Creating a Multi-Bootable USB Drive with Ventoy on Linux

For those who frequently work with various operating systems or need a versatile tool for system recovery, Ventoy offers a robust solution. With Ventoy, you can easily create a bootable USB drive that supports multiple ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files without the need for reformatting. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Ventoy on your USB drive using Linux.

What is Ventoy?

Ventoy is an open-source tool designed to create bootable USB drives for a variety of image files. It simplifies the process by allowing you to copy multiple ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files to the USB drive and select them from a boot menu. Ventoy supports numerous OS types and architectures, including:

• Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, ChromeOS, Unix, VMware, Xen

• Architectures: x86 Legacy BIOS, IA32 UEFI, x86_64 UEFI, ARM64 UEFI, MIPS64EL UEFI

Key Features

• Multi-File Support: Load and boot from multiple image files without reformatting the drive.

• Wide Compatibility: Supports a vast array of OS types and architectures.

• Ease of Use: Simply copy files to the USB drive and boot from them directly.

Steps to Install Ventoy

1. Download Ventoy:

   • 

     

     Visit the official Ventoy GitHub page or official website to download the latest release.

2. Prepare Your USB Drive:

   • 

     Plug in your USB drive and open a terminal.

3. Identify Your USB Drive:

   • Use lsblk to list all block devices and identify your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sda). or Open Disk /Disk Management App of your os

   • Stop Button to Unmount Disk

   • /dev/sda1 is your disk path

     

       lsblk
     

4. Run Ventoy Installation Script:

   

   • Navigate to the directory where you extracted Ventoy and execute the installation script:

     

       cd ~/Downloads/ventoy-1.0.99
       sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -i /dev/sda
     

   • Replace /dev/sda with the appropriate device identifier for your USB drive.

5. Install Additional Software (Optional):

   • If you need to install additional software like qbittorrent for managing your downloads, you can use:

     

       sudo apt install qbittorrent
     

6. Add ISO Files:

   • Once Ventoy is installed, simply copy your ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files to the USB drive. No further formatting is needed.

     

7. Boot from USB:

   • Reboot your system and select the USB drive as the boot device. Ventoy will present a boot menu allowing you to choose from the files you’ve copied.

Real-World Impact

With Ventoy, you can streamline your workflow by eliminating the need to repeatedly format USB drives. Whether you’re deploying different operating systems, performing system repairs, or running live environments, Ventoy simplifies the process and enhances flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Ventoy is a powerful tool that transforms a simple USB drive into a multi-functional bootable device. Its ease of use, broad compatibility, and support for multiple image files make it an essential tool for tech enthusiasts and IT professionals alike.

Get started with Ventoy today and experience a more efficient way to manage your bootable USB drives!