Bootable Multi-ISO USB

[Coreyoliseffect]

I am looking for a way to make a USB bootable but have it contain many (2 or 3) isos. Linux Ubuntu or Mint, UBCD and Puppy. I think those are all Linux based. The option to be able to install a Windows based OS would be nice. I am thinking Win XP, Vista, and 7. I also want to have files stored on the USB so that I can access tools for system recovery or virus scans. i.e. CCleaner, Glary Utilties, ComboFix I have found a couple of programs that allow you to create a bootable USB but it only seems to be for one ISO. Basically I just want to make an all-in-one go to tool for my computer work. Just tired of the CDs and DVD laying around and burning new ones to find that I already have a copy. Any thoughts?

 

[habbajabba]

Yumi will do it. Free portable standalone exe.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/
Though last I checked there was a slight difference in file naming in order to switch between a linux iso and a windows one. It does not work with XP and as always it is of course not responsible for maintaining any isos themselves or their ability to actually boot correctly. It's how I installed the distro I use.

 

[Coreyoliseffect]

Yumi will do it. Free portable standalone exe.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/
Though last I checked there was a slight difference in file naming in order to switch between a linux iso and a windows one. It does not work with XP and as always it is of course not responsible for maintaining any isos themselves or their ability to actually boot correctly. It's how I installed the distro I use.

Giving this a try now. Seems pretty intuitive.

The settings to make Ubuntu persistent would be in Ubuntu correct?

 

[habbajabba]

You would need a dedicated flash for persistence. But usually each distro has it's own method. SalineOS, for example, should work fine if you just use it's live cd/usb installer & point it to the flash drive.

 

[unijabnx2000]

Could you just partition the usb drive into several different sizes so that way you can make each partition its own bootable "drive"?

 

[Coreyoliseffect]

The though had crossed my mind. The only drawback would be multiple drive letters being assigned.

 

[unijabnx2000]

Thats fine with me if it works, and as long as in the bios's boot menu you can see all the choices

 

[RGone]

Thats fine with me if it works, and as long as in the bios's boot menu you can see all the choices

Bios boot menu only sees a device and not 'partitions' on a device.

 

[Coreyoliseffect]

Bios boot menu only sees a device and not 'partitions' on a device.

There goes that idea.

I just found out that the boot mgr is missing from the USB. I had seen the program give an error but I ignored it because I had seen it throw that error before and the device be bootable. I will have to try again and see what is causing the issue.

 

[unijabnx2000]

what about using the windows imaging tools to combine the iso's?

 

[habbajabba]

Yumi copies isos to the flash in folders and uses grub (I believe) and a custom menu to boot to them individually. As I said it will not work with both windows and linux isos added using the default boot method (which is for linux). I've partitioned a flash before and used modern methods to install linux (the running os choked on itself) but flash drives do not work the same as hard drives and unless the iso in question says you can or should part it I wouldn't bother. Use the default "use entire drive?" method or find instructions that aren't 5 pages long on how to do so (ubuntu's for example). Some distros don't have any info on booting to flash and if untested it probably won't work at all.

The only thing you have to do to switch between booting from a linux iso and booting from a windows one is to rename a folder on the flash (last I checked). It would be cool though to use flash drives instead of hard discs. Too bad hardware changes every other second.

 

[Coreyoliseffect]

Yumi copies isos to the flash in folders and uses grub (I believe) and a custom menu to boot to them individually. As I said it will not work with both windows and linux isos added using the default boot method (which is for linux). I've partitioned a flash before and used modern methods to install linux (the running os choked on itself) but flash drives do not work the same as hard drives and unless the iso in question says you can or should part it I wouldn't bother. Use the default "use entire drive?" method or find instructions that aren't 5 pages long on how to do so (ubuntu's for example). Some distros don't have any info on booting to flash and if untested it probably won't work at all.

The only thing you have to do to switch between booting from a linux iso and booting from a windows one is to rename a folder on the flash (last I checked). It would be cool though to use flash drives instead of hard discs. Too bad hardware changes every other second.

Ok I am a little confused about your post. What I gather from your post is that I wil not be able to have a Linux distro that is persistent and a Windows installation on the same USB, correct?

Let me be sure that I am explaining correctly. The first ISO that I tried to onto the flash drive generated the "will not be bootable" error. I did format the drive before hand as none of the data on it was needed.

To revisit the original intention of the thread. I am looking to make a flash drive that can be used to install Windows based OSs (XP, Vista, 7) and be boot into a Linux distro (Ubuntu, Puppy, Mint) for any recovery needs.

I feel like that cleans up my original post a little.

 

[habbajabba]

Wow. First off, flash drives cannot be both a bootdisk and a persistent OS. Yumi will allow for multiple bootdisks only. Persistence must be on it's own, consistent with whatever distro you choose which has that capability. From my experience not all distros are capable of persistence from a flash period.
If you have at least two flash drives that are 8gigs, then, you can have boot options on one and a working OS on another. If you superglue two flash drives back to back then you will have what you want.