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MostlyHarmless1976's avatar
MostlyHarmless1976
Copper Contributor
May 02, 2024

Surface Pro 7 not booting off USB for Ubuntu install

Hi all.

 

I've got a Surface Pro 7 that's getting a bit long in the tooth. I've read that various Linux distros run well on it. Ubuntu in particular has quite a few detailed set-up guides. So I decided to give it a shot.

 

The problem is, the Surface won't boot from a USB key.  The UEFI/BIOS is set to boot from USB first, before anything else. I've tried:

 

-- 5 different USB keys (various sizes (apparently 64GB don't work) from 32GB down to 😎

-- writing the Ubuntu ISO to the key using balenaEtcher, Rufus, and the dd command from a command prompt in a Linux virtual machine.

-- setting the security setting in the Surface's UEFI/BIOS to off and third party (not Microsoft Only)

-- turned off all other boot devices, so that it ONLY tries booting from the USB

-- openSUSE Tumbleweed instead of Ubuntu

-- Windows 11 (for poops and giggles, just to see) instead of Linux

-- turned on the Surface normally, and while holding the down volume button.

 

Nothing works. It just sits there with the white Surface/Windows logo on a black screen, like it's mockingly judging me, until I eventually turn it off. I've left it like that for as long as an hour, just to see if the trhing would figure out what I wanted it do do.

 

How on earth to I get the thing to actually boot off USB and into the Ubuntu installer?

  • rincman's avatar
    rincman
    Copper Contributor
    Sep 07, 2024
    I have been trying the same. Did you ever resolve this?

    I created a Ubuntu USB stick using Rufus. On the surface Laptop 7 to boot from USB. It will not boot from the usb on the Surface Laptop 7 but I tried this on an older Surface Pro 7 (intel based) and I get the USB boot menu and ran run Ubuntu with Try now..

    I went ahead and created a Windows 11 Recovery USB for the Surface Pro 7 and I can boot from that USB. The process was to first formant

    1. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port.
    2. Select Start, enter recovery drive, and then select Create a recovery drive or Recovery Drive from the results. You may need to enter an admin password or confirm your choice.
    3. In the User Account Control box, select Yes.
    4. Clear the Back up system files to the recovery drive check box and then select Next.
    5. Select your USB drive, and then select Next > Create. Some utilities need to be copied to the recovery drive, so this might take a few minutes.
    6. When the recovery drive is ready, select Finish.
    7. Download the Recovery Image from MS and then Double-click the recovery image .zip file to open it.
    8. Select all the files from the recovery image folder, copy them to the USB recovery drive you created, and then 9. select Choose to replace the files in the destination.

    I am wondering of there is a way to just do steps 1 to 6 and then for step 7 and 8 use the Ubuntu download or copy the files from the Ubuntu USB Boot drive created to the Windows one. I have not tried this.