The new MSI MEG Z690 Unify board works fine in BIOS, yet I’m having trouble booting from the USB drive.
The new MSI MEG Z690 Unify board works fine in BIOS, yet I’m having trouble booting from the USB drive.
Initially I verified the system details in the BIOS. Then I updated the BIOS using a USB stick with the latest version. Now I'm attempting to boot from a USB drive and install Windows 10 Home. The USB is recognized as the first boot but jumps straight into BIOS. I've used both the official Windows Media Creation Tool and Rufus to generate an installer, but the process stalls after the first restart. It reverts back to the installer menu. I'm trying to run Windows as an ISO instead of the default "install to USB" option. I need advice on how to proceed.
Disable CSM. Using CSM will cause more problems. Employ the boot media creation tool to generate the installer USB. Place the USB in a computer that is off. Turn it on and press F10 (typically the boot drive selection button – might be F12 or F8…varies by board). It should display the boot menu where you can choose the USB as the boot source. This will guide you to the installation screen, enabling you to install on your SSD.
Reset the UEFI back to its original settings, including the boot sequence. Refer to the instructions on page 48 of your motherboard manual (use F11 to open the boot menu). Install Windows normally. If you can, consider setting up Windows 11 rather than Windows 10. Windows 11 offers improved scheduling for handling processors with E and P cores on your CPU. Windows 10 tends to use more power and could cause performance problems—though this isn't guaranteed. Power usage translates to heat; if your cooler isn't sufficient, the CPU may struggle to maintain high performance over time.
Thank you all, I successfully switched my system to UEFI standard. I followed Problem Solver, which turned out to be quite straightforward. However, this appears to be a problem specific to MSI, only offering a brief manual with QR codes linking to YouTube videos. It didn’t provide clear instructions for installing an operating system or a complete guide. I was using F11 to trigger a boot from the BIOS rather than starting up normally. What a frustrating issue that could have been resolved with a proper manual. I ended up choosing Windows 11. Thanks everyone!
Great news! I’ll remember not to rely on MSI for manuals or links anymore—they don’t send those anymore. The motherboard manual covers everything you need to assemble a full computer. It’s disappointing they’re doing that, but honestly, most folks probably won’t bother reading them anyway.