To boot from USB on an HP All-In-One PC, you need to change the boot order in the BIOS so the USB drive is checked before the internal hard drive. This lets you start from a bootable USB stick to install or reinstall an operating system, run diagnostics, or recover data when the main OS won't start.
What you need before you boot from USB on an HP All-In-One PC
Choose a USB drive with enough storage capacity for the files you plan to use. A USB 3.0 drive is recommended for faster data transfer speeds. Before you proceed, back up any important data on the USB drive, the process of making it bootable will erase everything on it.
Create a verified bootable USB drive using software like Rufus or the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Follow the software’s instructions to write the operating system or utility image to the drive. After creation, run the verification option that most bootable USB tools provide, so you can be confident the drive is correctly configured for booting. Label the drive clearly to avoid confusion later.
Enter the BIOS on your HP All-In-One
Restart your HP All-In-One PC. As soon as the screen lights up during startup, watch for a brief message that tells you which key to press to enter the BIOS setup. On most HP All-In-One models, this key is F2, F10, or Del. Press the key repeatedly until the BIOS screen loads.
- Power on or restart your computer.
- Press the correct key (F2, F10, or Del) immediately during the startup process.
- Wait for the BIOS setup screen to appear.
If the key doesn't work, consult your HP All-In-One's user manual or the HP support website for your specific model.
Move the USB drive to the top of the boot order
Inside the BIOS, find the tab or section labeled “Boot” or “Boot Options.” This is where you control which device the computer tries to start from first. Locate the USB drive entry in the list of available boot devices.
- Navigate to the Boot Options section using the arrow keys.
- Highlight the USB drive entry in the boot device list.
- Move the USB drive option to the top of the boot order list using the arrow keys.
- Save the change before leaving the BIOS.
Save, exit, and boot from the USB drive
Once the USB drive is listed first, you need to save the new configuration and restart. The computer will then attempt to boot from the USB drive automatically.
- Press F10 or select “Save and Exit” in the BIOS menu.
- Confirm the prompt that asks if you want to save changes and exit.
- Let the PC restart, it should now boot directly into the operating system or utility on the USB drive.
If your HP All-In-One doesn’t automatically boot from the USB drive after restarting, you can use the one-time boot menu. Restart the PC and press the key indicated on screen (often F9) to open the boot menu, then select the USB drive from the list. This temporary selection doesn’t change the saved boot order permanently.
When the USB won't boot
If the USB drive still doesn't boot, check the USB port you're using, HP All-In-One PCs may have both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, and some bootable drives only work in a USB 2.0 port. Re-verify the bootable drive by testing it on another computer or recreating it with Rufus or the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Finally, confirm the Secure Boot or Legacy Boot settings in your BIOS if available, as some operating systems require Legacy mode to boot from a USB drive.
