Installing OS via USB "Reboot and select proper boot device"

boot windows-10 usb uefi bootable-media

52,013

Solution 1

It doesn't make sense to dd a Windows ISO to a USB drive. It's simply not supposed to be bootable this way. For the PC to boot a USB drive, the drive needs to have either a MBR with proper boot code for hard disks, but not ISO9660/UDF, for BIOS/CSM, or a proper FAT-formatted ESP for UEFI.

The simplest way to make a bootable Windows installation USB for UEFI, is to format the drive with FAT32, and then mount the ISO and copy the content to it. UEFI simply looks for EFI binaries on proper location.

Solution 2

Annoyingly some USB drives aren't boot compatible with some computers and the only way to find out is try several USB drives, do you have any others to try, Sandisk seems to to good here?

52,013

naomisl

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

naomisl over 1 year
When I attempt to boot the newly built computer from a USB in order to install windows 10, I get the error "Reboot and select proper boot device." I think that somehow my settings in the UEFI are not correct so that it is not attempting to boot from the USB as I'd like.

Some details:
- motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-H81M-HD3
- I created the bootable USB from an ISO file on a mac, using the Terminal & this method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhgjqbq_zYA
- This question is similar to mine, but doesn't seem to have a solution I can try, as I do not have a windows machine. I'd really like to solve this with the machines I have at hand if at all possible. Can't install OS with bootable USB — Reboot and select proper boot device [edited to add- I have a MacBook Air running Yosemite 10.10.5 & a new PC that is the focus of this question, which doesn't yet have an OS.]
- root about 8 years
  
  Are you sure your USB is bootable? Have you entered the settings in UEFI to look at the boot order?
- naomisl about 8 years
  
  I have been trying to find the boot settings in the UEFI, but am not finding the boot order. Do you know where it might be?
- naomisl about 8 years
  
  Once I do find the right place in the UEFI-- Is the idea that if the USB isn't bootable, I won't see it in the list for the boot order?
- root about 8 years
  
  it varies, but it's usually pretty obviously labeled "boot order". there should only be so many tabs to check
Eric F about 8 years

Did you mean to put this as a comment instead of an answer?
naomisl about 8 years

interesting...I could try that.
naomisl about 8 years

Thank you, this sounds promising! Can you walk me through it in a bit more detail? I wipe the usb, and then, how would you suggest I format it to FAT32 & mount the ISO to it?
Rod Smith about 8 years

I've found this to be true for BIOS-mode boots. I have yet to encounter a USB drive that's not bootable in EFI mode, assuming it's got the right files. Since the OP hasn't clearly specified BIOS- or EFI-mode booting, this might or might not be an issue, but it's certainly worth mentioning.
Rod Smith about 8 years

Use any tool you like to put FAT32 on it. You don't mount the .iso file to the disk; you mount the .iso file and then copy the files from within the .iso file to the USB drive. A tool like Rufus can help automate the process -- although I've never used Rufus to make a bootable USB from a Windows installation disc, so it might not be the right tool.
tvdo about 8 years

@EricF This is an answer, not a comment. It benefits the site and future users to have alternate answers, even if they're not "the" answer for the original OP.
Suici Doga about 8 years

Rufus worked for my BIOS system
naomisl about 8 years

I ended up finding a windows machine and learning that my ISO file was corrupted, but this is the advice that would have worked if it wasn't corrupted so I'm marking it accepted. Thanks for your help!
Nathan Ringo almost 8 years

Just a heads-up, it looks like NTFS might be required for recent builds. FAT will boot, but eventually there's an error.
Selrond about 7 years

@RodSmith sir you just saved my life... Had the aforementioned problem, changed the setting which forced BIOS mode, now it's apparently working!
Eamonn Kenny almost 6 years

How can this be the accepted answer. iso burn using dd is 100% reliable for any OS. The correct smart boot and UEFI opinions need to be turned on in the BIOS in older machines. Nothing to do with dd. dd only fails if you use of=/dev/sdb1 or whatever target is. must be of=/dev/sdb
Tom Yan almost 6 years

@EamonnKenny If you say so. Have fun trying to boot from a USB drive without MBR or ESP. It isn't even about dd, but the form of the image that got written.