Precision Fixed Workstations

[MD20]

Just got a new DELL PC and there is no boot from USB option. I've scoured this forum for previous solutions but they don't work for this. Did DELL finally disable all external drive booting? Is there no way around this? I'm using a flash drive install created with Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

I've posted some pics so you can see the settings I changed to try and allow USB booting. I also checked the "Enable USB Boot Support" box in the BIOS (not shown here) but no dice...

[Mary G]

The procedure has changed. Connect the USB drive and shutdown the computer. Turn on the computer and immediately start Tapping F12 without waiting for any screen. That will open the Boot Menu where you can select the boot device. 

You can also go to Settings, Update and Security and select Recovery, Advanced startup.

[MD20]

As you can see in the screenshots, the first & last (I accidentally posted the same screen twice) that is the F12 menu and there is no USB boot option.

Also, in the 2nd screenshot you can see there is no "Update and Security" menu branch.

[bmcowboy]

Hi @MD20 ,

Official manual always help. There should be an "Enable USB Boot Support" options under SYSTEM CONFIGURATION > USB Configuration in BIOS.

[MD20]

The last line of my original post:

"I also checked the "Enable USB Boot Support" box in the BIOS (not shown here) but no dice..."

It does not work.

[speedstep · Accepted solution]

The bios wont show this as an option unless an actual USB 2.0 FAT32 Bootable device is installed BEFORE turning power on. A blank flash drive or improperly prepaired device wont work. You can make one with the Media Creation tool and 32 gig USB 2.0 flash drive.  Use the USB2 ports on the back underneath the Ethernet Port.  Use the media tool to erase a 32 gig max usb 2.0 fat32 flash drive.  Current windows version REQUIRES at LEAST 16 gigs but cannot be larger than 32 gigs.

Media Tool 20H2 is Now 21H1

EXFAT and NTFS wont work.

The update now button

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=799445

The media tool works

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

Real devices are not expensive but the working units are often counterfeited.  I recommend buying them retail so you are sure you are not being cheated.

Sandisk

SDCZ60-032G-A46

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandisk-cruzer-32gb-usb-2-0-flash-drive-black/9288807.p?skuId=9288807

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000180684/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qszg2M7_m6g

[speedstep · Accepted solution]

The bios wont show this as an option unless an actual USB 2.0 FAT32 Bootable device is installed BEFORE turning power on. A blank flash drive or improperly prepaired device wont work. You can make one with the Media Creation tool and 32 gig USB 2.0 flash drive.  Use the USB2 ports on the back underneath the Ethernet Port.  Use the media tool to erase a 32 gig max usb 2.0 fat32 flash drive.  Current windows version REQUIRES at LEAST 16 gigs but cannot be larger than 32 gigs.

Media Tool 20H2 is Now 21H1

EXFAT and NTFS wont work.

The update now button

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=799445

The media tool works

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

Real devices are not expensive but the working units are often counterfeited.  I recommend buying them retail so you are sure you are not being cheated.

Sandisk

SDCZ60-032G-A46

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandisk-cruzer-32gb-usb-2-0-flash-drive-black/9288807.p?skuId=9288807

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000180684/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qszg2M7_m6g

[speedstep · Accepted solution]

The bios wont show this as an option unless an actual USB 2.0 FAT32 Bootable device is installed BEFORE turning power on. A blank flash drive or improperly prepaired device wont work. You can make one with the Media Creation tool and 32 gig USB 2.0 flash drive.  Use the USB2 ports on the back underneath the Ethernet Port.  Use the media tool to erase a 32 gig max usb 2.0 fat32 flash drive.  Current windows version REQUIRES at LEAST 16 gigs but cannot be larger than 32 gigs.

Media Tool 20H2 is Now 21H1

EXFAT and NTFS wont work.

The update now button

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=799445

The media tool works

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

Real devices are not expensive but the working units are often counterfeited.  I recommend buying them retail so you are sure you are not being cheated.

Sandisk

SDCZ60-032G-A46

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandisk-cruzer-32gb-usb-2-0-flash-drive-black/9288807.p?skuId=9288807

https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000180684/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qszg2M7_m6g

[MD20]

Thank you! I had created this media tool USB drive less than a year ago and I guess it's already out of date. It was formatted to NTFS and worked fine for a DELL laptop we bought less than a year ago. The link you provided created the Media Tool in FAT32 and was recognized by the F12 menu.

[speedstep]

The new media tool is now 21H1 and it creates a tiny FAT32 partition then a larger NTFS partition.  FAT32 is required for compatability with older Legacy bios.  The Tiny FAT32 partition boots and hands off the rest to the NTFS partition.

The media tool works but its updated to 21H1

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=691209

now 21H1

[MD20]

Yes it worked great and I will use this new version going forward. Thanks again.

[RadGuy1]

I also had a problem with upgrading my BIOS on my Dell Precision 3640 workstation.  After going through every possible Dell solution posted online, including having a Dell technician come to my office to try solve the problem, I finally talked to Dell's escalation team. After an hour on the phone, the problem was (incredibly) my Dell high resolution monitor.  Dell will be publishing this issue in upcoming releases.  When I swapped out my  high resolution monitor with a 1080p monitor,  my BIOS updated.  There is some bug which prevents the BIOS from updating with high res monitors.