When USB Linux Boot pendrive appears on Windows Disc Management but not on F9 Boot Menu on HP Prodesk Mini 600 PC

Thanks, Andrew — that helps clarify the situation. If your USB Linux drive:

• Works on other Mini PCs
• Shows up in Windows Disk Management (so it’s electrically detected)
• But doesn’t appear in the F9 Boot Menu on the HP ProDesk 600 Mini

…then this is almost certainly due to BIOS settings related to Secure Boot or Legacy Boot.

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✅ Fix: Enable USB Boot Visibility in BIOS

🔧 Step-by-Step (HP ProDesk 600 G2/G3/G4 Mini):

1. Reboot the PC and immediately press F10 repeatedly to enter the BIOS Setup.
2. Go to the “Advanced” tab.
3. Navigate to Secure Boot Configuration:
   • If prompted, acknowledge the warning.
4. Make the following changes:
   • Disable Secure Boot
   • Enable Legacy Support (or “Legacy Boot”)
   • Set UEFI Boot Order or Legacy Boot Order to include USB drives
5. Save and Exit (usually F10).
6. Reboot and press F9 again — the USB should now appear in the boot menu.

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⚠️ Notes:

• Secure Boot blocks unsigned or unrecognized OS bootloaders (most Linux distros unless UEFI-signed).
• Legacy Boot allows BIOS-style booting (most USB Linux sticks default to this if not made for UEFI).
• Some distros (like Ubuntu) support UEFI, but many lightweight ones (e.g., Puppy, Tiny Core) boot in BIOS/Legacy mode only.

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🧪 Optional: Test for USB UEFI Compatibility

To check if your USB is UEFI-compatible:

• On a working machine, plug in the USB.
• Open the USB in File Explorer.
• If it contains a /EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi file, it can UEFI-boot.
• If not, you’ll need Legacy Mode enabled.

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