Boot from USB: Work Laptop Privacy

TL;DR

This guide shows you how to boot your work laptop from a USB drive. This is useful for running a separate operating system (like a privacy-focused Linux distribution) without modifying your main Windows installation, and helps protect your data when using public Wi-Fi or untrusted networks.

Steps

1. Back up Your Data: Before making any changes to your boot order, always back up important files. This is a precaution in case something goes wrong.
   • Copy files to an external hard drive or cloud storage.
2. Download the Operating System: Choose the operating system you want to run from USB (e.g., Ubuntu, Tails). Download the ISO file from the official website.
   • Make sure it’s a trusted source!
3. Create a Bootable USB Drive: You’ll need software to write the ISO file onto your USB drive. Popular options include Rufus (Windows), Etcher (cross-platform), or the Startup Disk Creator (Linux).
   • Rufus Example (Windows):

   1. Download and run Rufus from https://rufus.ie/

2. Select your USB drive in the 'Device' dropdown. 3. Click 'SELECT' and choose the ISO file you downloaded. 4. Leave other settings as default (usually MBR for BIOS or GPT for UEFI). 5. Click 'START'. Warning: This will erase all data on the USB drive!
4. Etcher Example (Cross-Platform):

1. Download and run Etcher from https://etcher.balena.io/
2. Select the ISO file, your USB drive, and click 'Flash!'.

5. Access the Boot Menu: This is where it gets tricky as it varies by laptop manufacturer.
   • Restart your laptop.
   • Immediately start pressing a key repeatedly during startup. Common keys include F2, F12, Delete, Esc, or F10. Look for a message on the screen briefly telling you which key to press (e.g., ‘Press F12 for Boot Menu’).
   • If none of these work, search online for “[Your Laptop Model] boot menu key”.
6. Select Your USB Drive: In the boot menu, you should see a list of devices. Use the arrow keys to select your USB drive and press Enter.
   • It might be listed under its brand name (e.g., SanDisk Cruzer) or as ‘Removable Device’.
7. Boot from USB: Your laptop should now boot from the USB drive. Follow the on-screen instructions to install or run the operating system.
   • If it boots back into Windows, double-check your BIOS/UEFI settings (see Step 6).
8. BIOS/UEFI Settings (if needed): If you can’t get the USB drive to boot, you might need to change the boot order in your BIOS/UEFI settings.
   • Restart your laptop and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup. This is usually done by pressing Delete, F2, or Esc during startup (similar to accessing the boot menu).
   • Find the ‘Boot Order’ or ‘Boot Priority’ section.
   • Change the order so that your USB drive is listed before your hard drive.
   • Save the changes and exit BIOS/UEFI setup. Your laptop should now attempt to boot from the USB drive first.

Important Considerations

• Secure Boot: Some laptops have ‘Secure Boot’ enabled, which can prevent booting from unsigned operating systems (like some Linux distributions). You might need to disable Secure Boot in your BIOS/UEFI settings. Be careful when disabling Secure Boot as it affects system security!
• Fast Startup: Windows Fast Startup can sometimes interfere with booting from USB. Try disabling it:

  1. Open Control Panel.

2. Go to 'Power Options'. 3. Click 'Choose what the power buttons do'. 4. Click 'Change settings that are currently unavailable'. 5. Uncheck 'Turn on fast startup (recommended)'. 6. Save changes.
• Data Security: Be aware of your surroundings when using a USB drive with sensitive data, especially on public computers or networks. Consider using full disk encryption for added security.