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PC reboots when booting from a Windows 11 installation USB

August 31, 2026 3 answers
Asked by MellowPine47
I'm installing Windows 11 on a new PC with a Gigabyte H510 motherboard, 10th-generation Intel i3, RTX 2060 6GB, 16GB DDR4, and a 512GB SSD. The SSD appears normally in BIOS, and the computer can remain in BIOS for at least 10 minutes without shutting down. However, when I select the UEFI entry for a Windows installation USB, I see the Gigabyte logo followed by a black screen, then the system reboots before Windows Setup appears. I've tried creating the installer with both Rufus and Microsoft's official media tool, using two USB drives and multiple USB ports, disabling Secure Boot, and confirming that the USB is detected in the boot menu. What could cause a reboot specifically when starting the installer? Could an outdated BIOS, memory or graphics issue, power supply, motherboard setting, or another hardware problem be responsible?
BIOS settings Hardware motherboard PC troubleshooting power issues USB boot Windows 11

Answers

CopperLynx82
Start by checking the exact motherboard revision and updating the BIOS to the latest version from Gigabyte. H510 boards may have BIOS updates related to UEFI and Secure Boot keys. Use the board’s built-in Q-Flash feature from BIOS with the update file on a FAT32 USB drive, and don’t interrupt power during the update.

MellowPine47: I’m not sure whether the BIOS is current, so I’ll check the motherboard revision and look for the Q-Flash option.

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QuietOrbit6
Since you clarified that it is rebooting rather than losing power completely, the system may be crashing while initializing the installer. Try loading BIOS defaults, then boot with only one RAM stick installed. Test each stick and slot, reseat the graphics card and power cables, and temporarily remove unnecessary USB devices. Also try creating the installer with Microsoft’s tool using another known-good computer or USB drive.
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VelvetComet31
Confirm that the USB is being selected as a UEFI boot device and that the firmware is using the appropriate GPT/UEFI mode. If the newest BIOS and a freshly created installer do not help, test whether another bootable USB, such as a Linux live environment, also causes a reboot. That can help separate an installer problem from a broader hardware or firmware fault.
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