Modern computers disable booting from USB or optical drives to prevent inadvertent booting from media left in the machine.
In theory this can be switched back on by restarting the machine and hitting F2/F10 repeatedly to get into the Boot Menu.
Except Windows has an interesting trick up its electronic sleeves to make your life difficult, Fast Start.
This makes getting to the boot menu impossible (it should make the machines start faster – but only for Windows values of faster).
However, the Fast Start can be turned off.
Either search for Power Options in the task bar or Start Settings and Power Management.
Select Choose what the power buttons do.
Under the Shutdown settings section, uncheck the box next to Turn on fast Startup (recommended).
Restart the machine and hit the F2/F10 key to get to the boot menu.
There is often a Boot order option, ensure that you have the USB device before the hard drive.
Once this is set, you may think you do not have to worry about this ever again. Microsoft has other ideas – if you boot to Windows and do an update, it will switch the Fast Startup back on again and once again you will not be able to boot from USB. Just follow the instructions again.
