Multi-bootable USB

[Agility]

Hey guys from TPU, couldn't find any specific thread pertaining to the question asked on title. As mentioned, I'm trying to create a bootable USB, but with many specifics boots available.

I've been trying to create one with multiple boot device including one that enables me to run Windows 10 directly on the USB Thumb Drive but to no avail.

The list of bootable images i'm trying to create are

1. Windows 10 (A full OS running from thumb drive)
2. Windows 10 ISO (Bootable disk image for fresh install)
3. MemTest86+

Have tried YUMI or UUI from the website USB PenDrive Linux but as this is my first time, i don't know how am i screwing up or am doing it right.. Anyone got a rough idea on a step by step guide? Thanks!

 

[bogmali]

2. Windows DVD/USB Download Tool to boot from a USB Link

As for the rest, good luck finding a guide cause I've never heard/seen it done

 

[Agility]

2. Windows DVD/USB Download Tool to boot from a USB Link

As for the rest, good luck finding a guide cause I've never heard/seen it done

Hey bog thanks. Yeah i do know how to create a bootable USB, but i'm trying to create one that has multi usage cause i've seen a computer repair shop did it right before my eyes.

The computer boot up his USB stick and it shows a GUI, which allows him to choose what to boot. However, he doesn't want to share it as he created it himself. I do believe he did not REALLY program a GUI out of nowhere.

 

[OSdevr]

An important thing to note is that for whatever reason Windows will only recognize the first partition on a flash drive, no matter how many there are.

The GUI you described sounds like a boot manager, probably GRUB or ISOlinux.

 

[bogmali]

The computer boot up his USB stick and it shows a GUI, which allows him to choose what to boot. However, he doesn't want to share it as he created it himself. I do believe he did not REALLY program a GUI out of nowhere.

Now that I think about it, there was a CD/DVD that I saw a friend use that did exactly that (not sure how he did it tho).

I am going to refer this question to @Solaris17 cause I remember his CDs back in the day had that capability. @Kursah might be able to help also.

 

[silkstone]

YUMI does that.

There's an old gudie here: https://smyl.es/tutorial-how-to-bui...ndows-and-linux-and-portableapps-for-windows/

Though, I'm not sure whether it's possible to add a windows install with YUMI

This article outlines some other methods: https://www.techperiod.com/create-multi-boot-usb-device/

 

[OSdevr]

YUMI does that.

There's an old gudie here: https://smyl.es/tutorial-how-to-bui...ndows-and-linux-and-portableapps-for-windows/

Though, I'm not sure whether it's possible to add a windows install with YUMI

This article outlines some other methods: https://www.techperiod.com/create-multi-boot-usb-device/

Putting a bunch of installation ISOs on a USB drive and running them is easy, but actually using them as separate OSs is not. ISO 9660 is primarily a read only file system. If you want to have separate Windows and Linux systems then to save your work (not to mention software updates or the like) you will need to either get another drive to hold the changes or remaster the ISO.

If you want a USB drive that you can reboot into Linux with like a dual-boot system, I don't know if it exists. You can put several fully functional Linux based systems on a flash drive and they will all live together in harmony. Adding a Windows partition though and there will be problems. My best advice would be to install Windows on the first partition and Linux on the second or successive partitions. As mentioned in my previous comment, this is due to a bug in Windows.

 

[Kursah]

I've used Easy2Boot for years. Takes a little bit of work, but works great.

I have about 20 ISO's varying from Windows OSes to Linux OSes to repair and diagnostic ISO's.

http://www.easy2boot.com/

I tried YUMI and other solutions and was never happy with it. But this works pretty damn good overall.

 

[Agility]

Thank you all for the respond. Will try the few solutions given out.

I've used Easy2Boot for years. Takes a little bit of work, but works great.

I have about 20 ISO's varying from Windows OSes to Linux OSes to repair and diagnostic ISO's.

http://www.easy2boot.com/

I tried YUMI and other solutions and was never happy with it. But this works pretty damn good overall.

Does it run in traditional boot or requires UEFI? My motherboard doesn't support UEFI.

 

[Komshija]

I think that XBoot might suit you. I never created multi-bootable external device, so my experience is limited only to single-boot option with Rufus.

 

[Solaris17]

I used to do it using modified linux boot environments for USBs iv had great luck with easy2boot.

However what it looks like you are doing can be solved with something Windows already allows.

Windows2Go

I made W2G drives at work and have techs use them. They are images of our bench work stations gbut on the customers machine. You can use Windows memtest or w1zzards MEMTEST64 and it works fine. I havent noticed detection issues between memtest86, windows mem diag, memtest64 they are all consistant on known good and bad sticks.

I would give it some thought.

While easy2boot is great for m,ulti boot environments and tools I have never had great luck or stability making USB bootable windows devices that last more than a handful of reboots without getting wrecked.

If interested I can sanitize some documentation on how we do it for you to take a look at.

 

[Agility]

I used to do it using modified linux boot environments for USBs iv had great luck with easy2boot.

However what it looks like you are doing can be solved with something Windows already allows.

Windows2Go

I made W2G drives at work and have techs use them. They are images of our bench work stations gbut on the customers machine. You can use Windows memtest or w1zzards MEMTEST64 and it works fine. I havent noticed detection issues between memtest86, windows mem diag, memtest64 they are all consistant on known good and bad sticks.

I would give it some thought.

While easy2boot is great for m,ulti boot environments and tools I have never had great luck or stability making USB bootable windows devices that last more than a handful of reboots without getting wrecked.

If interested I can sanitize some documentation on how we do it for you to take a look at.

Hey thanks solaris. I just used E2B on my USB stick and placed a Win 10 ISO inside the folder. But i could not get it to boot on my brother's PC who is running a Gigabyte GA-Z77-UP7 that has a UEFI bios setting. I've set to boot from both Legacy and UEFI boot roms but it just won't show Am i doing it wrong? The list of bootable devices does not show any USB HDD, only the lists of hard disk and SSD.

Would gladly need your help in some senization @Solaris17

 

[Solaris17]

I just used E2B on my USB stick and placed a Win 10 ISO inside the folder.

We didnt use ISOs, we had to convert them to .imgPTN when we were using them. But we graduated from easy2boot when we could get all the tools we needed on 10.

The list of bootable devices does not show any USB HDD

Thats a whole other issue. If you cant see the USB at all during boot then you wont make any headway getting easy2boot working.

I can try and post the document later when I have some time.

 

[Agility]

We didnt use ISOs, we had to convert them to .imgPTN when we were using them. But we graduated from easy2boot when we could get all the tools we needed on 10.



Thats a whole other issue. If you cant see the USB at all during boot then you wont make any headway getting easy2boot working.

I can try and post the document later when I have some time.

Thanks alot. Will stop messing with my USB for now.

 

[Solaris17]

Thanks alot. Will stop messing with my USB for now.

I misplaced my license for acrobat pro. (unless someone wants to donate ) so I will write a guide for you to use.