Toshiba L50-B can´t booth windows 8.1 from USB

Alex Ferreira

Estimable
Jun 19, 2014
56
0
4,610
I've adquire recently a Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1EV but I want to install a "clean" Windows 8.1 Pro, without all those OEM stuff.
Problem is that it won´t boot from USB (no optical drive). I´ve made this many times in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, without problems. I use a ISO file (tryed 2 so far) to a USB trough Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (always worked out fine in 7, 8 and 8.1).
Tryed to turn of bios fail safe boot and turn from UEFI to CSM boot and it just won´t start.

Running out of clues and can´t find more info... What can I do more??

Thanks!!
 

Alex Ferreira

Estimable
Jun 19, 2014
56
0
4,610
First I went to BIOS (keep F2 pressed untill toshiba logo apears), disabled "secure boot" and changed boot mode from UEFI to "that other that I don´t remember now" (only 2 options), F10 to exit and keep changes. Insert the DVD or plug the USB pen drive with the bootable windows, again on startup keep F12 pressed until toshiba logo, in the boot menu choose the device with the windows configuration disk and press enter. The windows configuration starts.
If this procedure won´t work at first try, power off and try again. If the error apears when or after the device is chosen check if the BIOS options are correct ("Secure Boot" disable and "Boot Mode" NOT UEFI). To get in to bios and boot menu you need to have the key already pressed and release it when toshiba logo apears (that´s the way I made it)
 

adiher

Estimable
Jan 30, 2015
1
0
4,510
Use a program like RUFUS to create an UEFI bootable USB flash drive. Do do this you can follow the instruction here:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html
In bios, keep UEFI and do not switch to CSM.
Restart and boot from USB you just created with RUFUS.
When you reach the point where it ask you in which partition to install you have to delete first all previous partition you have created on your hard drive because they are in different system which is MBR and with this clean installation you will make all GPT, acceptable for UEFI.
After all partition are deleted and you have only one, you click next and install Windows (8.1 in my case).
I have a Toshiba Satellite L50-B-1K4 and it worked fine for me.
 

Legray

Estimable
Apr 19, 2015
3
0
4,510
I want to change my new P50-B-119 HDD for a SSD.
I created a USB restauration key and prodeeded to disk change-over.
First start I got a "error" screen went to the UEFI and change for "not secure boot mode" and "not UEFI(legacy)"
Now I get a Toshiba logo screen ... a dark screen ...and nothing more.

I ended-up pressing the hardware reset button at the back of the PC and...I was able to boot on the USB key!
Using the USB key software I did re-install everything... and ... I am locked again!


 

Legray

Estimable
Apr 19, 2015
3
0
4,510
After a few month of non sense support emails, and a Toshiba Corporate complain, I eventually get a skilled Toshiba guy!
The "trick" is very simple : set you bios in the "default" mode : UEFI and Secure Mode.
Choose USB as first boot device,
Shut down the computer, using the bios "battery power off" option and replace your HDD with another HDD or SSD.
Put your USB bootable backup key and power again.
... Just follow instruction to re-install W8.1 and it works...

At least it worked for me...

I did not try and clone the HDD to the SSD, but I reckon I can now get any data from the HDD to the SSD so it wont be a big issue.

My trouble was because I tried in first place to clone the HDD to the SSD and fiddled with the bios parameters setup to try and find a way.
Re-installing for the System backup is the way to go... but you have to set the bios back to the "normal" values too.

Last but not least, I did not kept my SSD installed as the original HDD (1To) is a "hybrid" version and it is almost as fast as the SSD for startup. I may eventually re-install the SSD when W10 will be on test to avoid testing it on my every day job disk !