Boot a PC
Troubleshooting boot problems
Common fixes when a PC won't boot from your BootForge USB — Secure Boot, UEFI vs Legacy, Fast Boot, and more.
If a PC won’t boot from your BootForge USB, it’s almost always a firmware setting rather than a problem with the drive. Firmware varies by maker and model, so you may need to combine a few of these. (These same fixes live in the app under Tools → Troubleshooting.)
The USB won’t boot (Secure Boot)
Some PCs block unsigned boot media. The simplest fix is to turn Secure Boot off in BIOS/UEFI setup, save, and try again.
To keep Secure Boot on, you can enroll BootForge’s Ventoy loader instead: on the first boot a blue screen (MokManager) appears — choose Enroll key (or Enroll hash), confirm, and reboot. After that the boot menu opens with Secure Boot still enabled.
Menu opens but the ISO won’t boot (Secure Boot)
If the Ventoy menu appears but the ISO you picked is rejected, Secure Boot is blocking that image, not BootForge. Whether an ISO boots with Secure Boot on depends on the ISO’s own signing — mainstream distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian) are signed and boot fine, while many smaller or custom ISOs aren’t. Pick a signed distribution, or turn Secure Boot off for that image.
USB not listed (UEFI vs Legacy)
If the drive doesn’t appear at all, toggle the boot mode (UEFI ⇄ Legacy/CSM) in BIOS/UEFI setup. Most modern PCs use UEFI.
PC skips the USB (Fast Boot)
Disable Fast Boot in firmware (and Fast Startup in Windows). They can skip USB devices during power-on.
Drive not detected
Reseat the drive, try a different (rear) USB port, and avoid hubs. Some PCs prefer a USB 2.0 port for booting.
PC keeps booting Windows
Use the one-time boot menu to pick the USB, or move it above the internal disk in the boot order. Tap the boot-menu key repeatedly right after power-on.
Boot menu is empty
The drive booted but lists no systems. Make sure your ISO files were actually copied to the drive’s exFAT partition — add images with Send to drive. Also check the file types: Ventoy lists ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD, VHDX, and EFI files.
USB-C, hubs and docks
Plug the drive straight into the PC, not through a hub, dock, or adapter. A rear USB-A port on a desktop is the most reliable for booting.
Still stuck? Double-check the boot-menu key for your exact maker, and that the image you’re trying to boot is one Ventoy supports.