Laptop will boot from the HDD but not from a CD or from a bootable thumb drive

[Moondoggy51]

I'm looking for a solution to a problem I created somehow.  My problem is that my old HP-15 laptop that I was using for testing, will no longer boot from a thumb drive.  It booted from my  thumb drive prior to me flashing the BIOS from V13 to V22.  In addition to not booting from a thumb drive it will no longer boot from a the built-in CD drive using a bootable disc.  The only thing it will do now is boot Windows 10 Home from the internal hard drive. Please note that I have gone into the EUFI Bios and ensured that the USB device was 1st in the boot order followed by the internal CD-ROM drive and then the internal HDD.  I have also tried enabling legacy mode and making sure the boot order was the same and  I have tried disabling the secure boot option and regardless of what I've tried, the laptop still only boots from the HDD.  Unfortunately, I cannot restore the BIOS back to V13 as that version is unavailable and I can't go to HP for help as the device is no longer supported.

So, is there any technical wizard that can tell me how to resolve this problem or suggest another, alternative that will restore the ability to tell the laptop which device to boot from?  Whatever solutions might be available they would have to install it by invoking the installation form within Windows 10.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Moondoggy51,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like the issue is related to the updated BIOS (V22) you flashed on the HP 15 Laptop. Here's a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and possibly resolve the issue.

Verify Bootable Media

• Ensure the USB thumb drive and CD are truly bootable. Test them on another system to confirm they work as expected.
• For USB drives, use a tool like Rufus to create a bootable drive, ensuring it's formatted correctly (GPT/MBR) for the target system.

Review BIOS Settings

• Secure Boot: Confirm it's disabled. Secure Boot often prevents booting from non-approved devices.
• Legacy Mode: Enabling this is usually required for older devices to boot from USB/CDs.
• UEFI Boot Order: Ensure the USB/CD device is at the top of the boot order.
• Fast Boot: Disable this option, as it can sometimes skip external boot devices.

Perform a CMOS Reset

• A BIOS or CMOS reset may clear any lingering issues from the firmware update. To reset:
  1. Power off the laptop and disconnect it from power.
  2. Remove the battery if accessible.
  3. Hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual power.
  4. Reinstall the battery, plug in the laptop, and power it on.
• Alternatively, look for a BIOS/CMOS reset option in the BIOS menu itself.

Check USB Compatibility

• Some BIOS versions are picky about USB drive formatting. Try:
  • Formatting the USB drive as FAT32 instead of NTFS.
  • Using a USB 2.0 port instead of USB 3.0.
• If the device is bootable but not detected, this might be due to USB drivers within the updated BIOS.

Update/Restore BIOS Again

• If possible, check the HP support website for:
  • Newer BIOS updates beyond V22.
  • Alternate tools like HP's BIOS Recovery utility.

[Raj_05]

Alternative Boot Methods

• Network Boot (PXE): If supported, you could configure PXE boot to load the OS or utility via network.
• External USB CD/DVD Drive: Some internal drives may not be recognized, so test with an external drive.

Verify Boot Flag Settings

• Ensure the USB/CD device has an active boot flag. For USBs, tools like GParted (Linux) or Disk Management (Windows) can confirm and set this.

Log Diagnostics

• Enter the BIOS menu and review logs or diagnostics to determine why the device isn't booting. This may provide clues.

Invoke Boot Device Menu

• On startup, press the appropriate key (often Esc, F9, or F12) to invoke the boot device selection menu. Manually select the USB or CD.

Fallback Solutions

• If no solutions work and you need to install an OS or utility, consider:
  • Using virtualization software (e.g., VirtualBox) within Windows.
  • Installing tools or recovery systems directly via Windows.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

Alden4

HP Support