Windows Server Cannot Boot From USB, How to Fix
I have a Dell R430 rack server without OS. I created a bootable server 2012 USB with Rufus. When booting, the error says 'no boot media.' I have tried different ISO and USB. What could the problem be? I would like to solve this problem. Please help.
Best Answered by
Cici· Answered on Mar 28, 2025
First, you need to make sure you have set USB as the boot disk in BIOS. If not, follow these steps to change it:
Step 1. Restart your computer and press and hold F2 to enter the BIOS environment.
Step 2. Find "Boot Options" and select USB-HDD.
Step 3. Make Windows Server boot from USB and save the changes.
If USB boot has been set up, it is also possible that your boot mode is causing the error that the Windows Server cannot boot from USB. When you create the USB with Rufus, it may create to boot in BIOS boot mode (MBR). So you need to change the system boot settings. You may need to create a UEFI bootable USB key. In Rufus, you can use both BIOS and UEFI schemes.
If you need your boot method to be UEFI, then your partition scheme needs to be in GPT format. In addition to using Rufus, you can choose a professional partition management tool to make quick changes. EaseUS Partition Master Server simplifies the process of Rufus. It helps you to create a bootable USB and convert MBR to GPT.
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Refer to the following steps to fix the error that Windows Server cannot boot from USB:
Step 1. Open EaseUS Partition Master and go to "Disk Converter."
Step 2. Select "Convert MBR to GPT," choose the target disk, and click "Convert."
If there is still no bootable device, it may be an MBR sector corruption issue. Try to rebuild MBR using the Rebuild MBR feature of EaseUS Partition Master.
