Fix the System Doesn't Have Any USB Boot Option Error

To fix the “system doesn't have any USB boot option” error, recreate a compatible bootable USB, enable USB boot in your PC’s firmware, and select the drive from its startup boot menu. Check the installer and boot selection before changing security settings. The Windows menu steps below use Windows 11.

Firmware menus differ by model, so follow the instructions that match your computer. Have your BitLocker recovery key available before changing firmware settings. Recreating installation media erases the USB drive’s existing contents.

Recreate a compatible bootable USB

For a supported Windows 11 x64 PC, use Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool instead of simply copying an ISO file onto the drive. Open the Windows 11 download page and, under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download Now. Use a blank USB drive with at least 8 GB of capacity.

Creating the installer erases all existing contents of the selected USB drive. Connect the intended drive, run the Media Creation Tool as administrator, and select Accept. Select Create installation media for another PC, then Next. Choose the language, edition, and architecture, then select USB flash drive and the intended USB device.

For a Windows 11 Arm-based PC, obtain an Arm64 image from Microsoft’s dedicated download page or your manufacturer’s recovery service. The x64 Media Creation Tool does not create Arm64 media. Follow your model’s requirements for adding drivers before booting.

For a ChromeOS Flex installer, try another USB port or adapter and test the installer on another compatible computer. Recreating the installer erases the replacement drive’s existing contents. If the installer remains unreliable, recreate it on a USB drive from another manufacturer.

Select the USB from the startup boot menu

Connect the bootable USB before starting the computer, then use the shortcut for your model. On a supported Lenovo ThinkPad, press F12 when the ThinkPad logo appears, select the USB drive, and press Enter. Applicable IdeaPad models use F12 or Fn + F12 during power-on.

On an Acer PC with its boot-menu shortcut enabled, repeatedly press F12 at the first logo, highlight the USB drive, and press Enter. If the shortcut is disabled, restart and press F2 at the Acer logo, then open Main > F12 Boot Menu. Press Enter, select Enabled, press Enter again, then press F10 and Enter to save and restart.

Acer says models without that feature cannot enable the shortcut. On Acer PCs with the documented boot-order controls, enter firmware with F2 on notebooks or Del on desktops, then open Boot > Boot Order. Move the USB entry with F5 or F6, then press F10.

For supported ASUS notebooks, all-in-ones, and handhelds, start from shutdown, hold Esc, and power on. Select the USB drive and press Enter. From inside ASUS UEFI, you can instead press F8 or select Boot Menu.

On HP PCs covered by its Windows 11 Secure Boot procedure, use bootable USB media prepared with GPT formatting. Shut down, connect the drive, and power on while repeatedly pressing F9. Enter your BitLocker recovery key if requested, highlight the USB drive, and press Enter; this procedure retains Secure Boot.

Enable USB boot in your firmware

On Lenovo notebooks with the documented setting, press F2 during startup and open Boot > USB Boot. Set it to Enabled and save the changes. If the drive remains absent, check that the installer supports UEFI boot.

For the Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 DB04250, enter BIOS setup and open Integrated Devices > USB/Thunderbolt Configuration. Enable Enable USB Boot Support, save the change, and retry the USB entry in the startup boot menu. Other Dell models can place these controls elsewhere.

When booting through USB-C or Thunderbolt on older Dell XPS, Precision, and Latitude laptops whose BIOS shows a combined USB/Thunderbolt Configuration menu, set POST Behavior > Fastboot to Thorough, then open System Configuration > USB/Thunderbolt Configuration. Select Enable Thunderbolt Boot Support and Enable USB Boot Support, then save before retrying. Newer Dell BIOS versions split that menu into separate entries, including USB Configuration and Thunderbolt Adapter Configuration, so check the layout your model shows. These settings are not a requirement for every ordinary USB-A flash drive.

On ASUS models using the interface named MyASUS in UEFI, press F7 for Advanced Settings. Open Boot > Boot Option #1, choose the USB drive, press F10, and select Confirm. If you need to enter firmware without Windows on an ASUS model supporting this shortcut, shut down completely, hold F2 while pressing the power button, and release F2 when setup opens.

From Windows 11 on supported ASUS UEFI PCs, search for and open Change advanced startup options. Under Advanced startup, select Restart now, then select Restart now again. After restarting, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.

Match the installer to UEFI firmware

Check the installer’s boot compatibility before switching firmware modes. Lenovo says most of its models from 2018 onward support only UEFI boot, so inspect your model’s Boot page. For those computers, prepare UEFI-compatible installation media.

For a failed Ubuntu USB installer created with Rufus on Windows for a UEFI PC, obtain the current release from the official Rufus download page. In its Download section, select the build matching the Windows computer preparing the USB. Select the intended USB device and the official Ubuntu image, then set Partition scheme to GPT and Target system to UEFI (non CSM).

Writing the replacement installer erases the selected USB drive’s existing contents. Recreate the media with those settings, then retry it from the boot menu. For other old Rufus-created UEFI media, recreate the installer using a current Rufus release and an unmodified official operating-system image.

If the error followed a switch to Legacy mode on a Dell UEFI-only computer covered by Dell’s procedure, press F2 at startup. Set Boot sequence to UEFI and select Apply, then open Advanced Boot Options, uncheck Enable Legacy Option ROMs, and select Apply. For Windows, set Secure Boot > Secure Boot Enable to Enabled, then select Apply > Exit.

Restoring UEFI can recover an existing UEFI installation after an inappropriate mode change. If the operating system was installed in Legacy mode, Dell says changing the boot sequence back to UEFI cannot recover it, and the operating system must be reinstalled.

Use the Surface boot and recovery options

For Surface, disconnect other USB devices and insert your bootable drive. From shutdown, hold Volume Down, press and release Power, then release Volume Down when spinning dots appear. On Windows 11, you can instead open Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart Now, then choose Use a device > USB Storage.

On supported modern Surface UEFI models, including Surface Pro 6 onward and Surface Laptop 2 onward, enter UEFI from shutdown by holding Volume Up while pressing and releasing Power. Under Boot configuration > Advanced options, turn on Enable Boot from USB devices and Enable alternate boot sequence. Move USB Storage first, or swipe it left for an immediate boot, then select Exit > Restart Now.

If factory-recovery media still fails, identify your Surface and obtain the recovery ZIP for its exact model and architecture from Surface Recovery Image Download. Choose the newest image when several are offered. Connect a USB drive large enough for the image; 32 GB accommodates Microsoft’s recovery images.

Creating the recovery drive erases its existing contents. Search Start for “recovery drive,” open Create a recovery drive, and select Yes. Uncheck Back up system files to the recovery drive, select Next, choose the intended USB drive, then select Next > Create. Extract the downloaded recovery image onto the prepared drive, following the FAT32 recovery workflow.

On affected pre-2024 Surface models, newer recovery images require updated Secure Boot certificates. Allow those certificate updates to arrive through Windows Update. Before using the manual alternative, check that your model is eligible and already meets the minimum UEFI version in Microsoft’s Surface Secure Boot Certificates table.

Have your BitLocker recovery key available because Microsoft says the manual certificate procedure triggers recovery. On an eligible device with qualifying firmware, open UEFI > Security > Secure Boot > Change Configuration. Select Microsoft only, select OK, then select Exit > Restart now.

If your Surface is managed through Surface Enterprise Management Mode, ask your administrator to review USB Boot, Alternate Boot, and Boot Order Lock in Surface UEFI Configurator. The administrator must deploy an authorized configuration permitting the required boot behavior. Administrators managing supported Windows 11 Surface devices can obtain the Surface IT Toolkit installer from Microsoft’s Surface Tools for IT download page, choosing the installer that matches the management PC’s architecture.

Adjust ASUS Fast Boot and Secure Boot only when needed

On ASUS notebooks, all-in-ones, and handhelds exposing Fast Boot, enter UEFI and press F7. Set Boot > Fast Boot to Disabled, press F10, and select Ok. On ASUS desktops with the documented UEFI interface, press F7 and use Boot > Boot Configuration > Fast Boot instead, then save with F10. In the interface named MyASUS in UEFI, select Confirm instead, then retry the USB.

For incompatible boot media on ASUS models with the relevant controls, temporarily disable Secure Boot through Security > Secure Boot > Secure Boot Control. Choose Disabled, press F10, and select Ok, or select Confirm in the interface named MyASUS in UEFI. Use this conditional step after checking the media and ordinary USB boot controls.

Restore ASUS defaults after incorrect firmware changes

Restoring firmware defaults resets your customized firmware settings. On ASUS notebooks, all-in-ones, and handhelds with the documented UEFI interface, press F9 or select Default; on ASUS desktops with the documented UEFI interface, press F5 or select Default. Then select Ok. Press F10 or select Save & Exit, then select Ok again.

After the reset, recheck USB boot and the boot order before retrying. Use this option when incorrect firmware configuration preceded the problem; restoring defaults is not a guaranteed fix for every USB boot failure.

Check for a relevant Dell firmware update

On a compatible Dell PC, check for a model-appropriate firmware update, especially when its release notes address USB or boot problems. In Dell SupportAssist, open Home > Update software > Start. Use SupportAssist in place of the older Dell Update and Alienware Update applications, whose support ended in 2024.

On Windows 11, open Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, then open Advanced Options > Optional Updates > Driver updates. Select the applicable firmware update and Download & install. On supported Dell business PCs, you can instead obtain Dell Command | Update from its product support page under Drivers & Downloads, then open the app, select Check, select the firmware update, and select Install.

Keep your BitLocker recovery key available before changing firmware. If Windows cannot start and your Dell offers firmware file updates, identify the computer by Service Tag or model in Dell support and obtain its BIOS update through Drivers & Downloads. Save the model-specific update to a FAT32 USB.

At startup, press F12, select BIOS Update > Flash from file, select the file, and select Update BIOS. Some Dell models instead offer BIOS Flash Update - Remote for a network download. Use the option your model provides and the update for that exact computer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every UEFI USB drive have to use FAT32?

You do not need to apply FAT32 to every UEFI installer. Microsoft’s Surface USB boot and recovery guidance and ASUS’s USB boot guidance call for FAT32, but Rufus also supports UEFI:NTFS. Match the preparation method to your device and installer.

Should you disable Secure Boot just because you used Rufus?

You do not need to disable Secure Boot solely because you used Rufus. Its developer documents signed UEFI:NTFS support starting with version 3.17. Compatibility still depends on your firmware’s trust settings, revocations, and the operating-system image.

What else can help a Surface that previously ran a Windows Insider build?

For a Surface with that specific history, turn Secure Boot off and back on in Surface UEFI, then retry the USB. Microsoft includes this recognition troubleshooting step for devices that previously had an Insider build installed.

Should you remove Lenovo Service Engine to fix this error?

You should not treat Lenovo Service Engine removal as a USB boot repair. Lenovo’s removal advice concerns affected older desktops covered by its Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 security advisory. It addresses that historical security issue rather than establishing a fix for this boot error.

How can a Dell read a BIOS update from USB when it cannot boot the installer?

Your firmware can access an update file separately from booting an operating system on USB. On Dell models with the corresponding feature, the updater can read a model-specific BIOS file from a FAT32 USB even when the operating-system installer does not boot.

Do newer Surface devices need the same Secure Boot certificate update?

If your Surface was released in 2024 or later, Microsoft says it already contains the newer certificates. The certificate update procedure applies to listed older models, and its manual alternative requires qualifying firmware.