Put multiple bootable ISO's on one Flash Drive?

[obsidian1200]

Hey forum,

 

Pretty simple question, though the answer might not be, but how would I go about writing three ISO images to a flashdrive and have them all bootable? For example, my Windows 7 Pro DVD, my Windows 8 Pro DVD, and Ubuntu 12.10. I know how to make three flash drives, and I was thinking this might be as easy as creating three partitions and using something like Win32diskimager for each disk and partition would work, but I'm not sure if that's all or if I would have to install some sort of bootloader so I could boot into each image.

 

If anyone has any insight, experience, or suggestions about this, I'd appreciate it

[Hyydrah]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but judging by how, for instance, the Windows 7 USB download tool only allows you to mount one ISO on to a flash drive implies that it isn't possible or isn't widely supported.

[hehehehhehehehe]

Need to make 3 different partitions and install the iso to each separate partition. 

[thedave5000]

most flash drives don't support multiple partitions, so no you can't

[chromeboy42]

If your only using linux distros then try UNetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net

[obsidian1200]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but judging by how, for instance, the Windows 7 USB download tool only allows you to mount one ISO on to a flash drive implies that it isn't possible or isn't widely supported.

I can almost see this as being a thing, but if you can establish multiple drive letters/paths on a single device (which I've done), other imagers will work just fine. I believe the way that the Windows 7 USB Download Tool does its thing is that it only works with a singular partition, hence why you can't write multiple ISOs through that program. I could be wrong here, though.

 

 

Need to make 3 different partitions and install the iso to each separate partition. 

How about selecting and booting into those partitions? I know with my current setup of Ubuntu and Windows 7, I get a bootloader screen that asks me which OS to boot into. Any ideas on doing this with a flash drive?

 

most flash drives don't support multiple partitions, so no you can't

Except the flash drive in question, the one I'm using, currently has 3 partitions on it. So, yeah, the partitioning thing won't be holding me back.

 

 

 

If your only using linux distros then try UNetbootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net

 

Unfortunately, I'm hoping to be able to do this with a Linux Distro and 2 Windows Distros (might throw a dedicated GParted partition on there too, who knows), more or less as a venture of curious more than necessity.

[Hyydrah]

Except the flash drive in question, the one I'm using, currently has 3 partitions on it. So, yeah, the partitioning thing won't be holding me back.

It might if your motherboard doesn't recognize them.

[obsidian1200]

It might if your motherboard doesn't recognize them.

 

That's why I'm asking about bootloaders. My motherboard doesn't recognize them, yet I'm able to boot into a Windows 7, Windows 8, and Ubuntu environment all stored on the same physical drive with the help of the GRUB bootloader. So I don't see how motherboard compatibility would be an issue if a functional bootloader exists.

[Billbob]

I've used the single iso version of this and its works fine, never tried the multiboot one though,

windows: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

linux: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/multiboot-create-a-multiboot-usb-from-linux/

[anticoralian]

It might mean a bit of work, but look into Grub4Dos, you can use it to chainload the bootsectors of whatever media you want (no guarantees it will work), you might have to make some mods to the ISO's to get them to work 100%. I used to do this personally at work, cause I got fed up of people nicking all my CD's, but even this was a pain to setup and maintain!

 

if you want something a little different, I suggest looking at acquiring one of these (http://isostick.com/), the boot selector doesn't always work on certain devices, but you can manually set media to load via a text file, that option has never let me down!

 

As a final alternative, if you use an external HDD, the multiple partitions approach will work (pendrives only present the first partition to be bootable), but you'll still need a bootloader (EXTLINUX, Grub4Dos, Grub, etc)!

[colonel_mortis]

I've used the single iso version of this and its works fine, never tried the multiboot one though,

windows: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

linux: http://www.pendrivelinux.com/multiboot-create-a-multiboot-usb-from-linux/

The windows link works great for me. Thanks!

[legopc]

i think you can do this with cds with a program i have forgotten the name but i will see if i can find it 

[legopc]

you could something like xboot 

[Kuzma]

If you had a bootloader you could.

[stevv]

I used YUMI + Penlinux for a little bit, but a pain switching boot to windows and linux.  Have to manually move files before booting.

 

I was going to try one of these: Zalman ZM-VE200 

 

... in the end, I left ubuntu on a small thumb drive.... and the rest windows and software on a external hdd.

 

Sorry, not much help here  :unsure:

[lutzee]

USB live media was not really set up for having multiple copies across one USB.

Personally if you really want to carry them around 8GB generic USBs are fine to use and cheap. Get a pile of them and you are good for lots of live usbs etc

[Talsyrius]

you could something like xboot 

xboct? :P

[MG2R]

most flash drives don't support multiple partitions, so no you can't

Every flash drive supports this. It's a matter of "does the OS you're using support multiple partitions on removable media". In Windows, the answer is (sadly) no.