boot from USB for dummies - where is my onboard nic ipv4?

No ipv4 is for network boot.  Your usb if it contains UEFI bootable file for installation of OS would be listed as UEFI: mass storage device or sth like that in boot menu after you press F12 immediately after power on.

if otoh you just have a plain simple bootable usb to get into command line, it would work if you have legacy bios enabled and you set usb as the top boot device in usb boot settings.

Always include exact PC model in your posts!

You shouldn't have to change anything in BIOS setup to boot from a compatible and bootable USB stick. Plug the stick into PC with power fully off (not just a Restart inside Windows).

Then power on and tap F12 when you see the Dell splash screen. When the F12 menu opens, select the option to boot from USB.

CAVEAT: Since you didn't tell us the PC model number, we don't know if there's a BIOS option on your model that has to be enabled to allow USB booting, or not...

IPv4 has nothing to do with USB booting. IPv4 means booting from a networked boot drive (a drive with the OS on it) using Internet Protocol v4 when connected via the Ethernet port on back of the PC. So unless you're on a business (not personal/home) network, using Ethernet (not WiFi), and the business network allows booting of a remote PC using IPv4, that setting is totally irrelevant to you.  Same goes for the IPv6 option if that's listed in BIOS on your PC too...

Your bootable usb is prepared using the Dell method.  That usb is formatted FAT32 by default.  It is useful for putting a command line .exe on it such as Dell bios update.  It is not useful for OS install though.  When pc asks you for media, it has not found any OS loader on your devices including the usb.  If you intend to install os, use MS media creation tool to prepare a bootable usb that actually has OS installation media on it.  

thanks very much! I have a Dell Inspiron 3472.  Oddly, if I go into Bios settings for boot order and select ‘boot from USB’, the only options that show up are for NIC IPV4 and IPV6, hence my confusion.. I did an Add Boot Option, and selected the only option that mentioned ‘USB’. That seems to be reading the USB stick, which has 5 files on it: autoexec.bat, command.com, donfig.sys, dellbio.bin, dellrmk.bin

However, it wants me to select a media file and I am not sure which file to select. The options shown for selection are ‘return boot menu’, , and the 5 files listed above.

thanks again for any input..

Well, I didn't intend to install an OS, but working around a perceived hard drive error on the boot.   For the last few times the computer was unexpectedly powered off (e.g. power outage), it gave a warning of hard drive error on the boot, but a hard drive check shows no issues.  This time after a windows update it will not boot at all, and diagnostics again show a hard drive error.   Were you implying I would need to recover the operating system?   If so I will try to recover from an external backup.. at the present time I was only trying to get a boot (e.g. into safe mode) as from experience if I can get it to boot then restart it does fine.

many thanks 

Windows Boot Manager should always be first in the BIOS boot list.

How did you make this USB bootable?

Are you saying you had a power outage in the room, as opposed to the PC just shutting off by itself, but power is still on in the room?

Reboot and tap F12 to open that menu. Select Diagnostics from the list and run all of them, especially the full tests on the boot drive. (Ignore the optical drive tests, if you have one.) Look up the error code(s), if any, and post here. If the boot drive has failed, you'll have to replace it before going further.

If it passes, you could create a bootable USB stick using Microsoft's Win 10 or Win 11 Media Creation Tool, depending on which one you have. Plug that into this PC with fully power off. Power on and tap F12 and select the USB boot option when the menu opens.

When the Microsoft tool opens, look for Troubleshooting and Startup Repair options and see if they can fix the problem. If still not fixed, look for the Command Prompt option which may be on either the Troubleshooting or Repair menu. At the prompt, type in: chkdsk c: /r and press Enter. See if that can find/fix the problem...

If you suspect hdd error just replace it w a good hdd, clean install OS on the new hdd as boot drive, then reconnect old hdd as secondary drive to recover data from it.

Hi

This maybe overkill.

Could someone PLEASE put the exact step by step order on how to configure a Dell 5480 laptop to boot from a USB drive. Like everyone says this and that, I've tried 3 different orders and 1st one didn't work qnd the 2nd one I followed did the same thing the person that asked this threads original Question. NIC (IPV4) OR (IPV6)  I knew that wasn't right, so I didn't do it. I think if someone would ever have enough sense they would put that on here immediately. Like that is obviously what the real question was that needed answering. Instead of saying ipv4 is this and IPV6 IS that u should have just put on here Forrest sequence on how to so it. I mean how much sense does it make to answer the way yall answered so far. Yall should have simply said hey that ain't right, but this is how you do it.....

Unlike the hard drive, CD/DVD drive permanently located in the machine and required boot order configurations.  To boot from a USB drive is very simple and no need for boot order in BIOS settings.

Just plug in the prepared bootable USB drive to a USB port.  Press power button and instantly tap on F12 several times until you see the message preparing for one time boot menu appearing on the top right corner of the screen.  A boot menu will appear and you should see USB drive in the boot menu.  Just use arrow to highlight to select and hit Enter, system will boot into the USB.

If no USB showing in on time boot menu, the USB was not properly created, or boot mode does not match with system settings.  Try again.

You need to change the boot options to allow Legacy Boot mode - the UEFI with Secure boot does not allow boot from USB i.e. the USB you created from the Media Creation Tool. Once you enable the Legacy Boot mode and then restart and press F12, you will see the option to boot from USB (not IPV4 or IPV6 which are not what you want!).

PS. Sorry I can't give you the exact steps, but I worked it out whilst doing it myself and can't remember absolutely everything!

@Chino de Oro​ I have a Dell Inspiron 3020.  It shows me a NOTE: Legacy boot is not supported on this platform.  Does that mean I cannot change the boot sequence?  I have not found a way to change the boot sequence.

It won't be a permanent boot sequence.  As long as the bootable media is compatible with UEFI boot mode, you can always use F12, one time boot menu and select to boot from there.  

Not sure about the Feb. 6th post above.  Seems completely false, but I don't know what machine that would've been on.  BIOS set to UEFI (not Legacy) and Secure Boot on is the way to load Win10.  Never had a problem booting from DVD or flash drive in those modes.