Booting with USB Flash Drive (Generic Computers)

Back up your data if possible on the computer or device on which you are planning to boot with the USB, install Linux or do anything at all, as if you accidentally corrupt/erase the hard drive - your data/files will be gone permanently!

Insert the USB Thumb Drive into a USB or USB-C slot on your computer.

Turn On/Restart the computer and immediately start tapping the Boot Media Key (If it continues to boot into the operating system – turn off/restart the computer and try again.)

Boot Media Key: On different computer brands, there will be a different key for triggering the boot menu: Usually it's "F1," F2," F10," "Del" or "Esc.", here is the list of common brands and the corresponding boot menu keys:

  • ACER: Esc, F9, F12
  • Apple: [Intel CPU ONLY]: Turn on the computer and immediately hold Option/Alt key
    • If mac continues to boot with no boot menu appearing: Boot into "Startup Security Utility" settings by restarting the mac and immediately holding Command+R, then switch "Secure Boot" to "No Security" and "Allowed Boot Media" to "Allow booting from external or removable media":
  • ASUS: Esc, F8
  • COMPAQ: Esc, F9
  • DELL: F12
  • EMACHINES: F12
  • GATEWAY: F10 or ESC, then F10 (To get into BIOS: ESC > Del)
  • HP: Esc, F9
  • IBM LENOVO: F12 (or Fn+F12), F10, F8
  • INTEL: F10
  • NEC: F5
  • PACKARD BELL: F8
  • SAMSUNG: Esc, F12
  • SONY: F10, F11
  • TOSHIBA: F12

Once the boot menu comes up, select the USB option and press Enter.

Typical boot menu will look something like this.

    

Mac (Intel / Silicon) - Startup Options (boot menu)

BOOTING TROUBLESHOOTING

✅ 1) “Press any key to boot from USB…”
If you see this message, you MUST press any key within a few seconds. If it continues booting into Windows, restart and try again — watch the screen carefully.

⚠️ 2) Black screen with a blinking cursor
This usually means the computer is trying to boot a non-bootable device OR it is booting the internal drive instead of the USB. Make sure you trigger the Boot Menu and select the actual USB Flash Drive.

🔌 3) No USB option in the Boot Menu
Turn off the computer → unplug the USB → plug it into a different USB port (or unplug/re-plug the same port) → try again.
If it still doesn’t appear, USB booting may be disabled in BIOS/UEFI. Enable it:

🔐 4) BitLocker / Device Encryption (VERY COMMON)
If your Windows drive is encrypted (BitLocker or “Device encryption”), changing BIOS/UEFI settings (Secure Boot / Boot Mode / Boot Order) can trigger a BitLocker Recovery screen OR cause boot changes to not behave as expected.

Recommended: Suspend BitLocker BEFORE changing Secure Boot / Boot Mode

  • Windows Pro/Enterprise (BitLocker): Control Panel → System and Security → BitLocker Drive Encryption → next to (C:) click Suspend protection. After you finish, go back and click Resume protection.
  • Windows Home (Device encryption): Settings → Privacy & Security → Device encryption → turn it Off (if present), then try again.

If you see a BitLocker Recovery Key prompt: enter the recovery key to boot Windows. Many users have it saved in their Microsoft Account. After Windows boots, suspend BitLocker first (above), then adjust BIOS/UEFI settings again.

🛡️ 5) “Verification failed: (0x1A) Security Violation”
Press OK → Press any key to perform MOK management → Enroll key from disk → YUMI → ENROLL_THIS_KEY_IN_MOKMANAGER.cer → Continue → Yes → Reboot and try again.
If it still gives the same error, try disabling Secure Boot (see below).

🛡️ 6) “Verifying shim SBAT data failed / SBAT self-check failed”
This is a Secure Boot policy issue. Try disabling Secure Boot (see below).

Disabling Secure Boot if such setting is present in BIOS (see below on how to boot into BIOS).
NOTE: For some computers, like some Acer for example, you need to first "Set Supervisor Password:", before you can disable "Secure Boot" - you can clear the Supervisor Password afterwards.
BITLOCKER NOTE: If Windows drive is encrypted, suspend BitLocker first (see section 4) to avoid recovery prompts.

🧩 7) Enable “Legacy Boot Mode / CSM” (only if needed)
Here is it is typically named in settings and needs to be enabled to allow Legacy Mode:

  • Legacy Support: "On" or "Enabled"
  • Legacy CSM: "On" or "Enabled"
  • UEFI/Legacy Boot: "Both" or "Legacy Only"
  • Boot Mode: "Legacy Support"
  • Boot Option Filter: "UEFI and Legacy" or "Legacy Only"

HOW TO BOOT INTO BIOS

Boot into BIOS/UEFI: Turning On/Restart the computer and immediately start tapping the BIOS Setup Key

BIOS Setup Key: Similar to Boot Media Key, BIOS Setup Key is different depending on the computer brand. Usually, you will see which key it is during the BIOS splash screen (on the bottom or top of the screen), which is the very first thing that will appear on the monitor when computer is turned on/restarted.
If it is not displayed, usually it's: F1, F2, F8, F12 or Del key, here is the list of common brands and the corresponding BIOS Setup keys:

  • ACER: F2, Del
  • ASUS: F2, Del
  • COMPAQ: F1, F2, F10, DEL
  • DELL: F2, F12
  • EMACHINES: F10
  • GATEWAY: F1, F2, ESC > Del
  • HP: Esc, F10
  • IBM LENOVO: F2 (or Fn+F2), F1
  • INTEL: F2
  • NEC: F2
  • PACKARD BELL: F2
  • SAMSUNG: F2
  • SONY: F2
  • TOSHIBA: F2

Once inside the BIOS/UEFI setup and configuration section, you’ll be presented with a number of options and parameters that can be configured for the firmware environment. The option you’re looking for has many names, depending on the make and model of the PC or laptop and the EFI firmware.

 When exiting BIOS/UEFI, make sure configuration options are saved.


Once successfully booted with the USB - you should see a menu where you can navigate with Arrow Keys/Enter to select and boot with the desired Operating System or Utility:

Previous Versions USBs looked very similar

   

* If it takes too long (10+ minutes) to boot an OS or a Utility - try a different USB port, if possible, if there is only 1 USB port - please give it some time. If still having the issue: try booting via "Boot without persistence" mode.