Disk formatting and boot issues.

So, I'm trying to wipe the drive on this Dell Latitude and install Windows 10. It’s currently running Windows 7, though apparently, this machine isn't really meant for 7 and runs into a ton of issues with it. The problem is, whenever I try to boot from a Windows disc or a bootable USB, nothing happens. I just get a "Bootmsg is missing" error and have to hit Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart. If I go into the BIOS and set it back to the HDD, Windows 7 boots up just fine. So, it's not that the laptop won't boot at all—it just refuses to recognize the CD or the USB as boot devices. I saw some advice on HowToGeek about using a partition wizard on a bootable USB to fix some partition issues on the C drive, but naturally, I can't even get there because the ISO file won't boot from the USB or the disc. Help.

A buddy suggested I try switching to legacy mode to see if that fixes things, but I don't have that option. I'm stuck with UEFI boot mode, which won't boot from my HDD, USB, or CD. I can use CSM mode to get Windows running from the hard drive, but even then, it refuses to recognize the CD or the USB... 🙂

"......because it won't let me boot this ISO file from my USB or CD. Pls halp."

.You can't just "boot" an ISO file directly. You have to actually burn it onto a CD/DVD or flash it to a USB drive using something like > first.

Yeah, just grab Rufus and use it to create a bootable USB drive from your ISO file.

wearymason4 said:" ......because it won't let me boot this program's ISO file from a USB or CD. Pls halp."

.You can't just "boot" an ISO file. You actually have to burn it to a CD/DVD or flash it to a USB drive using something like Rufus first.

Well, since we’re on the subject, I tried using a burned Windows disc I recently used to set up another PC—that went totally fine, but this Toshiba is being stubborn and refusing to cooperate.

I think I might have pinpointed what’s going on with you. I dealt with something remarkably similar on my niece's Dell Inspiron. It turned out she needed a BIOS update, and once that was finished, it gave her the option to toggle between UEFI and Legacy mode. After that, it would finally let her boot from a USB or a disc—it was incredibly frustrating...

Timothy Kim60 said:I think I might have spotted the issue. I ran into something similar on my cousin's Dell laptop (not sure if it was an Inspiron). It required a BIOS update, and once that was done, you get the option to toggle between UEFI and Legacy mode. Then it tries to boot from a CD or USB, which is just stupid...

edit* , I pulled the update off the Dell site, but turns out I already had the latest version installed. So that wasn't it. Thanks anyway, though.