Bootable thumb drive created with Media Creation Tool not recognized

Using my old Windows 7 x64 Ultimate machine, I have created a bootable thumb drive using the Media Creation Tool but the thumb drive is not being recognized by the new (target) PC where I want to install Windows 10, which is running a Gigabyte GA-Z270M-D3H motherboard with 16GB RAM.

I've created the bootable thumb twice and have also tried using Rufus with an ISO. But flashed to the latest BIOS (9 MARCH 2018) the new PC simply does not "see" either of these thumb drives as valid boot options, regardless of whether CSM is enabled or disabled, or the boot storage devices are set to Legacy or UEFI.

When I examine the created thumb drive, the contents look "sane". I can see the Windows 10 folders and files for 32-bit and 64-bit installations.

There's a Crucial SSD on SATA1, and an ASUS DVD burner on SATA0 on the new target machine.

QUESTIONS:
Does the machine that is used to create the bootable thumb drive itself have to support UEFI? Or just the target PC?

Are some types of thumb drives incapable of being used as bootable devices? If so, how can I tell whether mine can be used in this manner? Properties->General shows that it is formatted FAT32. and that it has 28GB free. It is listed under Hardware as USB SG Flash USB Device.

There's always the possibility that the BIOS on this new MB is flaky and is to blame for these problems, but I don't know how to determine that. I do know that some things are weird. The BIOS and the MB memory slot labels do not jibe. Here's my memory configuration showing how the MB labels the slots:

[ ] DDR4_4
[ occupied ] DDR4_2
[ ] DDR4_3
[ occupied ] DDR4_1

But the BIOS reports that slots 2 and 4 are in use.

If I move the sticks to different slots:

[ occupied ] DDR4_4
[ ] DDR4_2
[ occupied ] DDR4_3
[ ] DDR4_1

the BIOS reports that slots 1 and 3 are in use.

Try booting from the thumb drive on a known good computer.

Ben

The type of computer making the thumb drive does not matter. Are you using the boot override menu, which is probably F12? Also make sure the thumb drive is plugged into a black USB port, not blue, directly off the motherboard in the back of the computer.

Ben Myers said:

Try booting from the thumb drive on a known good computer.

Ben

I don't have access to another, except my own older machine.

NavyLCDR said:

The type of computer making the thumb drive does not matter. Are you using the boot override menu, which is probably F12? Also make sure the thumb drive is plugged into a black USB port, not blue, directly off the motherboard in the back of the computer.

With tech support at Gigabyte guiding me, we tried both front and back USB ports, without success.

mrblint said:

I don't have access to another, except my own older machine.

That will do - try on that.

Just check if it boots your USB key. You don't need to install anything - just check if the USB is working.

mrblint said:

With tech support at Gigabyte guiding me, we tried both front and back USB ports, without success.

Haha! I happened to find one of the rear USB ports that works BUT ONLY IF THERE IS ALSO A USB DRIVE INSERTED INTO A FRONT USB PORT!! So weird.

But choosing either the UEFI-prefixed boot volume or the one without EUFI brings me right back to the boot menu.

Also, the order of the items in the boot menu changes depending on changes as simple as enabling or disabling "display the full logo" . I must conclude that this BIOS is flaky. That cannot be blamed on Windows.