Hello, it's been a while since I had to change any server hardware and I've either forgotten what I'm doing, things are different now, or something is broken. I could use some help figuring out what's going on.

System is an HP DL380 G10, intended to replace a G7. The G7 gave me a lot of trouble getting boot from USB to work reliably, so I expected some headaches getting the G10 to do it as well, but I'm not sure if the problem is with the machine or the USB. (Note: I have misplaced the boot drive for the G7, so I can't try a "known working" boot drive. I am trying to boot to a new key never used for Unraid before.)

What I've tried:

• Unraid USB Creator (latest version)

• Same but run make_bootable.bat

• Same but rename "./EFI" to "./EFI-" and run make_bootable.bat

• All these 3 but with version 7.0.0

• Copy backup of old boot drive (v7.0.1) to USB and run make_bootable.bat

• Same but rename "./EFI-" to "./EFI" and run make_bootable.bat

• Unraid USB Creator (v7.0.0), delete "./EFI", copy backup to drive, rename "./EFI-" to "./EFI"

• Same as above but run make_bootable.bat

Trying all these options and flipping the server BIOS from UEFI to legacy boot and vice versa, trying to let it boot from the boot order and manually selecting the USB drive in the one-time boot menu, and multiple USB ports, no booting has ever happened.

I thought I'd try booting from this key on my laptop to confirm that it works, and I can't boot my laptop from it either. This laptop is the first machine I've ever owned with Win11 and all the secure boot nonsense that comes with that. So, once again, I don't know if it's the drive or if something different is required to boot that machine from USB.

The server does boot into VMWare if I slap in one of the SSDs that it came with. (Even though I was pretty sure I had disabled all boot options except USB, which is making me think even more that HP BIOS really sucks.)

I don't feel like I've exhausted every option, because the POST on a server like this takes forever and I was already at it for hours before I called it a night. I have an older laptop to try and my desktop if I unpack it (just moved, hence the lack of working boot drive, etc.), will try a different USB drive and/or creating a bootable live image of a different Linux, etc. But, I'm hoping someone is going to tell me I missed some really obvious step before I spend hours on it again tonight.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Edited December 1, 2025Dec 1 by Renegade605

2 hours ago, Renegade605 said:

Same but rename "./EFI" to "./EFI-" and run make_bootable.bat

You don't need to do this, having the EFI folder just allows UEFI boot, it doesn't prevent legacy boot.

Also note that for UEFI boot you don't need to run make_bootable.bat.

Recommend trying a different flash drive and/or trying with Rufus:

- Open Rufus and change "Boot selection" to "Freedos"

- Set the "Volume label" to UNRAID

- set filesytem to FAT32

- click START

- once done, unpack the Unraid ZIP to the flash drive

If you are booting UEFI nothing else you need to do, if you are booting legacy/CSM, run the make_bootable.bat as administrator first.

6 hours ago, JorgeB said:

You don't need to do this, having the EFI folder just allows UEFI boot, it does' prevent legacy boot.

I didn't think so, but I was trying anything at that point lol.

6 hours ago, JorgeB said:

Recommend trying with Rufus

Thanks! I didn't realize Rufus could do anything without a specific image to flash. This completely solved the problem on the first try.