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How to set boot disk in bios. Key BIOS settings. What other types of cr-rom installation are there?

To obtain information about methods for correcting a computer (PC) and increasing its performance, material that highlights Bios settings in pictures and explains in detail the algorithm of actions will help.

The changes made will be protected by a lithium battery built into the motherboard and maintaining the required parameters in the event of a loss of voltage. Thanks to the program, it is possible to establish stable interaction between the operating system (OS) and PC devices.

You enter Bios when the system starts and a message appears on the monitor informing you that the download has begun. You will need to press the F2 key several times to get to the settings menu.

Attention! Some motherboards are adapted to press the “DEL” button - the correct operation is written in the lower corner of the screen.

There are several menu options that have certain differences in the order of the main and additional items. Let's pay attention to the most common version of Ami, consisting of the following key sections:

  • Main– determines timing parameters in relation to drives with disks;
  • Advanced– changes port and memory modes and helps overclock the processor;
  • Power– regulates nutrition;
  • Boot– affects boot parameters;
  • Tools– special settings.

Attention! The present Boot network configuration section allows you to adjust parameters related to system boot speed and keyboard and mouse settings.

After finishing work or familiarizing yourself with the Bios Setup Utility menu, you need to press the hot Exit key, which automatically saves the changes made.

Section Main - Main Menu

Let's start working with the MAIN section, which is used to modify the hard drive settings and adjust timing indicators.

Here you can independently configure the time and date of your computer, as well as configure connected hard drives and other storage devices.

To reformat the operating mode of the hard drive, you need to select the hard drive (for example: “SATA 1”, as shown in the figure).

  • Type - This item indicates the type of connected hard drive;
  • LBA Large Mode- is responsible for supporting drives with a capacity of more than 504 MB. So the recommended value here is AUTO.
  • Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) - For faster operation here, we recommend selecting the AUTO mode;
  • PIO Mode - Enables the hard drive to operate in legacy data exchange mode. It would also be best to select AUTO here;
  • DMA Mode - gives direct memory access. To get faster read or write speed, select AUTO;
  • Smart monitoring - this technology, based on an analysis of the drive’s operation, can warn of a possible disk failure in the near future;
  • 32 bit Data Transfer - The option determines whether the 32-bit data exchange mode will be used by the standard IDE/SATA controller of the chipset.

Everywhere, using the “ENTER” key and arrows, the Auto mode is set. The exception is subsection 32 Bit Transfer, which requires the Enabled setting to be fixed.

Important! It is required to refrain from changing the “Storage Configuration” option, which is located in the “System information” section and not allow corrections “SATADetectTimeout".

Advanced section - Additional settings

Now let's start setting up the basic PC components in the ADVANCED section, which consists of several sub-items. Initially, you will need to set the necessary processor and memory parameters in the system configuration menu Jumper Free Configuration.

By selecting Jumper Free Configuration, you will be taken to the Configure System Frequency/Voltage subsection, where you can perform the following operations:

  • automatic or manual overclocking of the hard drive - AI Overclocking;
  • changing the clock frequency of memory modules - ;
  • Memory Voltage;
  • manual mode for setting chipset voltage - NB Voltage
  • changing port addresses (COM,LPT) - Serial and Parallel Port;
  • setting controller settings - Onboard Devices configuration.

Power Section – PC Power

The POWER item is responsible for powering the PC and contains several subsections that require the following settings:

  • Suspended Mode- set automatic mode;
  • ACPI APIC- set Enabled;
  • ACPI 2.0- fix the Disabled mode.

It is recommended not to change the APM configuration, but it is quite possible to adjust the general power supply in the Hardware Monitor subsection, which at the same time provides access to temperature conditions and adjustment of cooler speeds.

BOOT section - boot management

Direct booting is controlled using the parameters found in the BOOT section. Here you can determine the priority drive, choosing between a flash card, disk drive or hard drive.

If there are several hard drives, then in the Hard Disk sub-item the priority hard drive is selected. The PC boot configuration is set in the Boot Setting subsection, which contains a menu consisting of several items:

Selecting a hard drive

The PC boot configuration is set in the Boot Setting subsection,

  • Quick Boot– OS loading acceleration;
  • Logo Full Screen– disable the screen saver and activate the information window containing information about the download process;
  • Add On ROM– setting the order on the information screen of modules connected to the motherboard (MT) via slots;
  • Wait For 'F1' If Error- activation of the function of forced pressing “F1” at the moment the system identifies an error.

The main task of the Boot section is to determine boot devices and set the required priorities.

Attention! If you want to restrict access to your PC, set a password inBIOS in subsectionSupervisorPassword.

Section Tools – Detailed settings of basic parameters

Let's pay attention to the basic points that mainly need adjustment during the operation of the PC.

  • ASUS EZ Flash– using this option, you have the opportunity to update the BIOS from such drives as: floppy disk, Flash disk or CD.
  • AINET– using this option, you can obtain information about the cable connected to the network controller.

Exit section - Exit and save

Particular attention should be paid to the EXIT item, which has 4 operating modes:

  • Save Changes– save the changes made;
  • Discard Changes + EXIT– leave the factory settings in effect;
  • Setup Defaults– enter default parameters;
  • Discard Changes– we cancel all our actions.

The following step-by-step instructions explain in detail the purpose of the main BIOS sections and the rules for making changes to improve PC performance.

After publishing a series of materials on overclocking computer components, we began to receive questions from readers revealing ignorance of basic things related to setting up the BIOS of motherboards. We mentioned that you should approach overclocking already having initial theoretical knowledge in this area. However, apparently, many PC users are interested in getting a free performance boost (and more).

This material is intended to help beginners navigate basic system setup.

The article will discuss fairly simple concepts related to working with the configuration of motherboard firmware. To begin with, let's decipher the abbreviation BIOS - Basic Input/Output System (basic input/output system). This is a kind of software recorded in a chip with non-volatile memory, which allows you to initialize PC components and configure their operating modes. The BIOS contains the microcode needed to control the keyboard, video card, disks, ports, and other devices. For the average user, BIOS is identified with a visual shell that allows you to change computer settings if necessary.

We also note that the answers to most of the questions raised in this material can be found in the motherboard manuals. Alas, few users who want to know everything at once pay attention to the brochures supplied with these products. Sometimes the manuals are quite sparse, but nothing prevents you from familiarizing yourself with those devoted to other lines of boards from the same (or another) manufacturer - the basic BIOS options are standard, and what is applicable to one firmware is often suitable when working with another. Mastering this material is also facilitated by knowledge of the English language - a banal translation of terms will help you navigate the search for the necessary parameters.

What types of BIOS are there?

The differences in firmware come down not only to the abundance of settings and adjustment ranges of individual parameters. First of all, this is the microcode of a certain developer, which ultimately determines the visual shell. For example, the BIOS of ASUS motherboards is based on code from AMI (menu with blue symbols on a gray background), most manufacturers use Award/Phoenix (blue background, yellow letters). Recently, extensible firmware interfaces EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface), distinguished by an extraordinary graphical interface, have become widespread. They allow navigation using not only the keyboard, but also the mouse, and menu items have become even more intuitive.

How to get into the BIOS

To enter the BIOS, you must press the corresponding button on the keyboard while initializing PC devices (going through the POST procedure). If the motherboard firmware is based on microcode from AMI, it will be F2, Award - Del. In order to get into the BIOS of some laptops, you will need to activate the F8 key. However, even if you don’t know what microcode the board’s firmware is based on, during the device initialization process, a hint message will definitely appear on the screen (for example, Press F2 to Enter Setup - “Press F2 to get to the settings section”). If the monitor does not light up in time, after turning on the PC, regularly and often press the required button or, if you are not sure which one, try Del, then F2.

Selecting and changing firmware settings

BIOS settings are controlled exclusively from the keyboard. To move the cursor, use the arrow block (Up, Down, Right, Left). To change the desired parameter, highlight it with the cursor, press Enter and select one of the available modes. If the board's BIOS is based on microcode from AMI, you will have to use the “+” and “-” buttons for the same purposes. Setting certain values ​​can be done directly from the numeric keypad (for example, if you need to change the system bus frequency from 266 to 320 MHz, hover the cursor over the appropriate position, enter 3, 2, 0, then Enter). To go up one menu level, press the Esc key, exit the BIOS - perform a similar operation in the root directory. Often it also contains explanations of options for managing firmware settings. When exiting the BIOS using the Esc key (without saving the settings) or F10 (with saving the settings), a window will definitely appear asking Do you want to exit/save the settings? To confirm, press the Y (Yes) button, to cancel - N (No).

BIOS Basics in Pictures

The system is undergoing initialization procedure (POST). To get into the BIOS, at the moment you need to press the Del key (this is indicated by the inscription in the lower left part of the screen)
The main BIOS menu of one of the motherboards manufactured by Gigabyte. Below are brief tips - descriptions of the purpose of individual keys
The section devoted to fine-tuning the operating modes of the main system components (processor, RAM) can be called differently. In this case it is MB Intelligent Tweaker(M.I.T.)
Standard CMOS Features- a menu item available in the BIOS of any board. Allows you to set the date and time, as well as view a list of FDD, IDE and SATA devices connected to the system
Advanced BIOS Features, or Options, is one of the most important sections related to system configuration. In our case, it is possible to control boot priority, individual CPU technologies and the visual design of the splash screen
In chapter Integrated Peripherals functional blocks implemented on the motherboard are activated (network card, audio codec, IEEE 1394, USB ports, IDE and SATA controllers), their operating modes are set
Power Management Setup- control computer power, turn on/off without using a button Power system unit
In subcategory PnP/PCI Configurations has nothing interesting for the average user. System addressing settings are hidden there
System monitoring section - PC Health Status. Allows you to monitor the operating temperature of PC components, main supply voltages, and control the number of revolutions of system fans
In this BIOS, control of parameters important for overclocking a PC is concentrated in one section. Things may be different with the settings of boards using firmware from AMI - similar options are sometimes located in different subcategories of the main menu

BIOS updates - is it worth doing?

By the time a certain motherboard model is announced, manufacturers do not always have time to develop optimal firmware for it. Therefore, over time, BIOS updates are released and available for download from the manufacturers' official websites. A list of improvements that a particular firmware version has is often given in the description. Should you constantly update your motherboard BIOS? If the PC works well, and overclocking the components is not limited to the board, then there is no need to do this. The firmware should be changed only if there are significant changes in certain parameters, expansion of functionality, and sometimes the introduction of support for new processor models.

Information on how to update the firmware is also available on the manufacturers' websites. Owners of modern products do this directly from within the OS, using specialized utilities. To update the firmware of older boards, you need to get a disk drive. When upgrading the BIOS, be extremely careful - a power failure, pressing the Reset button prematurely before the operation is completed - and the motherboard will have to be sent to a service center. There may be freezes caused by defects in utilities from manufacturers. So don’t overdo it in the pursuit of each new BIOS version, because good is not a good thing.

After changing the settings, the computer does not boot. What to do?

A typical situation that accompanies the activity of overclockers is the inability to boot a PC after setting incorrect parameters in the BIOS. Many modern motherboards implement reset technologies in such cases. However, they do not always work, and not all boards are equipped with them. But this is not a reason to get upset, panic and say that the computer is broken. Any motherboard has a special jumper to force all settings to be reset to Default mode, which is often designated as CLR_CMOS (or Clear CMOS). Its location must be indicated in the board's instruction manual. The jumper can take the form of a special button located on the rear panel (a similar solution is found on top ASUSTeK boards), or it can be soldered in the area where the battery is located. If it has three contacts, two of which are closed by a jumper (a similar circuit is used in most products), you need to move the jumper from one position to another for a few seconds while the computer is turned off (say, 1-2 → 2-3) and back. Sometimes a jumper has only two contacts (often found on Gigabyte boards), then they need to be connected with a conductive object (for example, a screwdriver).

If after resetting the system goes through the POST initialization procedure, but does not boot into the OS, make sure that the hard drive is displayed in the BIOS and is listed as the first number among the available boot devices. When using an HDD with an IDE connector on modern motherboards, you will probably have to configure the operating mode of the external controller (Configure SATA Interface as IDE). After carrying out the described manipulations, the system should boot successfully, except in cases where the OS fails (such complications are possible, especially when playing for a long time with memory timing settings, but they occur extremely rarely).

Basic BIOS sections - where to look for what

It is absolutely not necessary for a novice user to thoroughly study every item of the firmware in order to configure the system. Therefore, we will briefly talk about the main features available in the BIOS of all boards.

From the basic sections we highlight Standard CMOS Features, Advanced BIOS Features And Integrated Peripherals. The first of them displays the current date and time, the amount of RAM, and displays a list of IDE- and SATA-compatible system devices. You can also change the clock settings through the OS, so the value of this section lies in the initial diagnostics of the PC: here it is monitored which drives and hard drives are connected and determined at the hardware level, and which are not. In Advanced BIOS Features (or the Boot menu, if the firmware is based on code from AMI) the boot sequence priority is set. There are cases when the operating system on the HDD is not initialized only because the FDD containing the floppy disk or the CD-ROM with the boot disk is selected first in the list of devices. Until you remove the media, don't expect to see the OS. Immediately install the hard drive first - you will never go wrong. The Integrated Peripherals section is interesting because it allows you to disable controllers soldered on the motherboard, thus managing the functionality of the PC. If there is no sound in your system when the speakers are connected correctly, check whether the audio codec is activated (the submenu value should be Enabled or Auto). The situation is similar with the network controller, IEEE 1394, etc. Pay attention to the paragraphs dedicated to USB. Be sure to activate the appropriate controller and enable USB keyboard and mouse support. Depending on the positioning of the motherboard and its features, the Advanced BIOS Features and Integrated Peripherals sections may contain different system settings. You should pay attention to a brief study of the settings proposed in them.

Of the sections available in the BIOS of most boards, we will also highlight the sections for system monitoring (PC Health Status), power management (Power Management Setup) and configuring data bus addresses (PnP/PCI Configurations). The last two are of no interest to most. The most valuable thing for the average user is the monitoring section, which displays the temperatures of the main PC components (CPU, chipset) and the current voltages supplied by the power supply, and also has the ability to control the fan speed. However, you should not trust these sensors unconditionally - their readings can be inaccurate.

Settings that determine the performance of the PC and the operating modes of the main components are located in one or more adjacent subsections of the BIOS. It is possible that they may not be there at all - do not expect to find options on a cheap motherboard for an office computer to seriously increase the supply voltage, set RAM timings, or control CPU parameters. We talked about the relevant points in more detail in the materials devoted to overclocking a PC, so we won’t dwell on them now.

Most of the parameters that can be changed through the BIOS can be installed directly in the OS using specialized utilities. However, this method is often inconvenient - every time you boot the computer you need to launch additional software and activate certain settings. When you reinstall the system, they will be lost. Therefore, if you want to be on friendly terms with your computer, you will have to study the motherboard BIOS.

Afterword

Perhaps this material does not describe all the nuances of working with the BIOS that beginners would like to know. However, do not be upset if you have not found the answer to your question - first of all, remember where the instruction manual for the motherboard is located, and carefully study the section on firmware. If there is no brochure or the description is too sparse, you can download an extended version from the official website of the motherboard manufacturer for a specific product, or simply find a good manual from a third-party manufacturer. It is likely that the settings mentioned there will be largely similar. If you are not sure, ask again on specialized forums of thematic resources, although we do not see anything wrong with studying the BIOS on your own by trial and error. The “magic” CLR_CMOS jumper for resetting settings is available on any board, and it is almost impossible to damage any component without radically changing the power parameters (for example, increasing the voltage on the processor by 80% of the nominal value).

If, after carefully examining the BIOS of the motherboard installed in your PC, it suddenly turns out that certain settings are missing, do not be upset. On Gigabyte products, to activate the section responsible for fine-tuning the memory subsystem and CPU operating mode, after entering the BIOS you need to press the key combination Ctrl+F1. In other cases, it is quite possible that some options really are not there. A similar situation is typical for budget motherboards. In their firmware, sections on fine tuning and power management of PC components are either very scarce or completely absent. However, it is likely that the required parameters can be changed from under the operating system using specialized utilities.

A few words must be said about the new interface - EFI - which will replace the classic BIOS. Undoubtedly, a pleasant graphical shell will appeal to some users, but the convenience of its implementation should be judged only by testing the corresponding products. In the meantime, experienced overclockers are quite satisfied with the available capabilities, in which a complete setup of the motherboard BIOS to optimize the parameters of all components and overclock the PC takes from several tens of seconds to a minute. Too fast? Not at all. Learn the basics of working with firmware configuration, expand your own knowledge, and it is possible that over time you yourself will become specialists in this field.

Windows is having problems and your computer doesn't want to boot? Have you caught viruses again and want to use a third-party disk to scan and disinfect your system? In these cases, you will have to boot from a USB flash drive or CD/DVD. But first you need to “tell” the BIOS about this. Our article is about how to enable booting from a flash drive/disk in the BIOS settings of a desktop computer and laptop.

Why can't I quickly configure the BIOS?

Even an experienced user cannot always quickly install BIOS settings and install Windows from a flash drive/disk on a new desktop computer or laptop. What are the reasons?

Reason #1: The computer has an unfamiliar BIOS

Today, three types of BIOS are considered the most common:

  • Award BIOS from the manufacturers Award (old versions) and Phoenix Technologies;
  • AMI BIOS or simply AMI from the manufacturer American Megatrends;
  • UEFI is a new modern BIOS from Intel.

When you boot your computer, you should pay attention to the upper left corner of the screen. The BIOS is usually “presented” there. Depending on the firmware version, the BIOS interface from the same manufacturer may look different.

Reason No. 2: it is impossible to get into the BIOS menu

If you cannot get to the BIOS boot menu using the usual keys, pay attention to the prompts at the bottom of the screen. If there are no prompts, and this also happens, try pressing the Esc, Del, F2 keys. They are most often used to enter AMI and Award bios. We will talk about the features of working with UEFI later.

Reason No. 3: BIOS “does not see” the flash drive

  1. The flash drive must be connected before booting or rebooting the computer (maybe just before you turn on the PC).
  2. It is better to connect the device to a USB 2.0 port, since the Windows 7 installer does not include USB 3.0 drivers.
  3. You need to check whether the USB controller is enabled (section Integrated Peripherals/Advanced Chipset Features Award BIOS).

Setting up Award

  • Call the BIOS using the Del or F2 key.
  • Find the item in the menu and select it.


  • Perhaps your window will look completely different from our screenshot. This means that your computer has a different Award BIOS firmware and you need to go to the First Boot Device setting using the Boot Seq & Floppy Setup option.
  • After installing a flash drive (USB-FDD) or disk (CDROM) as the first boot device, install the hard drive (HDD) as the second boot device (Second Boot Device).
  • We perform this item only if USB-FDD is selected. Go to the Hard Disk Boot Priority parameter and move our USB flash drive to the first place in the list using the +/- / Page Up / Page Down keys.
  • We complete the setup process by returning to the main menu (Esc key), selecting Save & Exit Setup and pressing the Enter key.

Setting up AMI on a desktop computer

  • We call the AMI BIOS using the Del key and through the Boot tab go to the Boot Device Priority window.

  • Install the flash drive/disk as 1st Boot Device and return to the main menu (Esc key).
  • Go to the Exit tab and select Exit & Save Changes.
  • In this tab there is a Load Setup Defaults item that allows you to return the bios settings to default.

Setting up AMI on a laptop

Setting up booting from a flash drive/disk on laptops is done differently than on desktop computers. Let's look at setting up AMI BIOS on a laptop.

  • Call bios with the F2 key and go to the already familiar Boot tab.
  • To boot from disk, go to the Boot Priority section, set Select 1st Boot Priority to Internal Optical Disc Drive (disk).
  • To boot from a flash drive, first enable booting from an external device by setting the External Device Boot parameter in the Boot Configuration section to Enabled, then in the Boot Priority section, set Select 1st Boot Priority to External Device (flash drive).
  • Return to the main menu (Esc key).
  • Go to the Exit tab, select Exit Setup and answer the question in the affirmative "Save configuration & reset?".

UEFI setup

UEFI has a graphical interface and supports the use of a mouse. Setting up this bios is much easier than getting into it. For example, we get to the boot menu of an HP laptop by pressing the Esc key and then use the F10 key to go to the Bios Setup section. But Asus owners will have to use the Del and F2 keys.

For Windows 8 users who were unable to get into UEFI, we will advise two options.

  1. We go into the computer settings through the control panel and find the power settings mode. Turn off fast boot mode and restart the computer. The prompts at the bottom of the screen will help you solve the problem.
  2. Press Shift+Restart to restart Windows 8. In the Windows boot menu, which will open after the reboot, select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options. Click the UEFI Firmware Settings button and get into UEFI after restarting the computer.

And now there are two options that allow you to install UEFI to boot from a flash drive/disk.

  1. In the Boot Priority section, which is located at the bottom of the screen, drag the icon with the image of a flash drive/disk to the first place with the mouse.
  2. Press the Exit/Advanced mode button, confirm the transition to advanced mode by selecting the Advanced Mode item and perform the settings.

We hope you can now boot Windows from a USB flash drive/disk, even if your computer's BIOS interface is slightly different from the interfaces described in this article. After all, the main thing is to understand the principle of BIOS settings.

Today I will tell you how to enable booting from a flash drive in the BIOS of various manufacturers. No matter what version you have, the order of body movements will be as follows:

1. We insert our bootable USB flash drive into the USB connector of your computer. I recommend inserting it into a port located directly on the motherboard, i.e. from the back of the system unit.

2. Turn on the computer and press the key Delete(or F2) to get into the BIOS. Depending on the manufacturer and BIOS version, other keys (Esc, F1, Tab) may be used, so you need to carefully read the prompts on the screen.

In Bios, we can only navigate between tabs using the keyboard.
Below I will describe this process in detail using the most commonly used BIOS versions as an example.

Attention! Keep in mind that if you are installing the operating system from a flash drive or CD and have selected the boot device in the BIOS rather than in the boot menu, then after the first automatic reboot of Windows you will need to enter the BIOS again and return booting from the hard drive. If this is not done, autoboot from a flash drive or CD will work again, and Windows will begin the first stage of the procedure again installations.

Setting up Award Bios to boot from a flash drive

Award Bios:

First, let's check if the USB controller is enabled. Let's go to “Integrated Peripherals”. Use the arrow on the keyboard to move down to the “USB Controller” item. Press the “Enter” key and select “Enable” in the window that appears (also using “Enter”). Opposite “USB Controller 2.0” there should also be “Enable”.


 Exit this tab by pressing “Esc”.

Then we go to “Advanced BIOS Features” – “Hard Disk Boot Priority”.Now in my example the hard drive comes first, but the flash drive should be there.


 We stand on the line with the name of our flash drive (Patriot Memory) and raise it to the very top using the “+” key on the keyboard.


 We exit here by pressing “Esc”.

Setting up AMI Bios to boot from a flash drive

If, after entering Bios, you see such a screen, it means you have AMI Bios:


First, let's check if the USB controller is enabled. Go to the “Advanced” – “USB Configuration” tab.



 Opposite the items “USB Function” and “USB 2.0 Controller” should be “Enabled”.

If this is not the case, go to this line and press the “Enter” key. From the list that appears, select “Enabled” (also using “Enter”).
Then exit this tab by pressing “Esc”.

Let's go to the tab “Boot” – “Hard Disk Drives”.


 Now my hard drive is in first place, but I need to put a flash drive here. We go to the first line, press “Enter” and in the window that appears, select our Patriot Memory flash drive.



 It should be like this:



 We leave here via “Esc”.

Select “Boot Device Priority”. Here, the first boot device must be a flash drive.


 Press Esc.

Then we exit the Bios, saving all the settings made. To do this, go to “Exit” – “Exit & Save Changes” – “OK”.

Setting up Phoenix-Award Bios to boot from a flash drive

If, after entering Bios, you see such a screen, it means you have Phoenix-Award BIOS :


 First, let's check if the USB controller is enabled. Go to the “Peripherals” tab – opposite the “USB Controller” and “USB 2.0 Controller” items there should be “Enabled”.


 Then go to the “Advanced” tab and opposite “First Boot Device” set “USB-HDD”.



 After that, exit the Bios, saving the changes. To do this, go to “Exit” – “Save & Exit Setup” – press the “Y” – “Enter” key


 That's practically everything you need to know in order to boot from a flash drive. In my article, I described the process of setting up the BIOS of the most popular versions: Award And AMI. The third example presents Phoenix-Award Bios, which is much less common.
The described procedure may differ slightly in different BIOS versions. But the main thing is that you understand the principle of setting itself.

By the way, I would also like to add: in order to choose which device to boot your computer from, it is not necessary to change the settings in the BIOS. You can immediately call up a special menu after turning on the computer to select boot devices (this can be done by pressing the F8, F10, F11, F12 or Esc key). In order not to guess with the keys, look carefully at the monitor immediately after turning it on. We need to have time to see an inscription like this: “Press Esc to selest boot device.” In my case, it was necessary to press “Esc”.

There are just a few problems that newbies face. And one of them is setting up the BIOS to install Windows from a flash drive. This is the first step where it all begins, and this is where almost everyone stumbles.

The problem is that there are different versions of BIOS. And, having studied the instructions on how to enable booting from a flash drive in the BIOS, a beginner may still not be able to cope. And all because it simply has the wrong BIOS version, there is no such line as in the screenshot and, accordingly, nothing works.

It doesn't matter what brand of laptop or computer you have. The version of the operating system (Windows 10, 8, 7 or XP) also does not matter. Only the BIOS version is important. And the easiest way to find out about this is by running it.

Before entering the BIOS settings, you need to insert a bootable USB flash drive with the installation image into the USB port. The main thing here is to write it down correctly. Otherwise it simply won't load.

After that, restart your PC or laptop and continuously click the Delete or F2 button until the BIOS window opens. The button may differ depending on the brand of laptop or motherboard on the computer, so see the hint on the first black screen.

Then the BIOS is configured.

Award BIOS setup

How can you tell if you have an Award BIOS? From the screenshot below:

If you have the same blue screen, then this is Award. This option is most often found on PCs.

Control in the BIOS is carried out only using the keyboard - arrows and corresponding buttons (their list is usually indicated at the bottom of the screen).

Before you set the BIOS to boot from USB, you need to check that it is enabled (otherwise the USB flash drive simply will not appear). For this:


The instructions are as follows:


In the screenshot above, the HDD drive is in 1st place, and the USB flash drive is in second place. She needs to be lifted upstairs. As you can see from the prompts at the bottom of the screen, you can set the boot priority in the BIOS using the + and – buttons (plus and minus). Select the USB flash drive and press the plus sign - it should move to the first line. Next, press Esc to go back.

Then highlight the “First Boot Device” item, press Enter and select “USB-HDD”. Press the Esc button again. To exit the BIOS, click the F10 button and then Esc (Save and Exit).

Setting up AMI BIOS

AMI BIOS looks like this:

And most often it is found on laptops. Again, you first need to make sure that the USB controller is enabled. For this:

Now let's look at how to boot a flash drive through BIOS on a laptop:

Sometimes, to change the boot priority of devices (put the flash drive in 1st place), you need to press other buttons. This can be not only + and - (plus/minus), but also F6/F7, etc. Focus on the tooltips, which tell you what a particular button does (this small instruction is always located either on the right or at the bottom).

Setting up Phoenix-Award BIOS

Phoenix-Award looks like this:

This is a rare (more precisely, old) version, but for the full picture, let’s look at it through the Phoenix-Award BIOS.

First, go to the “Peripherals” tab and make sure that the first two items are set to “Enabled”. If necessary, set what you need.

After that, go to the “Exit” tab (in the top menu) and select the “Save & Exit” line to exit the BIOS.

Setting up BIOS UEFI

BIOS UEFI is a new and improved version of the old BIOS. It has a user-friendly interface, so setting up the BIOS to install Windows is very simple here.

All you need is to find the USB device icon, use the mouse to move it to the 1st place, and then click the “Exit” item (in the right corner) with the mouse. And don't forget to save your settings!

This is the simplest way to boot from a flash drive via UEFI BIOS. Undoubtedly, this method is the simplest and most understandable. Actually, this is precisely why the new graphical interface was developed.

When your PC or laptop reboots for the first time during the Windows installation process, you need to go into the BIOS again and restore the previous settings. That is, put the HDD drive in first place, and lower the flash drive into second or third.

Or when after a reboot a black screen appears with the line “Press any key...” (“Press any button”) - do nothing.

Otherwise, Windows will start installing from the very beginning. And you can walk in circles like this for hours.

Once again: during the installation process, after the first reboot, either go into the BIOS and return all the previous settings, or simply do not press anything. Alternatively, you can simply remove the flash drive from the USB port (but only when the PC or laptop reboots).