addiing iso files to a usb stick

rmcellig · 2013-11-29 22:17:18

I followed these instructions:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/boot-multi … ing-linux/

I'm stumped at this part as to what exactly I am supposed to do. I know it's probably really simple but I'm not quite grasping it.

Adding an Unlisted ISO: To try ISO Files that are not yet listed, use the existing menuentry examples in /boot/grub/grub.cfg and append any options normally found in the distributions syslinux.cfg file on the "append" line to the "linux" line of the menu entry.

Might there be a better way (based on your experience) to add iso files to a usb stick so I can boot up from whatever iso I want to use?

damo · 2013-11-29 23:27:36

Don't know if you can do it with a usb stick, but can you add the iso, then run grub-update on the stick?

Have a look at your own /boot/grub/grub.cfg for how it is laid out ( - it gets its entries from /etc/grub.d/xx_custom files, so eg linux menuentry's are in 40_custom)

I'm guessing your pendrive has some kind of grub.cfg menu with a "linux" line you can append the entries to?

intoCB · 2013-11-30 07:05:41

Your classic iso is meant to be burnt to a disc. Today, most isos are hybrid meaning meaning you can also stick them on a usb. However, some are not e.g. CentOS dvd/minimal, Slackware, the BSDs.

If you're looking to make a live bootable usb, the best thing is to use the standard installation process and treat your usb as if it were a hard drive. In my experience, this works better with two usbs. One with the OS iso and one to install the OS to.

If you're simply looking to get an image onto a usb with a view to using it for installation onto a proper harddrive - and assuming it's a hybrid - simply do the following:
Navigate to the folder containing your iso.

$ lsblk

You should see a list of devices (e.g. dev/sda, dev/sdb, dev/sdc etc.) and partitions (e.g. dev/sda1, dev/sda2, dev/sda3, etc.)

$ sudo dd bs=4M if=linuxdistribution.iso of=/dev/sdb OR of=/dev/sdc

if = input file
of = output file

To do the same thing with a BSD .img file, replace bs=4M with bs=64K. If the BSDs aren't hardcore enough for you and you want to install Haiku, use the .img file and replace bs=4M by bs=1M.

Caution !!!! Be very careful with dd. Dd either stands for death and despair or is a cup-size, which will make sense when you get the device wrong and wipe your hard drive.

Last edited by intoCB (2013-11-30 07:06:39)

rmcellig · 2013-11-30 10:18:29

I just came across this. Anyone haveany experience using it?

http://sourceforge.net/projects/multisystem/

Last edited by rmcellig (2013-11-30 10:25:15)

KrunchTime · 2013-11-30 10:46:54

Might this be what you're after?
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multi … b-creator/

Edit: If you don't have a Windows machine handy, I've read/heard that YUMI will run under Wine.

Last edited by KrunchTime (2013-11-30 10:49:38)

NewCityVegas · 2013-11-30 12:42:27

KrunchTime wrote:

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multi … b-creator/
Edit: If you don't have a Windows machine handy, I've read/heard that YUMI will run under Wine.

YUMI is now also available for Debian and Ubuntu although I have not tried the Linux versions yet.

I have also not yet tried the latest Windows version of YUMI but on earlier versions, adding ISOs directly usually failed due to USB file fragmentation. I did sometimes have success with unlisted distros by simply unzipping the ISOs using 7zip, placing the unzipped ISO directory in the USB:/multiboot directory and creating a DISTRO.cfg file to be placed in the USB:/multiboot/menu directory. The created CFG file was usually an edited version of a distro's syslinux.cfg with paths altered in accordance with the YUMI file and directory structure. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

anonymous · 2013-11-30 15:57:10

Perhaps this method would be easier to follow for you:

http://en.positon.org/ (scroll to the section "The ultimate live USB MultiBoot solution: Easy2Boot")

pvsage · 2013-11-30 16:26:17

NewCityVegas wrote:

YUMI is now also available for Debian and Ubuntu

Wonderful news!

vlax · 2014-09-18 17:48:56

anonymous wrote:

Perhaps this method would be easier to follow for you:
http://en.positon.org/ (scroll to the section "The ultimate live USB MultiBoot solution: Easy2Boot")

-> http://positon.org/the-ultimate-live-us … -easy2boot

interesting solution; it's nice to have a post with the full documentation to read how to do the trick

CrunchBang Linux

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#1 2013-11-29 22:17:18

addiing iso files to a usb stick

#2 2013-11-29 23:27:36

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#3 2013-11-30 07:05:41

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#4 2013-11-30 10:18:29

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#5 2013-11-30 10:46:54

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#6 2013-11-30 12:42:27

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#7 2013-11-30 15:57:10

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#8 2013-11-30 16:26:17

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

#9 2014-09-18 17:48:56

Re: addiing iso files to a usb stick

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