Make multi OS bootable USB drive including windows os and linux

When you making multi OS bootable USB on Windows 11/10 OS. Not formatting the drive to support large files can prevent booting of big OS images.

WinSetupFromUSB is a free bootable drive creation tool supporting the full range of Windows systems from XP to Windows 11. It integrates multiple system images and adapts to both BIOS and UEFI dual-boot modes, proving particularly suitable for creating legacy Windows installation media.

Preparation

• Prepare an 8GB or larger USB drive and back up all data.

• Download the ISO image.

• Download the software from the official website, extract it, and launch directly.

Creation Steps

1. Insert the USB drive and select it at the top of the software interface.

2. Tick ‘Auto format it with FBinst’ and choose FAT32/NTFS.

   Tick the corresponding system type:

   Windows: Tick Windows Vista/7/8/10/11, then click ‘Browse’ to select the ISO.

   Linux: Tick Linux ISO, click Browse to select the ISO.

3. Multiple systems may be added to create multiboot usb for windows and linux 

4. Confirm settings, click GO → Acknowledge warnings → Await completion.

5. Upon completion, restart your computer. Press F12/Esc to select the USB drive for booting, which will present the multiboot installation menu.

Notes:

Itexcels at creating multiboot USB drives for Windows and Linux, supporting Windows XP–11 alongside multiple ISO images. It functions reliably where other software may fail with older Windows versions, though its user interface is not particularly streamlined.

Using DiskPart combined with a BIOS/UEFI hybrid approach is a very manual method to make multi OS bootable USB on Windows 10 or Windows 11. This approach involves partitioning and formatting the USB drive with DiskPart, then setting it up to support both BIOS and UEFI boot modes, allowing you to boot multiple operating systems from a single USB.

Process:

1. Use DiskPart to create two partitions on the USB: one large NTFS for Windows/Linux files, one small FAT32 (≥300MB) for UEFI boot.

2. Make the FAT32 partition active. Use bcdboot to install Windows boot files to it.

3. Copy the entire contents of a Linux ISO (like Ubuntu) to the NTFS partition.

4. Manually edit the BCD store on the FAT32 partition to add a entry pointing to the Linux kernel (vmlinuz) and initrd (initrd.img), or use a tool like BOOTICE to manage the BCD.

5. This creates a USB that boots to a Windows-style boot menu, letting you choose between booting into the Windows installer environment or launching a Linux installer.

About making multi OS bootable USB on Windows PC. This is a bare-metal, forensic-level approach to building a multi-boot environment, treating the boot process as a series of components to be assembled by hand.

Using Manual GRUB2 to make multi OS bootable USB on a Windows 11/10 is a more advanced approach, but it offers a lot of customization and control. GRUB2 is a powerful bootloader commonly used in Linux environments, and you can set it up manually to boot multiple operating systems, including various Linux distributions and Windows.

How to make multi OS bootable USB on Windows 11/10:

1. Prepare your USB drive:

• Format the USB drive with a partition that supports booting (e.g., FAT32 or NTFS).
• Copy all your ISO files for different Linux distributions and Windows to the drive.

2. Install GRUB2:

• Since Windows doesn't natively support GRUB2, you'll need to use tools like GParted or Linux Live USB to set up GRUB2 on the USB.
• Alternatively, you can use a Linux live environment or Windows tools like Rufus with a custom partition scheme to install GRUB2.

3. Configure GRUB2:

• Manually edit the grub.cfg file to include entries for each ISO.
• Each entry points to the ISO file on the USB and uses loopback booting to load the ISO as a virtual disk.
• Example entry:

menuentry "Ubuntu 20.04" {

set iso_path="/ISO/ubuntu-20.04-desktop-amd64.iso"

loopback loop $iso_path

linux (loop):vmlinuz boot=casper iso-scan/filename=$iso_path quiet splash

initrd (loop):initrd.lz

}

• You will need to adapt entries for each ISO.

4. Boot and test:

• Reboot your PC, boot from the USB drive, and select the desired OS from the GRUB menu.
• Each ISO should boot directly, allowing you to install or test OSes.

When putting Windows and Linux ISO on a single drive, the most critical factor is the Boot Mode (UEFI vs. Legacy). Modern systems use UEFI, which often requires a GPT partition style, while older machines rely on BIOS (Legacy) and MBR. If you intend to use the drive on various computers, ensure your multi bootable tool supports dual mode or hybrid booting so that both Windows and Linux installers remain visible regardless of the motherboard settings. This is the most important part you should pay attention to when making a multi boot usb drive with windows and linux.

Secure Boot is a common hurdle, particularly for Linux distributions. Many Windows installers require Secure Boot to be enabled, but some Linux distros lack the necessary "shim" or digital signature to pass this check. Multi boot tools offer a "Secure Boot Support" option during installation, but you may still need to manually enroll a "MokKey" (Machine Owner Key) in your BIOS settings the first time you launch the drive.

Pay close attention to File Systems and Partitioning. Windows installers generally require the drive to handle files larger than 4GB (like the install.wim file), making exFAT or NTFS necessary. While Linux is flexible, some older bootloaders prefer FAT32. Using a tool that creates a small FAT32 boot partition while keeping the main ISO storage in exFAT is usually the most compatible "best of both worlds" approach.

Lastly, consider Persistence. Unlike a standard Windows installer which is read-only, you might want your Linux environment to save files or settings between reboots. Not all multiboot usb creator software support this; you’ll need to specifically configure a persistence file or partition. Without this, any changes you make in Linux, like saving a Wi-Fi password or a downloaded document, will vanish the moment you power down the PC.

Based on my own experience, Easy2Boot is not a good choice for making multi-boot ISO USB drive that mixes Windows and Linux. 

First, Easy2Boot can feel complex for beginners, especially compared to newer plug-and-play multiboot tools. The folder structure and naming rules for ISO files may take some time to understand.

Another downside is that most setup and maintenance tasks must be done on a Windows PC. This can be inconvenient if you mainly use Linux or macOS and don’t have easy access to a Windows system.

Notes

Not all Windows ISOs work the same way, and some versions require additional configuration or helper files to boot correctly. It’s important to follow the official documentation when adding Windows installers.

Finally, while Easy2Boot is very flexible, testing your USB on real hardware is essential. Some PCs have strict UEFI or Secure Boot settings that may need adjustment for the multiboot USB to work as expected.

Easy2Boot is a powerful solution for creating a multi-bootable USB drive that supports both Windows and Linux. Instead of rebuilding a USB each time, you can place multiple ISO files on a single drive and boot any operating system from a simple menu, which makes testing, installing, or repairing systems much easier.

How to Create Multiboot USB for Windows & Linux

1. Download Easy2Boot and extract it on a Windows PC.

2. Run the included installer and select your USB drive to make it bootable.

3. Copy Windows and Linux ISO files into the recommended folders on the USB.

4. Safely eject the USB and boot a PC from it to see the Easy2Boot menu.

With Easy2Boot, one USB drive can replace many separate installers. You just add or remove ISO files as needed, saving time and keeping all your Windows and Linux setups in one convenient place.