Dell XPS 15 - L502x USB Boot

I am trying to boot from my 16GB flash drive. And it seems like the BIOS isn't detecting it at boot. I am sure that the drive is bootable, it boots and works perfectly in my other computer (desktop). I have tried in all the 3 USB ports on the computer.

I say that the BIOS isn't detecting it because when I hit F12 at boot, It shows multiple boot options incl. "Removable Drive", "Hard Drive", "CD Drive", etc. And the other entries have a "+" next to them except "eSATA" and "Removable Device."

I have looked in the BIOS setup (F2 at boot) and haven't found anything preventing USB boot.

-USB Emulation is turned on. ... perhaps needs to be off?

Any ideas on why it's not booting from a Flash Drive?

Thanks Guys!

 

Try enabling it in the BIOS. Setting it to boot to a usb device first in the BIOS. Also make sure you have the most current BIOS installed.

 

USB Emulation is already enabled in the BIOS, I have also tried with it off.
I am manually going into the boot order (F12) at BIOS boot time to select the "Removable Drive" and it seems like it doesn't detect the drive at boot time.
Also, Removable Drive is the first item in the boot order, and it still doesn't boot from the UFD (USB Flash Drive). And it still doesn't boot from the UFD when I manually choose it in the boot order.
I have the most up to date BIOS version installed.
I am wondering if any/all Dell XPS 15 L502x owners are having any problems like this? or have found any solutions?
Anybody have any ideas?

 

I have not had this issue so far, but your Dell XPS L502x has three USB ports?

Mine only has two

 

Well, mine has two USB 3.0 ports and and a eSATAp port (eSATA + USB port).

So you've been able to successfully boot from USB? What BIOS rev? A06? That's the latest on Dell's website.

 

Make sure it is in the right hand side usb port with the esata.

 

Yes, I have tried in then the eSATAp (USB/ eSATA port) to no avail.
To be more specific I've tried it in all the ports...

I'm using Dell BIOS Rev. A06 (most up to date) and the UFD is bootable on an older desktop that I have.

Any ideas? What should I do?

 

Don't have the L502x but have the L702x and L511x. I can't image either of them are very different motherboards and both of them have no problems booting from USB. Will the stick boot a different machine?

Try hitting F12 at startup and selecting USB-HDD from the list?

 

Thanks, I didn't realize the eSATA port was also a USB port

This is a really late reply, but I did get some time to retest this to make sure.

I'm currently using bios A04. I tested using a bootable USB drive with linux Mint 11 on it. I was able to boot from all 3 USB ports with it.

To boot from it successfully, I hit F12 during startup, and chose "USB Storage". At first I chose "Removable Device", but that just booted from my internal hard drive every time.

Hope this helps, and if not let us know what you are trying to boot into, etc

 

Electroncarl,

I have the exact same laptop with the exact same problem!

I know this is old but I've tried booting my USB drive on other computers, which works fine. Randomly it will work on my XPS, but usually after rebooting it will stop detecting the USB drive. Like you said, the USB device itself is not detected, so it probably has nothing to do with what's on said device. I cannot for the life of me figure this out. Did you ever make any more progress?

 

I routinely boot my XPS 15 L502x from USB flash drives. No problem.

In BIOS I changed boot order priority to place USB before Hard Drive.
(Note: "USB" is a different option than "Removable Drive".)