A14-52M-790K Boot from USB @ Aspire 14 AI

NikoDoMunich

Hi folks,

my notebook is an A14-52M-790K from MFG-date 2025/02/22.

Using CloneZilla has been a very reliable method to back up system configuration and after years of good experience, I'd like to go on even with my new book.

Unfortunately acer seems to develop to support Microsoft on their money collecting path, making it difficult to boot from USB (what exclusively binds the acer hardware to this one single software company).

I am after a solution to not beeing bound and strangled. Please could you provide advice how to boot from a device at my will and not on MS's tourture.

I hope it is easy to understand, that buying a car, no one would accept to be bound to fuel up at British Petrol only. So I do not accept to use a MS-prepared disk only.

Thank you!

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

Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/726812/boot-from-usb-aspire-14-ai

🚀 Boot from USB on Aspire A14-52M – Secure Boot Settings

Hi Niko! I get the frustration—firmware settings on newer laptops (especially from early 2025) do enforce tighter boot security, but it’s not a Microsoft-only lock-in. It's about protecting the system against unauthorized loaders and malware, which is why tools like CloneZilla sometimes require extra tweaks.

🔧 Here’s how to regain control:

1. Enter BIOS (press F2 at startup)
2. Go to Security > Secure Boot and set it to Disabled
3. Under Boot, change Boot Mode from UEFI to Legacy (if available), or enable USB boot
4. Save and reboot with your bootable USB inserted

💡 Important: Some models require the USB to be formatted as FAT32 and use a UEFI-compatible ISO (like CloneZilla’s UEFI build).

You absolutely can boot other tools—Microsoft doesn’t block that, but Acer’s firmware defaults prioritize security. Once adjusted, CloneZilla and other platforms should load just fine.

Let us know how it goes—plenty of folks here have been in your shoes and successfully customized boot behavior!