Multiple OSes on an USB Key


  1. Posts : 75
    7ven ultimate
       #1

    Multiple OSes on an USB Key


    Hi,

    I'd like to set up an USB key with multiple OSes (win7/win10/hiren's boot cd/etc...), the usb key being a 32Go one.

    I've tried several software (Yumi, Xboot, winsetupfromusb, multiboot usb, easy2boot (If I'm not mistaken)) with no luck so far... either during the set up my box hanged up or it didn't produce any result.

    Do some of you guys know a VALID method ?
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  2. Posts : 2,774
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #2

    Others can correct me, however, due to the nature of creating a usb boot stick, everything currently on said usb boot stick is deleted bigtime. I think the technical geeky question is: is there a utility that will let you create an ISO that contains a few OS boots headed up by a booted menu board, from which you choose the OS to re-boot into with said usb boot stick. My answer: I don't know, hopefully, others in the know will appear.
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  3. Posts : 6,330
    Multi-Boot W7_Pro_x64 W8.1_Pro_x64 W10_Pro_x64 +Linux_VMs +Chromium_VM
       #3

    I created a multi-boot usb stick years ago with YUMI.
    For me, these were important:
    - The flash stick must be formatted as FAT32
    - The bootable ISO's being added could not have any spaces in the filename
    - I had to use "Try unlisted ISO (GRUB)" when adding ISO's

    I used this tutorial as a guide:
    MACRIUM REFLECT - Create Bootable Rescue USB Drive

    Here is an old thread about this:
    how to create multi-boot USB?

    There may be better, easier ways to do this now, i don't know.
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  4. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #4

    I think I didn't understand what you want to boot.
    You want to to place the installers of win7/win10/hiren's etc or you want to have the OS,s installed on the usb key?
    The installers it's about 4G each but the OS,s installed is more than 40 G each. And I think it wont work as Win has different drivers for different hardware.
    To boot the installers, as usb key is MBR you must have a Master boot loader that's capable to call the installers boot load. You can do it with Grub boot loader, but I don't know how.
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  5. Posts : 75
    7ven ultimate
    Thread Starter
       #5

    of course, like davidE said, it is rather a matter of 'placing' the isos on the stick as it is done with some live linux or distro installation. If it is done with linux why would it be so hard to do it with windows (I know the file system isn't really the same)
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