Adding multiple Windows installers to the same bootable USB drive

[colonel_mortis]

Why would you want to do this?

If you want to have one USB drive that you can use to troubleshoot anyone's problems, and reinstall Windows on their computer (or your own) when all else fails, this USB drive is incredibly helpful. You can also add other stuff to your drive (such as linux distros and recovery tools (memtest, boot'n'nuke, antivirus and anything else) to make the ultimate bootable USB drive.

 

What OSes are supported?

Using this method, you can make a multi-installer for Windows Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1, and it's expected that Windows 9/Threshold will also be supported. You can also add installers for XP and below using the "Add more stuff to your drive" at the end of the tutorial.

 

What do I need?

• The ISO file for each version of Windows that you want to add to your USB drive. If you have dreamspark or related, the actually legit links for the ISOs can be found here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/subscriptions/securedownloads/hh442898#searchTerm=&ProductFamilyId=545&Languages=en&PageSize=10&PageIndex=0&FileId=0 (this is for 8.1, but the others should be searchable).
• Windows Vista/7: You only need a separate ISO for each architecture (x86/amd64), and to switch between N and non-N versions (which are fairly useless, so just get the non-N version). It doesn't matter whether you have Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate ISO - all will be added automatically from the single ISO. (Official Windows 7 SP1 dl links can be found here)
• Windows 8/8.1: As far as I can tell, if you get the "multiple editions" ISO, you get Pro and Standard editions, but otherwise it only includes the version advertised. You will also need a separate ISO for each architecture (x86/amd64) and for N and non-N (see above) (Semi-official dl links for Win8 can be found here they don't work, and unofficial dl links for Win8.1U1 can be found here (note that they are torrents, but I have verified them against the official hashes and they match so they are legit)).
• The Windows AIO Maker Professional (freeware): http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/29178-WinAIO-Maker-Professional-The-All-in-One-Windows-Setup-Solution
• A program capable of extracting ISO files such as 7-Zip
• If you are planning to add multiple different OS versions (eg. 7 & 8) and want to add other (non-Windows) bootable software on your drive, you are likely to need the Windows AIK.

• Download for Windows Vista: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=9085
• Download for Windows 7: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=5753
• Download for Windows 8: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=30652 (note that it's been renamed ADK)
• Download for Windows 8.1: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=39982

You will also need an ISO creation tool like this one

If you are planning to install other (non-Win Vista/7/8/8.1 installer) bootable software on your drive, you will need a multiboot installer. I recommend YUMI: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

If all you're going to boot from on that USB drive is Win Vista/7/8/8.1 installer, the Microsoft USB/DVD Download tool is easy to use and officially endorsed: http://wudt.codeplex.com/

How do I do this?

• Extract all of your Windows ISOs to separate folders. Note that you must extract the entire image, despite only part of it appearing to be used.
• Open "WinAIO Maker Professional"
• Click "Select WIMs" (at the top), then navigate to where you extracted the first ISO. From there, open "Sources" then double click on "install.wim". Repeat this for each of the ISOs.
• In the main pane, all versions of Windows that will be added to the final image should be visible. Check to make sure that they are all there, and download any images that are missing. If you don't, you will have to start again in order to add any.
• • Click "Save all changes" at the top of the Window. This will overwrite the first extracted ISO that you added with the new image.
  • Navigate to the directory where the AIK was installed (default: C:\Program Files\Windows AIK) then go to tools → (the name of your computer's architecture (amd64 or x86)) → Shift+RightClick → "Open Command Window Here"
  • In the command prompt that opens, type

    imagex /split "<path\to\updated\extracted\iso>\sources\install.wim" "<any\file\location>\install.swm" 4290

    It should take several minutes to complete (my 12GB file took 6 mins). This will split the file into several parts named "install.swm", "install2.swm", install3.swm" etc with a max size of 4290MB, or just under the maximum file size for FAT32.
  • Copy the new files back to <path\to\updated\iso>\sources and delete the "install.wim" that's there.
  • Pack the entire folder (<path\to\updated\iso>) back into an ISO
• • Click "Save all into ISO" at the bottom of the window.
  • It doesn't matter what you put as the label

This guide should work, although I have run into some issues when following it myself. If you figure out a better way of doing it, or have any improvements, feel free to suggest them and I will edit this post. I will also edit this post as I get this working more effectively.

• Add it to your USB drive using the Windows DVD/USB Download tool (the drive will be formatted as NTFS so cannot be used for other bootable OSes) or YUMI (where the drive should be formatted as FAT32, so all files (notably "install.wim") need to be less than about 4.2GB. If it fails, follow the instructions in part 5 relating to having added a lot of installers.

[AMICLG]

You could also just use XBOOT.

[Levent]

You could also just use XBOOT.

thats even better now i dont even need to carry more than 1 usb drive ,yus (currently carrying 3  <_< )

[colonel_mortis]

You could also just use XBOOT.

Ah but XBOOT doesn't let you streamline all the windows installation stuff into one, so you just run the Windows installer then within that you select which OS you want to install. It makes it easier and saves space on your drive.

[AMICLG]

Ah but XBOOT doesn't let you streamline all the windows installation stuff into one, so you just run the Windows installer then within that you select which OS you want to install. It makes it easier and saves space on your drive.

Ah didn't know this, that's really useful.

[colonel_mortis]

Ah didn't know this, that's really useful.

I could be wrong, but that's how I understand it anyway (testing XBOOT now to prove myself wrong)

[Sharif]

All hail @colonel_mortis 

i definitely got to try this out one day 

[colonel_mortis]

This editor is really annoying me now. The spoilers and nested lists are all messed up now, so the instructions won't quite work at the moment. Bare with me while I fix it.
EDIT: Finally done. I have decided that I now hate this editor :wacko:

[Jade]

Cool.

 

Also,

DriveDroid on Android is an app for just booting isos off the device. Can boot as many as you can store on the device. /shrug