How to Boot Windows from USB in Asus PC UEFI Megatrends BIOS

On this topic, I will show you how to boot from USB of windows 10 or windows 11 in Asus laptops or desktops, and how to setup Megatrends BIOS settings to troubleshoot Boot Failure.

Booting from the USB pen drive is a helpful step if you want to install Windows 11 or Windows 10, troubleshoot startup boot failure (from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) or from Safe Mode), install firmware drivers, BIOS update, and many more options.

Applicable computers:

I will show you how to setup UEFI or BIOS settings in FX516P Asus laptop, with American Megatrends BIOS version 321, however, the method is applicable to all Megatrends Asus PCs, such as Vivobook, VivoBook S, VivoBook Pro, ASUS VivoBook Classic: (K571GT-EB76, F512FA-AB34, F705MA-DS21Q, K712, X712), ASUS TUF Gaming (FX505DT-AH51), Asus rog, ASUS ROG Strix, ASUS ROG Mothership, Zephyrus, ASUS ROG Zephyrus, ASUS Chromebook, Asus tuf-f15, ASUS ZenBook Pro: (UX581GV-XB94T, UX581GV-XB74T, UX580GE-XB74T, UX333FA-AB77, UX550GE-XB71T), ASUS ZenBook Classic: (UX434FL-DB77, UX325JA-XB51, UX434FLC-XH77, UX325EA-AH77, UX533FD-DH74, UX431FA-ES74), and other Asus Notebooks or laptops.

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Simple Steps to boot from USB without changing BIOS Settings:

If you have created a bootable USB that is compatible with your laptop as instructed in our guideline, then you can boot from the USB easily by just pressing Escape key repeatedly once you see the Asus logo. After that, select the USB drive from the boot menu and then press Enter to boot from it.

Note: Some Laptops may need to do some changes in BIOS settings, especially if the bootable USB is not compatible with default or current BIOS settings. So, if you are unable to boot from the USB, you have to change in BIOS settings as instructed on the next method.

How to change Megatrends BIOS settings to allow Windows booting from the USB in Asus Pcs?

If the simple method failed to boot Asus from USB, open BIOS settings menu and then change some settings according to your situation.

How Open Megatrends BIOS settings?

You can open Asus BIOS settings as followings:

1. Power off the computer if it is powered on
2. Plug in the bootable USB to your computer and power it on
3. Once you see the Asus Logo, press F2 key repeatedly to open BIOS settings
   • Also you can try to press and hold F2 key after that press power button if the previous method not worked.
4. If you have pressed the correct key at the correct time, your computer boot into the main menu of Asus BIOS Utility EZ Mode.

Tips: Also if the system of bootable USB is compatible with your BIOS settings, you can boot Asus from BIOS menu by just moving the Bootable USB to the top of the Boot Priority list from right upper corner. After that, click Save and Exit to boot from the USB flash drive.

How to troubleshoot USB flash disk if not shown on the boot list?

1. If the Bootable USB not shown in the Boot list, you have to open Advanced Mode from lower left corner of the main menu,
2. Navigate to Advanced tab
3. Open USB Configuration and then enable USB Mass Storage Driver Support if not enabled.
4. Press F10 to Save changes.

Note: If the USB drive not shown after previous steps, make sure its contain a valid boot files, it’s not corrupted and the USB port on the computer is not damaged too.

How to configure Asus UEFI BIOS to boot from Legacy BIOS?

What is the difference between UEFI system and Legacy system?

There are many differences between both systems, however the main difference related to Booting from the USB is as followings:

Legacy or BIOS system is an old BIOS firmware that help in communication between windows and hardware, It’s support MBR disk scheme only.

EFI or UEFI system, which stand for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, is a new firmware with a function similar to the Legacy system, but with different communication steps and directories. UEFI system supports GPT disk schemes which allow for faster boot, more disk partition numbers and larger partition size in compare to MBR. Some computers with UEFI system also have an option to support MBR disks by enabling compatibility mode in BIOS settings; However, this option may not be available in the newer computers, because, windows 11 doesn’t officially support installation to MBR disks without third party tricks to do so.

So, if your computer configured in a Legacy system or with CSM mode enabled, you can’t boot from a USB created in GPT system. and if your computer configured in a UEFI system or with CSM mode disabled, you can’t boot from a USB created in MBR system.

Note: MBR disk can be Converted to GPT system without losing data, but converting from GPT to MBR (which is unadvisable), will result in losing all data on the disk.

How to change BIOS Settings to allow USB boot from unsupported system?

If the bootable USB is not compatible with your system, you have to do the following changes:

1. Open Advanced Mode and navigate to Security panel
2. Disable Secure Boot and press F10 to save changes
3. Back to Boot panel and disable Fast Boot
   • Disabling Fast Boot is optional step to help you press the hot keys from keyboard to change startup behavior.
4. If you have an older laptop, you may see an option called CSM or Compatibility Support Module under the Boot Menu, however, the CSM mode is not available in newer Asus and other laptops integrated with Megatrends BIOS utility. This option will help you to install MBR system with Legacy or BIOS mode in a UEFI system. So you have to disable this option if you want to boot windows from a USB created in MBR system. But if your USB created in a GPT system, you have to disable this option.

Read this topic to see how to create a bootable USB in mobile that supports both GPT and MBR schemes at the same time, so you don’t need to worry about CSM mode.

Checking VMD Controller:

In some Asus models that has 11^th generation or newer CPU, there is an option called VMD Controller or Intel® Volume Management Device. This option allows for better NVMe SSD performance, but it cause disappearance the disk when booting into from the USB.

To check this option, do the followings:

1. Back to Advanced panel and see if there is an option called VMD Controller or Intel® Volume Management Device.  If available and enabled, then you have to disable it, however, disabling it is not recommended unless the computer doesn’t has the hardware that supports this option.
2. If your computer has a memory and disk that supports VMD, do the followings:
3. keep VMD Controller enabled
4. Download the VMD driver from the official website of Asus or device manufacturer and extract it into the bootable USB drive
5. Boot from the USB
6. When reaching partition option, Click on Load Driver option
7. Navigate to USB drive and select the Sys file from extracted folder

Booting from the USB after changing BIOS settings:

1. After changing required settings, press EZ mode if you are still on the Advanced Mode to back to the main BIOS menu.
2. Move the USB to the top of the Boot Priority list
3. Select Save and Exit option to boot from the USB pen drive

after opening Windows Preinstallation Environment, you have to select the language that is applicable to your language. After that, you can click on Install button to start Widows 11 installation, or select Repair this computer option to open Advanced Recovery Options.

VIDEO:

For more details about boot Asus PCs from USB, watch this video: