[SOLVED] Unable to boot from USB - Lenovo ThinkStation P510

[randomguy_1234]

I am unable to boot from USB on my ThinkStation P510. The USB is working and bootable as it loads Windows 10 x64 setup on my mini m710qThinkCentre fine.

I have already done the following from many of the articles I found on Lenovo and Tom's Hardware:

1. removed CMOS battery for ~1min
2. disabled secure boot

- I am unable to enable CSM ( not sure if this is this issue , but when I go to CSM configuration the screen is blank, no options )
3) changed boot order to USB KEY, USB HDD at the top of the list

• all usb ports are enabled under DEVICES
• I am unable to change the boot mode, currently selected is UEFI only

4) if I click on Optimized Defaults , it just asks to Enable and Save, there is no disable option


not sure what else to do. can't believe its so hard to boot from usb. had a similar issue with a DELL years ago with no resolution

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

1. You're advised to remove the CMOS battery from any computing device for 30 minutes. Power down, disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery. If at all possible press and hold down the power button for 30 seconds to drain any residual power after removing the CMOS battery.

2. Primary Boot Device is set to your USB? Enabled USB drive boot in BIOS?

Out of curiosity, how did you fabricate the installer for your OS? BIOS version for your Lenovo system?

 

[randomguy_1234]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

1. You're advised to remove the CMOS battery from any computing device for 30 minutes. Power down, disconnect from the wall and display, then remove the CMOS battery. If at all possible press and hold down the power button for 30 seconds to drain any residual power after removing the CMOS battery.

2. Primary Boot Device is set to your USB? Enabled USB drive boot in BIOS?

Out of curiosity, how did you fabricate the installer for your OS? BIOS version for your Lenovo system?

Okay I will try for 30 minutes and press and hold down the power button for 30 seconds to drain power.

My primary boot order is set to USB devices first.
Also not sure if it matters but the name of the USB isn't listed after the colon key :

What do you mean but enabled USB drive boot? I have USB enabled. I didn't see a "drive boot" option.

I used DISKPART on my other lenovo to format the usb, create a partition , clean and assign it, etc.. then copied the Windows 10 setup files to it. Done it a thousand times and boots from usb just fine on all my other systems.

Also not sure how I can attach a screenshot, in case you need one , it asks for a web url link.

 

[dwd999]

I used DISKPART on my other lenovo to format the usb, create a partition , clean and assign it, etc.. then copied the Windows 10 setup files to it. Done it a thousand times and boots from usb just fine on all my other systems.

I would not prepare a windows installer usb this way and do not believe your usb was properly prepared to boot even though you claim it boots just fine on your other systems. It may be booting on them using the boot info already on the system. Normally one uses the Windows Media Creation tool to prepare the usb. Alternately you can use the tool to prepare an ISO disk image file and then use a utility like Rufus (Rufus.ie) to mount the ISO disk image onto the usb. This always works. There is no need for diskpart, formatting, creating a partition, cleaning or assigning it since all of this is included in the ISO disk image. You are really doing it the hard way and in my opinion making a mess which is why it doesn't work. Its most likely booting on other systems using their boot info. Also note that the windows installer prefers that the drive you are installing windows on be the only internal drive connected and be totally blank with all of the space unallocated and have a GPT partition identifier. You can use a partitioning tool like Gparted to check your target disk and make sure its GPT. And Secure Boot must be turned on.

 

[randomguy_1234]

I would not prepare a windows installer usb this way and do not believe your usb was properly prepared to boot even though you claim it boots just fine on your other systems. It may be booting on them using the boot info already on the system. Normally one uses the Windows Media Creation tool to prepare the usb. Alternately you can use the tool to prepare an ISO disk image file and then use a utility like Rufus (Rufus.ie) to mount the ISO disk image onto the usb. This always works. There is no need for diskpart, formatting, creating a partition, cleaning or assigning it since all of this is included in the ISO disk image. You are really doing it the hard way and in my opinion making a mess which is why it doesn't work. Its most likely booting on other systems using their boot info. Also note that the windows installer prefers that the drive you are installing windows on be the only internal drive connected and be totally blank with all of the space unallocated and have a GPT partition identifier. You can use a partitioning tool like Gparted to check your target disk and make sure its GPT. And Secure Boot must be turned on.

thank you @dwd999 , I used Rufus and it worked. Over the last 5-8 years I have used DISKPART without issue but Rufus was better.