How to Boot from USB on Any Laptop or PC (Windows, Mac, Dell, HP, Lenovo – 2025)
Here are short, simple instructions that work for most popular computers (Windows laptops, desktops, MacBooks, etc.) to boot from a USB drive (like for installing Windows/Linux or running a recovery tool).
General Steps (Applies to 95% of computers)
- Make sure to plug the CARBON MIND USB drive into the back USB ports of the computer, not the top or front USB ports.
- Restart the computer.
- Immediately start tapping the boot menu key repeatedly as soon as it restarts.
You will only have a few seconds, maybe 1 second, to press the correct key. If you miss it, and the BIOS screen does not load, repeat back to step #2.
Common Boot Menu Keys (try these first)
| Brand | Boot Menu Key | Alternative (BIOS/UEFI) |
|---|---|---|
| Dell | F12 | F2 or Del |
| HP | F9 or Esc → then F9 | F10 or Esc |
| Lenovo | F12 or Novo button (small button next to power) | F1 or F2 |
| Acer | F12 | F2 |
| ASUS | F8 or Esc | F2 or Del |
| Toshiba | F12 | F2 |
| Samsung | F10 or Esc | F2 |
| Surface (Microsoft) | Hold Volume Down while pressing Power | – |
| Generic/No brand | F12, F11, F10, Esc | Del or F2 |
→ When the boot menu appears, use arrow keys to select your USB drive (it may show the USB brand name like “SanDisk”, “Kingston”, “USB: XXXXX”) and press Enter.For Apple Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4)
- Shut down the Mac completely.
- Plug in the USB.
- Intel Mac: Turn on and immediately hold Option (⌥) key until you see the startup manager → choose the USB.
- M1/M2/M3/M4 Mac:
- Press and hold the power button until you see “Loading startup options”
- Click Options → Continue → select your USB if shown.
Quick Tips if It Doesn’t Work
- Disable “Fast Boot” or “Quick Boot” in BIOS/UEFI (enter BIOS with F2/Del, look for it).
- Disable “Secure Boot” temporarily (same BIOS menu).
- Make sure the USB was made bootable correctly (Rufus, Ventoy, Etcher, etc.).
That’s it!
Just tap the right key at startup and pick the USB.
Works on almost all Windows PCs and Macs.
Did you get an error on boot up? Selected boot image did not Authenticate. Press <Enter> to Continue?
Dont worry! It’s a simple fix!