boot manager missing on first install

[brett387]

i downloaded and loaded the boot files to a sandisk usb to install it on my computer. i used a windows cd emulator to put the install files on the usb. i changed the boot order in the bios as the usb, and restart it. when it tries to boot of the usb, it says bootmgr missing. i tried a couple different usbs and they all do the same thing. the install files are the only files on the usb. is there something i'm missing thats messing with the boot files? Thanks!
its going on a asus m5a97 motherboard, with a 8350, with 2x4gb sticks of ram. i want to put freenas on a 160gb hdd, and have 1 raid 1 with 2 1tb hdds for the time, and add another set later when i need it. the computer components are known to be working.

 

[dlavigne]

Have you tried using one of the recommended tools in https://www.ixsystems.com/documentation/freenas/11.2/install.html#preparing-the-media ?

 

[brett387]

i have tried using rufus, and i cant use 2 of my usbs because of it, and i also now have 2 usbs that cause instacrash due to it. im not using another one with rufus.

 

[jlpellet]

Sounds like you may be using Windows 7. If so, I think this may be an issue I've had. As I understand it, the 11.2 train changed to a new image, from FreeBSD as a base &, as near as I can tell, this later FreeBSD image uses a nonstandard partition which crashes Win 7. You might try either creating the image in Linux or MacOS or starting with the 11.1U6 image & then, once the FreeNAS system is loaded, you can go to the upgrade tab & change to the 11.2 train & apply the update from there. For more info, see the links below.
https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/blue-screen-of-death-when-insert-freebsd-usb-stick.62230/
https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-stable/2015-November/083645.html