# Booting from an external bootable device **URL:** \ **Category:** Framework Laptop 13\ **Created:** [September 19, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360 "2021-09-19T18:24:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/1 "2021-09-19T18:24:32Z")
My Framework 3.02 BIOS appears not to be able to boot from a USB “boot able” device once an OS has been installed. I experiment with different Linux distributions using external devices. Other computers have a “boot order” for booting. Nothing exist like that on my Framework. Anyone else have this problem? ---
**Author:** ![Atul\_Ingle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/atul_ingle/32/2202_2.png) [@Atul\_Ingle](https://community.frame.work/u/Atul_Ingle)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/2 "2021-09-19T18:50:55Z")
Press F12 to get to the one-time boot menu. Note that there’s a known issue where sometimes this menu won’t show up if you select “reboot” from your installed OS. You may have to fully power down, wait ~30s then turn the laptop back on while pressing F12. PS: On my framework I can never remember if my Fn is locked or not so I rapidly cycle between Fn+F12 and only F12 to get to the one-time boot menu. ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/3 "2021-09-19T20:21:47Z")
Yes, know about that. The problem I have now is Ubuntu 21.04 did not install correctly and now can not boot an other install - kind of “dead in the water” situation. Unless I missed something, changing distribution or a total rebuild is not possible unless addressed in 3.03 (??) ---
**Author:** ![Enjewneer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/enjewneer/32/1666_2.png) [@Enjewneer](https://community.frame.work/u/Enjewneer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/4 "2021-09-19T21:40:01Z")
> [@Ed\_Ham](#): > > The problem I have now is Ubuntu 21.04 did not install correctly and now can not boot an other install - kind of “dead in the water” situation. Are you able to get to the one-time boot menu but don’t see your USB drive available to boot off of? Or is it visible in the menu but doesn’t boot? The install media might have been created incorrectly. Can you tell us how you prepared the boot media? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/5 "2021-09-19T21:56:30Z")
Reader’s Digest of long story: Attempted Debian “Bullseye” - installed but needed magnifying glass to read screen and no Internet. Attempted Ubuntu 21.04: great screen and Internet, but no support files (spent way too much time trying to resolve. Attempted a 2nd install of Ubuntu 21.04 - the Framework would not boot from it nor would it boot from the “Bullseye” USB stick. I think I’ve tried everything mentioned on the “community website”; pwr off 10 minutes; Fn+F2/Fn+F12; “systemctl reboot --firmware-setup” → NOTHNIG except booting the partial Ubuntu on the SSHD. The key question "can you boot from an external bootable USB device, whether a boot able HD or CD/DVD drive? I’m coming up empty. ---
**Author:** ![Atul\_Ingle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/atul_ingle/32/2202_2.png) [@Atul\_Ingle](https://community.frame.work/u/Atul_Ingle)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/6 "2021-09-19T22:08:39Z")
If you are able to get to the one time boot menu you should still be able to boot from a bootable USB stick. It sounds like your machine is stuck in some weird state? I would start with a freshly created bootable USB stick with a Linux flavor that’s known to work on Framework laptops (eg. Fedora 34 respin, or Ubuntu 21.04). ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2021, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/7 "2021-09-19T22:40:24Z")
OK, you have been able to boot from a bootable external USB drive after an OS system was installed on your internal SSD with a 3.02 BIOS. That’s something I can work from. I’ll download a 2nd copy of ubuntu-21.04-desktop-amd64.iso, install it on a 2nd USB stick, then try a fresh reinstall This will take some hours for me so expect a break before a reply. I was asked how I prepared the boot media. Using an Acer netbook running linuxmint-19.3-cinnamon-32bit with “USB Image Writer”, the apt that created the 2 bootable USB drives that did boot on the Framework for the initial installation, If the Framework is stuck in some strange configuration, then that’s something that Framework needs to look at. Until tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![Atul\_Ingle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/atul_ingle/32/2202_2.png) [@Atul\_Ingle](https://community.frame.work/u/Atul_Ingle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 5:33am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/8 "2021-09-20T05:33:21Z")
I’m optimistic that a clean install with a fresh Ubuntu 21.04 USB will solve your problem. > [@Booting from an external bootable device](http://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/5): > > Reader’s Digest of long story: Attempted Debian “Bullseye” - installed but needed magnifying glass to read screen and no Internet. Attempted Ubuntu 21.04: great screen and Internet, but no support files (spent way too much time trying to resolve. Attempted a 2nd install of Ubuntu 21.04 - the Framework would not boot from it nor would it boot from the “Bullseye” USB stick. I think I’ve tried everything mentioned on the “community website”; pwr off 10 minutes; Fn+F2/Fn+F12; “systemctl reboot --fir… It sounds like your previous attempt at Ubuntu 21.04 did kinda work in that you had internet and readable font size. What you mean by “no support files”? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/9 "2021-09-20T14:37:36Z")
> [@Enjewneer](#): > > Are you able to get to the one-time boot menu but don’t see your USB drive available to boot off of? Yes, that’s whats happening. A BIOS boot menu, after the OS is installed, is not being presented, even though both USB drives had been detected and booted before. > Or is it visible in the menu but doesn’t boot? The install media might have been created incorrectly. > > Can you tell us how you prepared the boot media? Sorry for not reading your questions carefully. You are experiencing the ability to select an external USB boot drive after an OS has been installed? ---
**Author:** ![Atul\_Ingle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/atul_ingle/32/2202_2.png) [@Atul\_Ingle](https://community.frame.work/u/Atul_Ingle)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/10 "2021-09-20T14:41:22Z")
@Ed_Ham yes, you should be able to boot from an external bootable USB even when there’s an OS installed on your Framework SSD. Are you able to get to the one-time boot menu (F12)? ---
**Author:** ![Ed\_Ham](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Ed\_Ham](https://community.frame.work/u/Ed_Ham)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/booting-from-an-external-bootable-device/7360/11 "2021-09-20T21:47:43Z")
OK helpers - the “boot from an external USB bootable drive” is solved. Having a magnifying glass handy after pressing the F12 key on boot up with the external drive attached is very useful. The USB “boot options” is displayed in the upper left hand corner in very small print. Up/down arrow keys make the selection. The 64-bit distributions of “Mint Linux” and “Debian Bullseye” do load but they do not (at the time I ownload the ISO files) have the driver(s) for the Intel WiFi or video modules - very small font and no Internet make things difficult to continue a build. I’m having issues with Ubuntu\_21.04 giving “network not available” errors and stopping. Using the “Updater” and “apt-get”, I have managed to continue package loading and installs - not sure why but it’s been a while since I had the need to build a system. Thanks for the help and stating that “with an OS installed, booting from an external USB drive is possible” - very helpful. Ed\_Ham