cannot boot from USB aspire X1700 descktop

Hi everyone, this is my first post. Hoping any of you can lend some advice on how to solve an issue I have had for some time.

1. I have clean installed vista 64 ultimate on my X1700 aspire desktop.

2. I have the latest drivers and o/s updates and patches.

3. I have scanned in safe mode and normal for any malware, spyware, and virus..I am clean. (bleeping computer believes this is true as well..they are the greatest at analyzing a system btw...god bles them!)

I desire to boot from a usb device during startup. I can config the bios to do that by setting usb as primary priority boot device and I can use the boot hotkey on startup. Both work.

But here is the problem:

when the machine starts up..I get the message "please insert a bootable device"..or some words like this.

I know the boot USB flash key works..But I cannot boot from it. I tried inserting it into each USB port that the computer has, but no joy.

I can boot from this same flash usb drive on any other machine, so I know there is no problem with the it. I know this because I can boot from the same key on any other machine. I have tested it on 4 other machines. 1 on a similar acer desktop..the other is a dell..one is a compaq and another is a home built puter that runs linux. Some are 64 bit machines, some are 32. All of them can boot from the USB drive. But not the X1700 aspire.

I am at a loss.

So my question is, why can't I get the X1700 aspire to boot from the usb flash key?

note: the reason I desire to boot from the flash key is to run a portable app that contains a root level scanning software that bleeping computer recommended to ensure that I a comprehensive but bit by bit malware scan can be accomplished. (On another key, I have a bootable ubuntu version that I desire to boot from memory and use to do some other things)

any thoughts or suggestions on how to troubleshoot this problem.

ps. I have the latest acer bios installed. using the MSINFO32 command, I have the following bios installed:

american megatrends R01-B3, 12/10/2008

Final: I can't boot from my dvd rw either. And have not been able to do that for a long time. I never have taken the time to repair the drive, or look at it. I have not ruled out the possibility that the two issues are related, but what I have done twice now, is a complete clean install (with a new hdd as well)....installed all the drivers...updated the bios, flashed it...scanned the machine very well for any bugs...got the all clear from bleeping computer several times in the last few days..so I know the machine is solid. Maybe the dvd rw drive and the usb device drivers have are dependent and corruption of one in either hardware or software results in a problem with the other? I don't know. (maybe I will remove the optical drive altogether and see if that solves any possible h/w or s/w conflict. At this time, device manager and the system event viewer do not show anything wrong problems in these two areas...

I am baffled...what am I missing?

thanks for anyone that can offer any suggestions.

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HK53T

dont sound like missing anything, just problem with BIOS boot order working

definately should work from USB and DVD

could reset defaults in BIOS to see if that helps

TDM

Ok, here is what I have done since I last posted:

1. I removed the optical drive, uninstall the device driver to it rebooted machine...still no boot from usb. (so I think by logic, I have ruled out the possibility that a dvd rw drive or device driver issue is coincidentally causing a boot on usb problem..

2. I left the optical drive out, for the next several steps:

3. I removed cabling from all usb ports...all of them, except for those hardwired to the motherboard that are exposed on the backside of the case. I updated all usb drivers. rebooted...same problem..no joy on reboot from usb.

4. with optical drive out, and all front side usb cables disconnected, I flash bios, first using the "old legacy oem" version...first version: no joy, option was there to boot order the first as usb, but will not boot from usb...get the same error message..."please insert bootable drive"

5. So, then I flash bios to latest version: problems remains...no boot from usb.

6. At each step of the above, I viewed the event viewer, and I do not see any errors related to any of these drives that would suspend the bios or device drivers to malfunction (admittedly, most of this is pretty greeek to me, so I had to one at a time, rule them out by googling any event error, to see if it could be a possible gig. I am pretty sure, the event viewer is not reporting problems related to usb drives, or the services it requires, or said processes...

7. Now my latest theory is that somehow I have a bios level bug, but then I have done the most thorough clean install that I am aware is possible: I removed bios batt, removed memory modules (both), removed and installed new hdd, even did a complete format using another computer that the new hdd was slaved to, so I could create the parts I wanted without any interference of any possible contamination from windows, or any suspect device. I reinstalled fresh o/s from a valid personally owned and licesnsed copy of vista ultimate 64. Updated all drivers...updated all windows, security and patches...I even make sure that after I installed all of that, I kept all default services turned on (even the one's that I know are pretty useless and are huge security potentials...) My objective was to achieve a total system state that was default in every way..but clean...and I am pretty good at that...I did not even install security.

and yet, after doing this now, for perhaps 3 successful cycles, I still cannot seem to boot from USB...the bios has the option, I can set it...and when in normal startup, for sure, i can use the usb drives and read and write to them...and even format...but I cannot boot from them.

I am beginning to wonder that the problem is that the bios itself is corrupt..that acer has not written them correctly.

and that leads me to troubleshoot that possibility. And a strategy is then to find a compatible but separate bios that I can flash to this machine, and see the result.

But the problem is, I have no idea on how to do this. I know how to flash, but what company should I have confidence in to building a stable, secure bios for this acer machine.

is there a trusted aftermarket for this, that anyone can recommend?

I thank anyone who can answer that last question.

I welcome any comments. ( this problem has ignited a great deal of interest and curiosity into problem solving it...I could just junk the machine or use it, as it, pimples and all, but the idea that this problem is kicking my butt ...well, I just can't stand admitting I can't solve a problem...and I suspect some of you like a challenge too.

what am I missing? anyone?

TDM

Aloha,

latest update:

In adition to the steps I have taken listed in prior posts, I have done the following:

a. I flashed a "new" after market bios to my machine.

result: After some very anxious moments, the machine did not die..(whew). I entered bios setup and established flash drive as startup priority boot device.

And....wait for it....NOTHING!

Oddly, the "new" bios showed features that my old bios did not, AND it actually stated the thunmb drive I am using as a "USB Drive"...not a removable or a compact drive, as the OEM bios states it (which is very confusing).

side comment to bios developers: use plain common descriptions that users can cipher AND build all the options that can exist for a specific system into the bios.

anyway, I am at this moment brewing more caffeine, planning what to do next.

Here are my thoughts:

a. remove and replace both optical drive and usb ports, physically.

reasoning: based on assumption that this does not appear to be a software issue...device manager AND event viewer are not reporting problems. Problem with that reasoning: The only reservation I have with this thinking, is that the Flash Drive does actually work whe O/S is operating....dvd rw, however does not boot, or operate when o/s is up.

b. the O/S (specifically, mbr is corrupt?)

reasoning: assuming devices are ok, physically and drivers, and bios are ok...a corrupt mbr may be preventing boot from device options, even when stated in bios startup...something like a POST error.

but, would not that be recorded in the event viewer? I don't see it.

maybe this entire thing is a combination of problems: corrupt mbr, poorly designed bios, device controller failure, corrupt o/s, root level/mahine level corruption.

as I originally stated, the dvd rw has not been working as a boot device or functioning even when o/s is running...so, that failure may have been the first sign that the machine has serious issues.