Ashington OS

Home / Boot Guide

Keep this page open on your phone

Start Ashington OS from the USB drive

For a one-time session, open the PC’s boot menu as it turns on and choose the Ashington OS USB. For everyday use, you can often set the USB first in BIOS/UEFI so Ashington OS starts automatically while it is connected.

See the five stepsDownload boot guide (PDF)

Find the boot-menu key

Use the likely control for your PC. It may vary by model. Watch the manufacturer's first logo screen for “Boot Menu” or “Boot Options.”

PC manufacturerLikely control
DellF12
HPEsc, then F9
LenovoF12 or Fn+F12; some models have a Novo button
ASUS notebook or all-in-oneFrom power off, hold Esc while pressing Power
AcerF12
MSIF11
Microsoft SurfaceHold Volume Down, press and release Power, then release Volume Down when spinning dots appear

Start Ashington OS

  1. Plug in the USB drive

    Insert the Ashington OS USB drive into the PC.

  2. Restart or power on

    Restart the PC, or turn it off and then on.

  3. Open the boot menu

    Immediately and repeatedly press the boot-menu key for your PC. Follow the hold-and-power sequence shown above for ASUS or Surface.

  4. Choose the USB drive

    Choose its entry in the boot menu. It may show the drive's brand and size, such as PNY 32GB, rather than “Ashington OS.” If a UEFI entry for the USB appears, choose it.

  5. Start Ashington OS

    Press Enter. If another menu appears, choose Start Ashington OS.

Do not choose the internal Windows drive, an installer, or a format option. If the key does not work, fully turn off the PC and try again, or check its manual.

What you can do in Ashington OS

  • Recover Files: Select files from a read-only source drive and copy them to a different writable drive.
  • Open Files: Connect to the internet and open supported files in UR Viewer Web. DOCX and XLSX are not viewable in this version.
  • Browse Web: Connect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then use Firefox for streaming, web conferencing and browsing.
  • Connect to Another PC: Connect to a Windows PC on the network using its Remote Desktop address and sign-in.

Start Ashington OS automatically every time

For a PC you intend to reuse regularly, you can often set the Ashington OS USB first in the BIOS/UEFI boot order. Leave it connected before turning on the PC, and the computer can start Ashington OS without asking you to choose the USB from the one-time boot menu.

  1. Plug in the Ashington OS USB before powering on the computer.
  2. Open the PC’s BIOS/UEFI Setup using the setup key shown at startup or listed in its manual. This may be a different key from the one-time boot-menu key in the table above.
  3. Find Boot Order, Boot Priority or Boot Sequence.
  4. Move the Ashington OS USB or its USB/UEFI entry ahead of the internal drive or Windows Boot Manager. Keep the internal boot entry available if you want Windows as a fallback.
  5. Choose Save Changes and Exit, then test a restart with the USB connected.

The exact names and supported settings vary by manufacturer and model. Some PCs offer a persistent USB-first order; others require the one-time boot menu or offer different USB boot options. See an example of manufacturer boot-order guidance.

The preference is permanent; the USB session is still temporary. The boot order remains set until changed or reset. Leave the Ashington OS USB connected while it is running. Automatic startup does not make downloads, browser history or other live-session changes survive shutdown.

If the USB is absent or cannot boot, the PC normally tries the next enabled boot device. A working Windows installation may then start; if there is no usable internal boot device, the computer may display a boot error. To return to Windows first, restore Windows Boot Manager or the internal drive to the top of the boot order.

Troubleshooting

USB missing from boot menu
Fully turn off the PC, try another USB port, and open the boot menu again.
Windows drive missing
Refresh the list and review any drive message. Recovery requires a present, readable source; Ashington OS does not bypass encryption.
Windows asks to format the USB
Cancel the prompt. Do not format the drive.
Remote PC not found
Check that both PCs are on the same network and Remote Desktop is enabled on the other PC.

Download boot guide (PDF)

First launch: click once and give the browser time to open.

The first time you open a browser after starting Ashington OS, Firefox may take about two minutes to appear and Chromium about one minute. These are observed waits on a test PC; your computer and USB drive may take more or less time. Later openings in the same session are usually much faster. The wait alone does not mean the browser has stopped working.

If the internal boot device is missing, you can still use Ashington OS on compatible hardware that boots from USB. Learn how the USB workspace works.