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I want to make a usb drive with multiple partitions, each containing bootable distro. I tried to create multiple bootable distros in single partition of usb drive. That didn't work as I wished. So, then I thought of converting MBR to GPT and I am stuck there. Can usb with GPT partition scheme do the job? and about that, I have windows installed in my laptop hard disk and don't want to wipe it down during converting usb partition table.

feel free to go in detail, I'd like that!

K_lash96
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  • not live. different distros in each partitions of usb drive. I want to simply make usb with different partitions, each having its distro, that is bootable. I want to keep this in one place to install specific distro on other comps. – K_lash96 Jun 11 '18 at 18:28
  • But I want a bootable drive. Even if I disconnect internal drive, when I install the iso of 2nd distro, it will format the whole drive. The result would be having only one bootable distro in the whole drive. – K_lash96 Jun 11 '18 at 18:40
  • "...to install specific distro on other comps" sounds like you actually do want live systems (which you can boot on another computer and install)? – danzel Jun 11 '18 at 18:51
  • @sudodus I want a bootable usb drive with live system or no live system. Usually, when I make usb bootable with linux distro, I will get the option of live as well, as most distros support that. The problem is I want mount multiple isos, each in different partition on same usb drive. I have already tried multibootusb, Thanks for the suggestion anyway. That makes multiple distros bootable in the only partition in the whole disk. I haven't found any forum or thread regarding this, which is weird at first. Is there any way of doing that? – K_lash96 Jun 12 '18 at 01:54
  • @danzel Not necessarily. I want isos of multiple dstros in each partition on a single usb bootable. – K_lash96 Jun 12 '18 at 02:00
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    @sudodus I have used MultibootUSB and its quite effective if I want multiple distros all fused together in the partition. This is efficient for live systems, but after I installed multiple distros using it, I wasn't able to complete the installation. Like, I wasn't able to install kali, It didn't saw the particular part of usb as kali installer but instead saw the whole drive as one and since it is a collection of distros the required kali to install was not loaded. MultibootUSB is the best option for live systems but not in my case. – K_lash96 Jun 12 '18 at 08:38
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    YUMI is another multi booter, It even allows unlimited persistence for each of the installed OS. Alas, everything is on one partition. It is pretty easy to make a multi partition multi booter with multi persistence starting with mkusb. (OK, perhaps easy is not the correct word), I will look for the instructions. – C.S.Cameron Jun 12 '18 at 17:58
  • @sudodus why Kali is different and in what ways? – K_lash96 Jun 14 '18 at 09:14
  • Why is Kali Linux so hard to set up? Why won't people help me? – sudodus Jun 16 '18 at 05:03

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There are a variety of multiboot methods on this page: How to create a bootable USB with multiple ISO images in it

I think the method using MULTI FULL INSTALL most fits your description:

It is reasonable to fully install multiple OS's to a flash drive, (or make a hybrid drive with Live, Persistent and Full installs mixed).

Full installs are more stable and secure than persistent installs, but not as quick to make. They are better at utilizing disk space as no fixed size casper-rw file or partition is required. They are not much use at installing an OS, for this booting an ISO works fine.

  • Using GParted create GPT partition table on large flash drive.

  • Make as many ext4 partitions as you have OS. Size should be about 8GB each or larger.

  • Boot Live drive in UEFI mode and insert large target drive.

  • At partitioning selected "Something else".

  • Choose sdc1 for /.

  • Install bootloader to root of the USB drive.

  • Leave all other partition's format boxes unchecked.

  • Install choosing encryption of home directory if desired, Full disk encryption does not work for me on flash drive.

  • Repeat this with sdc2, sdc3, etc, and the OS's you choose to install.

  • After the last install boot the flash drive and do an update-grub. This will add all the OS to grub.cfg

You can leave a partition for any ISO's you wish to Live boot or persistent boot, loop mount these using grub.cfg.

C.S.Cameron
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