Can no longer boot from USB - SOLVED [Solved]

[peregrine]

I do not need to install/reinstall now, just planning for when I do. This is an older laptop, I have always been able to set the boot order in the bios and boot from a USB. Now I cannot.

No changes to the computer
USB boots on a different computer - also tried a different USB
USB flashes when inserted and shows up in Thunar
I can set the boot order, restart and it boots to the hard drive
Tried different USB ports - same result
Ran memtest no errors
Looks like the boot order setting is lost before restart - when I go back in again with the USB still inserted, USB is not the first option.

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-23-amd64 [6.1.99-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-23-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.18.1 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.36 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.18.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.26.0 Distro: MX-23.3_x64 Libretto July 31  2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Convertible System: LENOVO product: 80V5 v: Lenovo YOGA 710-15IKB
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 31 v: Lenovo YOGA 710-15IKB
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216 v: SDK0J40709 WIN serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO
    v: 2XCN38WW(V2.12) date: 07/10/2018
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-7500U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Amber/Kaby Lake note: check
    gen: core 7 level: v3 note: check built: 2017 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x8E (142)
    stepping: 9 microcode: 0xF4
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB
    desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 4 MiB desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 400 min/max: 400/3500 scaling: driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave
    cores: 1: 400 2: 400 3: 400 4: 400 bogomips: 23199
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling mitigation: Microcode
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX unsupported
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: IBRS
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: IBRS; IBPB: conditional; STIBP: conditional; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 620 vendor: Lenovo driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5
    process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports: active: HDMI-A-1,eDP-1 empty: none bus-ID: 00:02.0
    chip-ID: 8086:5916 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: NVIDIA GM108M [GeForce 940MX] vendor: Lenovo driver: N/A alternate: nouveau
    non-free: 530.xx+ status: current (as of 2023-03) arch: Maxwell code: GMxxx process: TSMC 28nm
    built: 2014-19 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 4 bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:134d
    class-ID: 0302
  Device-3: Chicony EasyCamera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-5:5 chip-ID: 04f2:b5c4
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.18.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 5760x1200 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1524x318mm (60.00x12.52")
    s-diag: 1557mm (61.29")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-1 pos: right model: Sceptre F27 serial: <filter> built: 2020
    res: 1920x1080 dpi: 81 gamma: 1.2 size: 600x330mm (23.62x12.99") diag: 685mm (27") ratio: 16:9
    modes: max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  Monitor-2: eDP-1 pos: primary,left model: Sharp 0x1463 built: 2016 res: 1920x1200 hz: 60
    dpi: 141 gamma: 1.2 size: 346x194mm (13.62x7.64") diag: 397mm (15.6") ratio: 16:9
    modes: 3840x2160
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 620 (KBL GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    alternate: snd_soc_skl,snd_sof_pci_intel_skl bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:9d71 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-23-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Lenovo
    driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel modules: wl pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 168c:003e class-ID: 0280 temp: 66.0 C
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4 Bluetooth 4.0 type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-7:7
    chip-ID: 0cf3:e300 class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.2
    sub-v: 25a hci-v: 4.2
  Info: acl-mtu: 1024:8 sco-mtu: 50:8 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff
    link-mode: peripheral accept service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio,
    telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 3.88 TiB used: 128.44 GiB (3.2%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: LITE-ON model: CV3-8D256 size: 238.47 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 201 scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 type: USB vendor: Lexar model: USB Flash Drive size: 7.46 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 8.07 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
  ID-3: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD40NMZW-11GX6S1
    size: 3.64 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    rev: 4004 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 34.01 GiB size: 33.18 GiB (97.56%) used: 27.44 GiB (82.7%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda5 maj-min: 8:5
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 260 MiB size: 256 MiB (98.46%) used: 37.7 MiB (14.7%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 34.13 GiB size: 33.3 GiB (97.56%) used: 19.65 GiB (59.0%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 15 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 dev: /dev/sda8
    maj-min: 8:8
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 56.0 C pch: 39.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2514 libs: 1305 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/librewolf.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] http://deb.librewolf.net bookworm main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
Info:
  Processes: 246 Uptime: 2m wakeups: 2 Memory: 15.34 GiB used: 1.85 GiB (12.1%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

[chrispop99]

If a BIOS setting is lost between boots I would be thinking the CMOS battery is dead, but I would have expected a boot error message in that situation. If you have the capability to swap that battery it might be worth trying.

Bit of a mystery for sure.

Chris

[dolphin_oracle]

you should still be able to generate a boot menu at startup with F12 I think.

[j2mcgreg]

I found this comment:

I had similar issue with a flash stick that I use fine for HP but Lenovo does not like it...Well the Stick I used was formatted NTFS but once I Formatted it FAT32 and it boot fine with the Lenovo.

Here:
https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/371 ... XQ_NbIgHa4
It might be worth a shot.
I also like @CharlesV's idea (above).

[richb]

you should still be able to generate a boot menu at startup with F12 I think.

I use F12 when booting to get to the boot menu. This does allow booting from the USB when highlighting that entry. I do not know how universal this is but worth a try.

[chrispop99]

you should still be able to generate a boot menu at startup with F12 I think.

I use F12 when booting to get to the boot menu. This does allow booting from the USB when highlighting that entry. I do not know how universal this is but worth a try.

F10, F11, and F12 are all used for that purpose by various makers.

Some UEFI machines require you to use that to set the boot order each time. There is no 'hot key'. I've also seen one BIOS machine that's the same.

Chris

[peregrine]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
It seems this laptop does not have a dedicated cmos battery, so nothing I can do there.
F12 got me to a boot options screen. I selected the USB and it booted to the hard drive.

[dolphin_oracle]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
It seems this laptop does not have a dedicated cmos battery, so nothing I can do there.
F12 got me to a boot options screen. I selected the USB and it booted to the hard drive.

The only thing I can remember about my wife's old yoga is that it would not boot the live usb via UEFI. I always forced legacy on it.

I think it also had a problem if you put a USB3 device in a USB2 port, IIRC. There was something odd about the usb situation, I just can't quite remember the problem.

[Kermit the Frog]

What if you reset it to factory defaults? (Then try again later).

[MikeR]

@peregrine
As a possible workaround google "plop boot manager"
or have a look at https://pendrivelinux.com/boot-from-usb ... a-plop-cd/ or similar