boot from an external device," and you'll only have a few seconds to respond. If you don't do anything, your computer will move on to the next device in the boot sequence, usually the hard drive.
In the future, your computer will check the USB port first for boot media during startup. However, if you always keep the boot media in the USB port, the system will boot from it every time.
Conclusion
Starting your computer with a USB drive is very simple, and anyone can do it within a few minutes by following the tips mentioned in this article. You can choose the method that works best for you. If you found this post helpful, please let us know. We would appreciate your feedback or comments.