How do I know that my laptop will actually boot from a USB stick?

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  • BootAble – FreeDOS boot testing freeware

    To obtain direct, low-level access to a system's mass storage drives, SpinRite runs under a GRC-customized version of FreeDOS which has been modified to add compatibility with all file systems. In order to run SpinRite it must first be possible to boot FreeDOS.

    GRC's “BootAble” freeware allows anyone to easily create BIOS-bootable media in order to workout and confirm the details of getting a machine to boot FreeDOS through a BIOS. Once the means of doing that has been determined, the media created by SpinRite can be booted and run in the same way.

    The participants here, who have taken the time to share their knowledge and experience, their successes and some frustrations with booting their computers into FreeDOS, have created a valuable knowledgebase which will benefit everyone who follows.

    You may click on the image to the right to obtain your own copy of BootAble. Then use the knowledge and experience documented here to boot your computer(s) into FreeDOS. And please do not hesitate to ask questions – nowhere else can better answers be found.

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Rubber Duck

New member
Jan 10, 2025
4
1
My first boot option is now USB (Not the UEFI option), and SECURE BOOT is now disabled. I have downloaded the BOOTABLE unto my 4GB USB thumb drive. When I wish to boot from it, I enter the BOOT MENU, choose the USB, and press ENTER. But my laptop boots from Windows 11 instead, just like normal. Is there any sort of confirmation in the BOOTABLE, that it actually works right?
 
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You are on the right track . . . however . . .

BootAble requires a BIOS-DOS environment to boot into.

As your computer is booting Windows 11 it is absolutely booting in UEFI mode. This is incompatible with BootAble or SpinRite.

You would need to go into the BIOS settings and look for a CSM (legacy) boot option:

In all likelihood, that system is too new to support the CSM boot option anymore. In which case, booting BootAble or SpinRite are not options on that machine.

Please see this for a possible workaround (It is not for the faint of heart 😐 ).
 
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Thanks, that's what I feared. My laptop is a 2022 gaming laptop, Ryzen 7, 6800 series.
I'll wait for Spinrite 7 instead :)
 
Thank you. Observing the risks involved, I better wait for Spinrite 7, as mentioned. Meanwhile, I am crossing my fingers that my HDD's will remain safe while waiting.