Solved Problems Booting from Rufus for a Clean Install

starchase · Sep 2, 2024

I'm trying to boot from a Rufus-made USB installation drive to attempt a clean install of Windows 11 on my HP Spectre x360, Model 13-4001dx bought in Feb 2016. I'm using a PNY 32GB thumb drive. The Rufus drive isn't allowing me to boot from it, I reach the Boot Manger and select the USB drive and get the message "Selected boot image did not Authenticate. Press <Enter> to Continue." I tried deselection Secure Boot but that hasn't had any effect.

The same thing happens if I use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create the boot disk. Both the Rufus drive and the MCT drive come from using Download Windows 11 .

However, but versions of the thumb drive do work as designed on my desktop, an ASUS model M32AD, which has a fully updated Windows 10, while the HP has a fully updated Windows 11 which is not supported, but Win 11 is working just fine albeit somewhat slowly, which is why I thought I'd experiment with a clean install after making a backup image. To get Win 11 on the HP I updated the Windows 10 version that was currently on it.

I can boot a Macrium Reflect rescue disk on the HP. But not the Rufus-made drive.

I'm wondering how I can get this to work - maybe use a Macrium Reflect boot drive that has the Windows 11 install files added to it?

I have tried some of the information I found on this forum but with no success so far, though no one has reported this particular issue using an HP Spectre machine.

I have no big problem if I have to just leave things alone, and don't have the wherewith all to make elaborate bat files as I think some have suggested.

I can run the Setup file that is on the Rufus to do a repair upgrade, but I want to do a clean install.

The Rufus drive and the MCT drive were made in the past week.

Thanks, John

IanMosley · Sep 2, 2024

Did you set the 'Partition Scheme' in Rufus to 'MBR'?

If set to 'GPT', the USB is not bootable. These settings have always worked for me.

Anibor_11 · Sep 2, 2024

IanMosley said:
Did you set the 'Partition Scheme' in Rufus to 'MBR'?

If set to 'GPT', the USB is not bootable.

Why not? It should be.

IanMosley · Sep 2, 2024

Windows will not boot from a GPT USB.

NavyLCDR · Sep 2, 2024

IanMosley said:
Windows will not boot from a GPT USB.

Incorrect. It most certainly will boot from GPT - in UEFI mode.

TechnoMage2021 · Sep 2, 2024

That setting in Rufus, has to match the way you have your BIOS programmed.
Many have missed that trick!

When setting up Rufus, I have always use "MBR/ BIOS" as my setting and the USB stick that it makes has NEVER failed to boot my PC's and install Windows.

This is the first screen,,, the second screen gives you several Options. Take all the options.

Since I don't know the name of the Author of Rufus, I just thank GOD, that we have it. If you're using an ISO downloaded from MS, Rufus can take out all the MS BS. I'm sure you all know what the letters "BS" stand for. And it can create a Bootable USB drive that can perform an install, without all the conditions and compatibility problems when installing to certain PC's.
And, if your downloaded ISO comes from X-Lite, for instance, their download ZIP pack will contain the proper version of Rufus to put their ISO on a USB drive. They're trying real hard, to make our experience with them as easy as possible. I gotta love those guys! Well, James anyway.

I hope this has been helpful,
TM

garlin · Sep 2, 2024

Your BIOS may be too old to recognize the certificate for Rufus's signed bootloader. Switch your BIOS boot mode from UEFI to MBR (legacy), and try again.

zbook · Sep 2, 2024

Rufus has a Q&A that may be useful:

Code:

ERROR: BIOS/LEGACY BOOT OF UEFI-ONLY MEDIA
If you are looking at this entry, it's because you got a screen similar to this one:



With text similar to:

              ╔════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
              ║                                                ║
              ║   ERROR: BIOS/LEGACY BOOT OF UEFI-ONLY MEDIA   ║
              ║                                                ║
              ╚════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

             This drive was created by Rufus [https://rufus.ie].

             It can boot in UEFI mode only but you are trying to
             boot it in BIOS/Legacy mode. THIS WILL NOT WORK!

             To remove this message you need to do ONE of the following:
             o If this computer supports UEFI, go to your UEFI settings
               and lower or disable the priority of CSM/Legacy mode.
             o OR Recreate the drive in Rufus and use:
               * Partition scheme -> MBR.
               * Target system -> BIOS (...)
             o OR Erase the whole drive in Rufus by selecting:
               * Boot Type -> Non bootable
This basically mean that you created a boot media that can only work on UEFI systems in pure UEFI mode, 
and your system is either not using UEFI at all (BIOS-based) or is using UEFI in Legacy mode rather than "pure" UEFI mode.

This may also happen is you used Rufus to create a media as a bootable drive (e.g. NVMe SSD through a USB adapter) 
and then forgot to reset it to non-bootable before using it in a computer that is booting is legacy mode.

You therefore need to apply one of the 3 options described in the message with are:

If you are using a UEFI system, make sure Legacy BIOS is not the default
If you are not using a UEFI system, make sure you recreate the media in Rufus with Target system set to BIOS...
Remove the bootloader that displays this message altogether and recreate the media as non-bootable.
If you got the message after creating a Windows bootable drive, you may also want to read the previous entry.

FAQ

The Reliable USB Formatting Utility. Contribute to pbatard/rufus development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

aubergine · Sep 2, 2024

IanMosley said:
If set to 'GPT', the USB is not bootable.

"Partition scheme" - "GPT"
- Installing Windows on a GPT disk (UEFI/GPT installation).

"Partition scheme" - "MBR"
- Installing Windows on an MBR disk (BIOS/MBR installation).

starchase · Sep 2, 2024

Thanks for the replies! Yes, I ran Rufus in GPT mode as my BIOS is running UEFI. So with these recommendations I'll try setting up the Rufus thumb drive as MBR and report back.
Thanks,
John

starchase · Sep 2, 2024

I just created a boot USB using Rufus 4.5 and the drive wasn't recognized by the Boot Manager. Here are the dialogs I got. Windows Explorer does see the drive, though.

That 3rd picture above - I first selected Boot but it just loaded my normal Desktop. And selecting Microsoft was of no help to find the install files.

I'm stuck.

Edit: Interestingly, I just used the USB stick in my ASUS desktop and it's Boot Manager DID recognize the drive and let me proceed with the installation (which I aborted as I don't need to update this Win10 machine).
John

garlin · Sep 2, 2024

The same USB drive works on your other PC because it has a newer BIOS. I thought you were going to change the boot mode to Legacy.

starchase · Sep 2, 2024

"I thought you were going to change the boot mode to Legacy."

Right! I only made a Rufus drive with the MBR setting. So I fiddled around in the HP's BIOS and changed the Legacy Support to Enabled, then the second attempt also changed the Boot Order under the UEFI Boot Order section by placing first the USB Diskette/USB Hard Disk Drive. Looks like these 2 changes did the trick, it does now show the PNY drive in the Boot Manager at last, and that did permit me to start the set up.

Thanks for your help all!

John

garlin · Sep 2, 2024

Great that you have it working!

Rufus has a securely signed bootloader (granted to Rufus by MS), but some older UEFI PC's don't recognize it. So you switch to legacy mode, which doesn't care about signing.

zbook · Sep 3, 2024

The image displayed fast boot enabled.

Sometimes fast boot can interfere with booting flash drives (known sometimes to interfere booting Memtes86+ flash drive)

Enable or Disable Fast Boot in UEFI Firmware Settings for Windows

How to Enable or Disable Fast Boot in UEFI Firmware Settings for Windows

www.tenforums.com

starchase · Sep 3, 2024

zbook said:
The image displayed fast boot enabled.

Sometimes fast boot can interfere with booting flash drives (known sometimes to interfere booting Memtes86+ flash drive)

Thanks, I'll test that.

starchase · Sep 3, 2024

I don't think the Fast Boot setting affected my issue though I'm not 100% certain. But at least now I know how to set the BIOS to be able to run Setup for a clean install.

lesmikesell · Sep 4, 2024

I ran into exactly the same problem with a 2015 HP Spectre x360. After turning off secure boot it gave me some different error about winload.efi. But it turned out to work without booting - just navigating to the mounted USB and executing setup. I was expecting a problem with that since the TPM is 1.2 and I don't think the processor is officially supported but it completed a clean install anyway. Then I had to go find HP's drivers for the trackpad and audio - which are for win 10 but worked anyway.

starchase · Sep 4, 2024

lesmikesell said:
I ran into exactly the same problem with a 2015 HP Spectre x360. After turning off secure boot it gave me some different error about winload.efi. But it turned out to work without booting - just navigating to the mounted USB and executing setup. I was expecting a problem with that since the TPM is 1.2 and I don't think the processor is officially supported but it completed a clean install anyway. Then I had to go find HP's drivers for the trackpad and audio - which are for win 10 but worked anyway.

Did you notice any improvement in performance after you Clean Installed Win 11? I.e., after you got the Spectre all set up?

spapakons · Sep 4, 2024

You may have to disable Secure Boot and/or clean the TPM data before booting the USB in UEFI mode (GPT). Legacy BIOS mode (MBR) is not affected as it doesn't authenticate to boot.