Z87-Pro Cannot Boot Windows 8 Installer from USB

urbushey

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Jul 6, 2013
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Brand new build:

Z87-Pro Motherboard
i5-4670k LGA1150 (with CoolerMaster Hyper 212 EVO cooler)
2x4GB Corsair XMS3
256GB Neutron Sata 3 SSD
Antec 300 mid-case
(Also a Sapphire 7850 GPU, not presently installed for trouble-shooting purposes.)

Two (possibly related) issues:

(1) The Q_Code LED is indicating error code "AE" ("Legacy Boot Event")

Despite this, I can boot and it seemingly passes POST and lets me into the BIOS.

However, I am running into issue #2:

(2) Using a Kingston 8GB USB flash drive with the Windows 8 install utility, I am getting a black screen with a blinking cursor rather than the Windows 8 startup.

I have tested the USB installer on another machine and it works there.

I have tried multiple ports, including the rear USB 3.0 ports and the front black USB 2.0 USB ports.

I have tried both the UEFI and the regular ("KingstonDataTraveler 2.0") startup options.

I have successfully flashed the Mobo BIOS update to the most recent version using the USB flash utility in Advanced BIOS setup.

I have tried with Fast Boot off and on, with Partial and Full USB Support Initialization.

I'm kind of at a loss as to what I need to do to boot from this flash drive. I don't have an optical, wasn't planning on getting one.

Any tips for trouble-shooting this? Thanks!
 

raja@asus

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Sep 28, 2011
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Hi


1) Is normal, that's what the HEX code will display on this platform after all POST checks have completed.

2) Is also normal. You have to wait at the blinking cursor for some time (30+ seconds). UEFI overrides the Windows loading bar, so it appears nothing is happening for a while. catches some people out.
 

urbushey

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Wow, that is a .. really quick response.

2) Is also normal. You have to wait at the blinking cursor for some time (30+ seconds). UEFI overrides the Windows loading bar, so it appears nothing is happening for a while. catches some people out.

OK, so I've waited for about 15m on this step previously.

I've read elsewhere that the USB 3.0 ports probably aren't supported until I install windows and do a driver install, so should I be performing this waiting game from one of the USB 2.0 ports? I'm having trouble identifying whether I'm waiting for my USB flash drive to be read or whether it's skipping the USB and waiting on the SSD (which is currently blank/fresh out of the box, and also gives a blinking cursor.)
 

raja@asus

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Hi,


Use a USB 2.0 port. Try a FAT32 format for the flash drive and see if that helps. Make sure the BOOT order is set to prioritize the USB disk over the SSD (UEFI prefix if you want to perform GPT).

-Raja
 

urbushey

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Thanks for staying with me. I am using the USB 2.0 port in front, with a FAT32 formatted USB key, and continually setting the boot order back to prioritize the USB over the SSD (have even tried with the SSD unplugged altogether) but I'm seeing the same results. Just double-checked and I can boot from this same flash drive on a dell laptop.
 

raja@asus

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Enable USB full initial in UEFI and try using the USB port designated for USB BIOS Flashback. If that does not work you may need to try a different USB flash drive. Must be something about the drive that is causing issue with UEFI.
 

raja@asus

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Enable USB full initial in UEFI and try using the USB port designated for USB BIOS Flashback. If that does not work you may need to try a different USB flash drive. Must be something about the drive that is causing issue with UEFI.
 

urbushey

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Jul 6, 2013
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Tried with a brand new USB key, getting the same behavior for the most part.

Something different: I have two options for the USB key: UEFI and the regular. When I boot to UEFI, it actually loads the UEFI BIOS rather than loading the Windows installer or the blinking black cursor. At some point while poking through the settings, I get the message "Secure Boot is on to prevent insecure OS's from being loaded." Is it possible Secure Boot is preventing me from running the installer?

I cannot see how to turn Secure Boot off from the Boot menu in the Advanced BIOS settings. I can only select the OS Type (currently "Windows UEFI") and perform Key Management.
 

urbushey

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More specifically, I have re-flashed the USB to be specifically GPT/UEFI-compatible by using the directions here. I have then booted into UEFI, which takes me directly to the UEFI BIOS Utility - Advanced Mode. From there, I select Exit and "Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device" hoping that it would load the UEFI bootloader instead of the UEFI BIOS interface.

I get the message: "Secure Boot is enabled to prevent untrusted operating systems from loading during the system start-up. To launch UEFI shell, please disable Secure Boot option or acquire digital signature for UEFI shell file and store it in a USB flash drive."

Am I on the right track here at all?
 

urbushey

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Jul 6, 2013
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I don't know precisely what I did to fix this, but I resolved it. I wish I could help anyone else who is following along a little better. Here's what I think worked:

Following along the directions at eightforums linked above, I made one change: instead of using "GPT partition scheme for UEFI computer" in the "Partition scheme and target system type" I chose the option "MBR for UEFI" and burned the disk again.

I seemed to find the same behavior above when I inserted the new disk and selected either "Boot from UEFI" or "boot from [legacy]" (the other option.) However, on one of these cycles of restarting, fully intending to give up and throw the disk away and call ASUS support, the computer booted into the Windows 8 installer on the USB.

I never figured out how to disable Secure Boot and I continued to receive the message "Secure Boot is enabled to prevent untrusted operating systems ..."

In addition, I expect to have quite a bit of difficulty trying to dual-boot Linux.

But for now, I guess this issue is somewhat resolved.