NUC8i7HVK, USB EFI and "A bootable device has not been detected."

[DD14]

I recently got an NUC8i7HVK (Hades Canyon NUC).

In attempting to set it up, I encountered "A bootable device has not been detected." after disabling Secure Boot when attempting to boot a USB stick with an EFI partition on it.

The USB stick boots perfectly from a Lenovo and another USB stick formatted ISO (containing an Ubuntu live CD image) boots perfectly in the NUC8i7HVK.

It was only after considerable troubleshooting that I stumbled upon a rather odd suggestion to try which actually worked...

Splitting the USB stick's EFI partition in two and cloning the contents/boot flags from the EFI partition to the other half of the split, such that there are two identical EFI partitions proceeding the data partitions allowed the USB stick to boot.

As I don't understand why this is necessary, I'm curious if someone from Intel can explain why this EFI split/clone exercise is required to use bootable USB EFI sticks with NUC8i7HVK?

(FYI this was done on an April Bios and the Nov 29 NUC8i7HVK bios)

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello DD14 Thank you for posting in the Intel Community. In order to look more into this behavior please provide me with the following information: What operating system did you use ti create the USB bootable device, was it a open source or Windows? What software did you use to create the bootable device? Can you share with us the reference link for the suggestion/steps taken to solve the issue? Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[DD14]

The bootable media was created on OSX.

Software used to create EFI bootloader was a program called "Unibeast". The USB stick created by this software EFI bootloader came up in a Lenovo laptop with no issue without modification.

Here is the suggestion I found to work around the issue:

https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/intel-hades-canyon-nuc.250600/page-15#post-1877867

After modifying per that suggestion (split + clone EFI partition), I was able to boot to the EFI bootloader on the USB stick.

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello DD14 Thank you for the information. The root of this behavior could be related to the operating system (OS) file based; we recommend/advice using a Windows based system to create the bootable devices. I am glad to know that you have found a workaround for this behavior and thank you for sharing the information this might help other community peers. Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello DD14 I was checking your case and would like to know if you need further help. If so, please do not hesitate in replying back. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello DD14 I was checking your case and would like to know if you need further help. If so, please do not hesitate in replying back. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[DD14]

@LeoC_Intel, it would seem @DBows​ and @LWAKSMAN​ have confirmed this abnormal booting behavior including with Windows boot media... I don't suppose we can get a fix for the BIOS? :)

[DBows]

I did however by accident was able to get the NUC to detect my USB UEFI bootable disk by plugging in 2 USB sticks.

This may sound silly but i've tried plugging one USB (UEFI) in front and one at the back. It detected my rear UEFI USB and I was able to boot Windows 10 - 1803 and 1809.

Not sure if this bug only exists in NUC Gen 8s but this is how i got around this issue.

Also my USB UEFI bootable disk works on other PCs like Dell, Lenovo without any issue booting it.

Try this and see if it works. I can try to take a video on this NUC bug and how it can be easily replicated.

[LeonWaksman]

Hi @DD14​ 

I've founded there is some problem in booting from USB in NUC8i7HVK. If you insert your bootable USB into one of blue colored USB socket, it will not be detected in Boot Menu. However if you will use the front, orange USB socket, you will be able to boot from this USB after entering the Boot Menu.

This problem doesn't exist in other NUCs I've tested (NUC6i5SYH and NUC7i7DNHE), where the bootable USB is detectable in all USB sockets.

Leon

[automatepete]

Thanks for the note about orange @LeonWaksman 

I'm experiencing the same issue on UEFI 2.2.25 - No blue USB ports show bootable USB storage devices.

Thought I was going crazy and somehow forgot how to make a bootable disk. Going to try a firmware update and see if there's any improvement on the rest of the ports.

[automatepete]

Sorry should have said I was on BIOS version 53.

Updated to Version 64 and can no longer recreate the issue - All USB ports appear to support bootable USB devices again.

[LeonWaksman]

Hi @automatepete 

Checked boot from USB inserted in front blue USB port, BIOS 0064. The NUC is booting now. This was finally fixed in latest BIOS. Please read the New Fixes/Features in the BIOS release notes.

Regards

Leon

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello everybody. Thank you for the information. I have tested a bootable USB with Windows® 10 on the blue USB port of the Intel® NUC Kit NUC8i7HVK without any issue to boot from it, I had enabled secure boot and boot from USB devices first on boot configuration; I enter into the boot menu with F10 to select the bootable USB. Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[DD14]

So you're confirming no problem with EFI [not MBR or ISO] formatted windows media USBs on this device?

[LeonWaksman]

After reading the last post from Leonardo, I've checked again booting from USB on my NUC8i7HVK. I've have the same boot configuration like Leonardo described in his post. All USB ports are enabled in Bios. Also USB is enabled as a boot device. I'm using Windows 10 installation media USB (i.e. EFI). When the USB is inserted to the front blue USB port, it is not booting and is neither not recognised in Boot Menu (F10). However, if the same USB is inserted into front orange port or one of the blue ports on back panel, it is booting and it is detected in Boot Menu.

Leonardo, please check again, booting from front blue port.

My bios is updated to version 0053.

Leon

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello Everybody Yes I did the testing on the frontal blue port with Kingston Data Traveler 2.0 USB [Windows 10] and Jetflash TS2GJFV30 USB [Ubuntu 18.04] both on FAT32 format and they were both recognized to boot form them, I also tested a Kingston Data Traveler 3.0 USB [Ubuntu 17.04] FAT32 but this one was not recognized on the frontal blue port and it was recognized on the frontal yellow port (charging port). Both of this testing was done using default BIOS settings version 0053. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[LeonWaksman]

I do not have Kingston USB stick. Have only Sandisk Ultra USB: 16GB and 32GB. One media prepared using Microsoft Media Creation Tool and the other with Rufus. Both are not recognised in Boot Menu when installed in front blue port. Both are working good in all other ports, so there are OK in other NUCs. Both are recognised by Windows while installed in front blue port.

It is interesting if somebody else have this problem too.

Leon