Aspire TC-1785 Why does my BIOS recognizing USB boot disks as a hard drive?

I have an Aspire TC-1785. For some reason the BIOS only recognizes USB boot disks (created in a number of different ways, including Ubuntu's startup disk creator, Windows Media Creation Tool, various online tutorials, etc.) as a hard drive, not as a removable device.

I have attempted to turn on/off secure boot, using the USB slots in the front of the machine vs the back, using the blue USB slots vs the non-blue slots.

In case it matters, I vaguely recall seeing an USB stick recognized as a removable device at some point. However, even if that is true, the BIOS no longer does so.

Is there a way to make the computer recognizing the USB as a removal device?

[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

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Larryodie

You can ENABLE BOOT ENABLE then reboot and do an F12 boot select the bootable drive that you choose. then F10 save and reboot. BUT if you have a valid hard drive with a OS installed then windows will boot to it

What happens when you remove the USB drive ?

Axxo

The BIOS might be listing your USB boot drive as a hard drive (HDD) for a few reasons. The most common is that it's being recognized as a storage device, rather than a bootable USB device, in the boot order settings. Another possibility is that the BIOS boot mode is set to "Legacy" or "BIOS" instead of "UEFI," which can affect how it detects and recognizes different boot devices.
Here's a more detailed explanation of potential causes and solutions:-

BIOS Boot Order and Device Recognition:
In the BIOS boot order settings, you might see your USB drive listed under "HDD" or "Hard Disk" instead of a separate "USB" or "Removable Devices" category.
This happens because the BIOS might be identifying the USB drive as a storage device, similar to a hard drive, rather than a bootable device.
To fix this, you'll need to adjust the boot order settings to prioritize the USB drive as the first boot device.
Boot Mode:
If your computer is set to "Legacy" or "BIOS" boot mode, it might have difficulty recognizing USB drives as bootable devices.
"Legacy" or "BIOS" boot mode is an older standard, and newer computers often use "UEFI" boot mode, which is more compatible with modern operating systems and storage devices.
To switch to "UEFI" mode, you'll need to enter your BIOS settings and locate the boot mode option. Then, select "UEFI" and save the changes.
BIOS Settings and Hard Drive Configuration:
Some BIOS settings, like those related to hard drive access (e.g., RAID vs. AHCI), can also affect how the BIOS recognizes and lists boot devices.
If your hard drive access configuration is set to RAID, it might prevent the BIOS from properly detecting the USB drive.
However, changing the RAID setting can be problematic, as it can require reformatting your hard drives.
Other Potential Issues:
Faulty USB drive: Make sure the USB drive is not damaged or faulty. Try using a different USB drive to see if the issue persists.
Incorrect boot file: Ensure the USB drive has the necessary boot files and is properly configured as a bootable drive.
Disabled drive in BIOS: Check that the USB drive is enabled in the BIOS settings and not disabled.
Troubleshooting Steps:
Enter BIOS settings: Restart your computer and press the appropriate key (e.g., Delete, F2, F12) to enter the BIOS settings.
Check boot order: Locate the boot order settings and see how your USB drive is listed.
Change boot order: If necessary, move the USB drive to the top of the boot order list.
Check boot mode: If your computer is using "Legacy" or "BIOS" boot mode, consider switching to "UEFI".
Save changes and exit: Save the changes you made in the BIOS settings and exit to restart your computer.
Try booting from USB: Restart your computer and try booting from the USB drive.

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ceaselesscactus

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1342359#Comment_1342359

Thank you for taking the time and outlining the troubleshooting steps!

Removable devices is the first in the boot order, followed by hard drives.
The boot mode is UEFI.
I have not touched the RAID settings. At some point the BIOS was able to recognize a USB as a removable device and boot from it. If I did not touch the RAID settings, it probably is not the cause?
I tried it with no less than 5 USB sticks, 3 of them brand new. For the boot file, I have created the boot disks with Ubuntu's Startup Disk Creator, balenaEtch on MacOS, and Windows Media Creation Tool, and manually following a couple of online tutorials. No luck with any of them. As with USB being enabled: yes, removable devices are enabled.

Still, no luck. Do you have any more ideas?

Larryodie

You can ENABLE BOOT ENABLE then reboot and do an TAPPING F12 boot. Select the bootable drive that you choose. then F10 save and reboot. BUT if you have a valid hard drive with a OS installed then windows will boot to it