Surface Pro 4 won't boot to USB

Yo I have tried all the stuff on this page and many others around the web, and yet anytime i try to boot from USB, it either takes me back to the UEFI or boots windows off the SSD. I have tried so many different things and they all just end up returning me to the UEFI or booting off the SSD. Im using Surface Pro 4 i56300u. Anyone know what the big deal is?

What are u trying to boot from the usb?

SOLVED!

I forgot the password to my local account which had administrator access.  I was trying to avoid the whole wiping of the device as I need the files on the Surface Pro 4 and I was thinking that would defeating.

What I did I follow the instructions from this website.

http://www.top-password.com/blog/how-to-reset-forgotten-login-password-on-surface-pro/

I will warn you that I did buy the $49.99 edition as I wanted to play around with the other features but it worked.

Create the bootable USB drive via the instructions given in the link.

Start the Surface Pro 4 in UEFI mode.

1. Turn off the Surface Pro 4 (holding down power button and slide screen down)
2. Hold down Volume (+) button
3. Press the Power on button, one Mississippi press
4. When the Surface Pro 4 logo appears release your finger from the Volume (+).

The screen is now in UEFI.

Here you want to turn off the Secure Boot and change boot sequence.

1. Security
2. Select Change Configuration
3. Choose the option for None
4. Then go to Boot Configuration.
5. Uncheck all items but the USB Storage

My device is not setup with TPM but you should slide that bar so it is disabled.

Go to Exit chose Restart.

The Surface Pro 4 will restart and you will see a red bar on the top of the screen with a Lock icon but will be unlocked. You are now faced with the same login screen, as expected.

If you created the USB boot device from above continue, if not go back to that section.

Assuming you have done the USB boot device.

Grab a standard USB keyboard plug it in to the USB port. The screen at this point will be active. To confirm the keyboard is recognized chose sign-in options and type in the empty bar.

Getting into Advanced Options:

Hold the left shift key and chose Restart from the Power Icon in the bottom left of the screen. The device will now restart and then the  screen flashes to a blue screen and gives you Advanced Options.

Advanced Options:

1. Unplug the keyboard and install the USB boot device
2. Next, choose "Use a device"
3. Select boot from USB.
4. Surface Pro 4 will restart

The Surface Pro 4 should now recognize the USB boot device. If done correctly you will be presented with the Surface Pro 4 log-on accounts and can now reset the account.

This will take about 15 minutes to do. Troubleshooting the issue took over several hours. But glad I fixed it. You will need to buy the software to reset the accounts. Give a shot with the trial version to prove it works.

I have no affiliation with creators of the application. I am pissed that I had to pay for it too but I needed to get moving on this. AND I have a job so I can afford the small dent of $50.45 after tax. You can try this installation with the Trial version and I it will work. However, the software will not action on the password reset because they want money. Like I said I sucked it up and paid for it.

Hope this works for you too!

I got to the advanced options step.

Selected USB Device 

Tried several different USB Devices built with Rufus FAT32bit.  Tried Hirens, Ultimate Boot, Ghost, Acronis and Win7 Boot Tools (which is NTFS but everything else failed so.....)

My device needs to be sent back to Microsoft for replacement.  Corporate policy is to wipe before shipping.  I ended up doing a "reset this PC" and "Wipe all files" but I never got it to boot from any USB of any kind.  I double and tripple checked all the settings, waved a rubber chicken over it, slapped the keyboard with a wet salmon... nothing I did would boot to USB.

Thanks for the advice.  That is exactly what I have done.  Only difference is it is a 32GB drive.  

Iven if I disable all other boot devices.  It will only boot to internal storage. (And internal storage has been disabled)

I had to disable Secure Boot. Tried everything else as people said I didn't, but it just wouldn't boot off USB.

There is a 'long tooth' solution that you can try and you will need to use the Rufus tool and another 16GB USB pen drive (leave the one with your recovery alone).

Go to http://www.fedoraproject.org and download the workstation version of Fedora Linux.

Use the Rufus tool to burn the ISO image of it onto that spare USB pen drive.

Detach the keyboard/cover from the tablet.

Insert the Fedora USB pen drive and hold down the "Volume Down" button and at the same time press and hold down the "Power Button".  If that works, you should get a blue screen with white text and select to recover from an external drive.

If it works, Fedora's Live image will load up and at the desktop in Linux, tell it to install.  You will need a magnifying glass because Fedora will take full advantage of the screen resolution capability (touch screen, WiFi, and the pen will also work but not the keyboard).  You do not need WiFi since you are not going to keep Fedora on the machine.

When installation is complete and reboot to Fedora's desktop which will show that the machine is completely wiped out.

Now, shut the tablet down and insert the Windows recovery USB pen drive.  Do the same thing with the volume down and power button.

At this time, you should be able to perform the complete installation of Windows 10 back onto the machine.

I did this with a Pro 3 about three weeks ago and it worked.  No need to change UEFI setting or disable secure boot.