CowDoctor -
Yeah- for what we are doing a previous version will serve.
As to how to boot the USB - can not guide much there as each and every manufacturer implements their Bios wares differently.
In genera, though, one must set in the Bios firmware to boot the USB as the 1st choice.
As to the why you are able to boot recovery in an older kernel - that awaits discovery !
it is in the process, somewhere