Computer will not boot with USB-hardrive

[SpookiePower]

My desktop computer will not boot when I have my
Maxtor OneTouch 4 plugged in the USB. If I connect the
hardrive after the computer have started up, it works just fine.
if I connect the harddrive to my laptop it works perfect.

I have found out the I might have something to do with
my BIOS/USB settings, but can't seem to fix this problem.
I thought about getting another USB-hardrive, but do you
think that I will get the same problem with another
USB-hardrive ?

 

[Big_Al]

My desktop computer will not boot when I have my
Maxtor OneTouch 4 plugged in the USB. If I connect the
hardrive after the computer have started up, it works just fine.
if I connect the harddrive to my laptop it works perfect.

I have found out the I might have something to do with
my BIOS/USB settings, but can't seem to fix this problem.
I thought about getting another USB-hardrive, but do you
think that I will get the same problem with another
USB-hardrive ?

My bet is the drive is not the issue. Just my 2cents

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

My desktop computer will not boot when I have my
Maxtor OneTouch 4 plugged in the USB. If I connect the
hardrive after the computer have started up, it works just fine.
if I connect the harddrive to my laptop it works perfect.

I have found out the I might have something to do with
my BIOS/USB settings, but can't seem to fix this problem.
I thought about getting another USB-hardrive, but do you
think that I will get the same problem with another
USB-hardrive ?

Try plugging an externally powered USB hub between your computer and the USB
drive and see if the computer will boot properly with everything plugged in.
I have seen a situation where an externally powered USB drive would cause
this problem since the USB interface side on that drive was still expecting
to use the 5 volts from the computer and not drive's own power supply, what
a bad design.

If things boot properly with a externally powered USB hub between the drive
and the computer then I suspect your power supply's 5 volt side is not
handling the full load properly during a boot.

As for possible BIOS problems, if you post your motherboard model others
might be able to indicate a more specific fix or work around.

 

[SpookiePower]

Yes its related to your BIOS. Your PC is trying to boot from your USB drive.
So changing your USB drive is unlikely to make a difference.

In theory there should be an option in your BIOS to control what you boot
from and you should be able to disable it there. However, I have a PC with
the same problem and whatever I change in the BIOS it makes no difference.
So I've stuck a label on the PC to remind me that if it doesn't boot then I
need to pull out the USB drive. Sucks as a solution but it works if you
can't disable it in the BIOS.

Thanks. I think that it is the only solution. I will make a label
too

 

[Joel]

I don't know about the OP's case, but for me this happens after the POST and
before Windows starts to load. So when I've seen it I'm sure its a BIOS
issue.

Sadly whilst my BIOS has options that look hopeful (such as boot device and
order - and I'll look for "legacy/USB virtualization" next time I reboot) it
doesn't make any difference to the problem - so I'm assuming its an issue
with the BIOS (hence my workaround of sticking a label to remind me why it
might not be booting and to unplug the USB disk). I suppose if it is a BIOS
problem (as I'm sure it is for me) then that implies that a BIOS update
might fix it. Whilst I've never had it go wrong on me I'm reluctant to do a
BIOS upgrade in case it does go wrong, so I'd rather live with the issue
than try an upgrade. (If it weren't the office server that this affects then
I might give it a go, but the consequences of it going pear shaped are just
too horrible to think about.)

Me? I am not OS experted, don't know much about BIOS (especially newer
generation), and never tried to boot from USB device to know much or any
about it.

*BUT* I have read some USB device mention it has a special feature is
letting to boot from it. And since I don't see all USB devices mention they
are bootable, so I guess not all has bootable capable. But I may be wrong.