Check out Ventoy! Unless you need a single ISO on the drive, it’s just something you install to it and then copy and paste ISOs to the folder on it. No flashing needed, it runs them for you. I’ve got 128GB drives almost filled with every ISO I could possibly want.
Note that some devices aren’t able to correctly mount the second partition.
I guess this is because the first partition is used to boot ventoy, while the second partition holds data and some devices (e.g. printers) won’t mount the second partition.
PS: I nearly wasn’t able to hold a presentation because of this, luckily a second stick/phone/copy on web storage saved me, iirc.
This only ever really applies to devices without UIs or otherwise embedded OSs, and personally I wouldn’t trust a drive with more than a handful of files in such a device anyway.
I’ve definitely done that before! I’ll use a Ventoy as a portable OS to test things I don’t want to break my main system, then shut it down to reset to normal. It’s nice to not need a second stick to bring in or save other files while doing that.
Also worth noting, you should create file named .ventoyignore in the directories with other files. Otherwise Ventoy searches everything which slows it down.
I need this, my local dollar store sells 32GB USB2 key for $5, I have one for MX, MX-AHS, MX32bits, antix, etc I have multiple 32GB keys with just 1 or 2 GB used, I will check this ventoy!
It would definitely be worth checking out, I wiped all of my individual sticks after I started using it. Also, I don’t know if the speed would make much difference in your use case, but SanDisk 32GB USB3.0 drives are usually less than $8.
For rpi images i think the best option would be PINN; but it’s not a 1:1 equivalent since every time you add an image it needs to wipe partitions and start from zero.
Sounds like the regular way still works for you then! I’ve given away most of my smaller drives, I’m pretty sure I don’t have anything smaller than 32GB right now.
Those small USB drives are too slow anyway, often limited to USB 2.0 interfaces or slow flash modules. I’ve switched over to an SSD specifically because of how slow booting and installation is from a standard 10-year-old USB stick.
It still works for installing the OS though, at least in the case of Nix. I’ve not tried Guix so far, but I’ve installed NixOS on two machines in the past year using Ventoy.
I have experience with both the distros, and I’ve used them extensively for my personal projects in both of the machines I have. It’s a hit-and-miss, according to the NixOS forums. Using Ventoy causes Stage-1 boot to fail, and in both the machines and distros I’ve tried, it hasn’t worked.
Check out Ventoy! Unless you need a single ISO on the drive, it’s just something you install to it and then copy and paste ISOs to the folder on it. No flashing needed, it runs them for you. I’ve got 128GB drives almost filled with every ISO I could possibly want.
I have a durable metal ventoy usb on my keys with portable apps basically a walking IT dept, I mean I am a solo IT/Dev and I’m pretty basic so…hmmm
Solo IT/Dev? I’m so sorry.
Check out the Victorinox @work series - so you can have your USB and screwdrivers always with you.
Also worth mentioning you can copy more files on it afterwards and it works as normal storage too.
Note that some devices aren’t able to correctly mount the second partition.
I guess this is because the first partition is used to boot ventoy, while the second partition holds data and some devices (e.g. printers) won’t mount the second partition.
PS: I nearly wasn’t able to hold a presentation because of this, luckily a second stick/phone/copy on web storage saved me, iirc.
This only ever really applies to devices without UIs or otherwise embedded OSs, and personally I wouldn’t trust a drive with more than a handful of files in such a device anyway.
I’ve definitely done that before! I’ll use a Ventoy as a portable OS to test things I don’t want to break my main system, then shut it down to reset to normal. It’s nice to not need a second stick to bring in or save other files while doing that.
Also worth noting, you should create file named
.ventoyignorein the directories with other files. Otherwise Ventoy searches everything which slows it down.I personally just set the index depth to 0 in the config so it only searches the root directory for bootable files
I’m going to do that, I didn’t realize that was possible! Thanks!
I need this, my local dollar store sells 32GB USB2 key for $5, I have one for MX, MX-AHS, MX32bits, antix, etc I have multiple 32GB keys with just 1 or 2 GB used, I will check this ventoy!
It would definitely be worth checking out, I wiped all of my individual sticks after I started using it. Also, I don’t know if the speed would make much difference in your use case, but SanDisk 32GB USB3.0 drives are usually less than $8.
Wow this seems amazing, I could test so many things lol! Thanks for solving my problem :)
Glad to help!
Man, I hope the BSDs would get some love on Ventoy some day :')
Does it work for Raspberry Pi images?
For rpi images i think the best option would be PINN; but it’s not a 1:1 equivalent since every time you add an image it needs to wipe partitions and start from zero.
Unlikely, as it doesn’t support ARM to my knowledge
You typically image directly onto the SD card for a Raspberry Pi, not off a bootable drive.
But then I’d have to buy one big drive instead of just reusing one from the box of 1-4 GB jobbos
lol usb 2.0
Sounds like the regular way still works for you then! I’ve given away most of my smaller drives, I’m pretty sure I don’t have anything smaller than 32GB right now.
Those small USB drives are too slow anyway, often limited to USB 2.0 interfaces or slow flash modules. I’ve switched over to an SSD specifically because of how slow booting and installation is from a standard 10-year-old USB stick.
Put your SSD into this case and enjoy proper CD/DVD/BluRay emulation, multiple VHDs and much more.
not enough upvotes
Ventoy does not work for distros like NixOS and Guix. You’re going to have to use
dd.It still works for installing the OS though, at least in the case of Nix. I’ve not tried Guix so far, but I’ve installed NixOS on two machines in the past year using Ventoy.
I have experience with both the distros, and I’ve used them extensively for my personal projects in both of the machines I have. It’s a hit-and-miss, according to the NixOS forums. Using Ventoy causes Stage-1 boot to fail, and in both the machines and distros I’ve tried, it hasn’t worked.