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Easily Create a Bootable USB with Multiple ISO Images

February 1st, 2017 67,153
usb boot mutiboot sysadmin linux virtualbox winsetupfromusb
Easily Create a Bootable USB with Multiple ISO Images

Image source: Variety is the spice of life

I want to keep some of my favorite (Linux) distributions (for workstations and server machines) and some useful Rescue CDs inside a USB stick.

Some of the available tools to create a bootable USB are:

Although I am a Linux user, my personal choice is WinSetupFromUSB (a Windows application). Because it is simple and it works(!). It supports a lot of ISO sources.

WinSetupFromUSB is free for personal and commercial use. Read more details about its License here.

I created my multiboot USB in Windows 10 using Virtualbox. My USB is a Kingston DataTraveler R3.0 G2 USB 3.0 64GB.

Install WinSetupFromUSB

Download WinSetupFromUSB from here. This is a self extracted zip file. After unpacking it is ready to run.

Format your USB

Insert your USB. It will be recognized after some seconds:

(click the thumb for full image)

You may change a lot of options. Use "Advanced options" to see even more options:

(click the thumb for full image)

I accepted default options. The first time press "Auto format it with FBinst":

(click the thumb for full image)

WinSetupFromUSB warning will appear. Press YES to continue:

(click the thumb for full image)

Adding one or more ISO sources

Ok, now your USB has been formatted. Let's start to add ISO sources:

(click the thumb for full image)

The first ISO in my case is Clonezilla Live. Select the path of ISO file and press "GO"

(click the thumb for full image)

Wait some seconds. Your ISO source has been added. Repeat to add more ISOs. That's all.

(click the thumb for full image)

Contents of the USB

After adding the ISO sources you need to include in your bootable USB, the contents of the USB seem like:

(click the thumb for full image)

In the ISO folder you wiil find the ISOs you added:

(click the thumb for full image)

Boot Menu

Everything is located in menu.lst file. Just edit this file to remove an ISO from boot menu or to change the title of the ISO or the boot menu order. For example, to remove "Clonezilla" from boot menu, simply remove lines 22-43 (highlighted). Additionally remove the ISO from ISO folder to save space.

Here is my menu.lst:

color black/cyan yellow/cyan
timeout 10

#graphicsmode 0x6A
graphicsmode -1 640 480:800 24:32 || graphicsmode -1
## Menu AutoNumber
write 0x8274 0x2001

#graphicsmode -1 800:640 -1 24:32 || graphicsmode -1
#font /unifont.hex.gz


#clear mappings and set root in case we return from bootmgr
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook
map --rehook
ls /usbdrive.tag > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag > nul
ls /default > nul && default /default



title clonezilla-live-20160627-xenial-amd64 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/clonezilla-live-20160627-xenial-amd64.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title systemrescuecd-x86-4.8.1 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/systemrescuecd-x86-4_8_1.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title gparted-live-0.26.1-5-i686 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/gparted-live-0_26_1-5-i686.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title boot-repair-disk-64bit from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/boot-repair-disk-64bit.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title ATIH2014P_en-US from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/ATIH2014P_en-US.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title AcronisTrueImage2017 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/AcronisTrueImage2017.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title AcronisUniversalRestore from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/AcronisUniversalRestore.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title debian-8.5.0-amd64-netinst from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/debian-8_5_0-amd64-netinst.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title ubuntu-16.04.1-server-amd64 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/ubuntu-16_04_1-server-amd64.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title ubuntu-16.04-desktop-amd64 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/ubuntu-16_04-desktop-amd64.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

title xubuntu-16.04-desktop-amd64 from partition 0
map --unmap=0:0xff
map --unhook && map --rehook
cat --hex --locate=PoLPu@ (md)0x3D0+0x130 > nul && echo Cannot continue if PLoP is active, please start this entry without loading PLoP first && echo && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
set /a dev=*0x8280&0xff
root (%dev%,0)
set ISO=/ISO/xubuntu-16_04-desktop-amd64.iso
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf /usbdrive.tag|| echo Error! Could not find usbdrive.tag && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
ls %ISO% > nul || find --set-root --devices=hf %ISO% || echo Error! Could not find %ISO% && echo  && pause Press any key to return to the main menu && configfile /menu.lst
map %ISO% (0xff) || map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 %ISO% (0xff) || echo FATAL ERROR mapping %ISO%, please check if file is present and defragmented && pause Press any key to return to main menu && configfile /menu.lst
#http://reboot.pro/topic/9916-grub4dos-isohybrided/page-2#entry88531
#http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/tails
set /a dev=*0x82a0&0xff
debug 1
parttype (%dev%,3) | set check=
debug off
set check=%check:~-5,4%
if "%check%"=="0x00" partnew (%dev%,3) 0 0 0 && partnew (%dev%,3) 0x00 %ISO%
if not "%check%"=="0x00" echo WARNING: PARTITION TABLE 4 IN BIOS DEVICE %dev% IS ALREADY IN USE! && echo  && echo To prevent possible data loss will not continue further && pause && configfile /menu.lst
map --rehook
root (0xff)
chainloader (0xff)

Boot from USB

Booting your computer, select "Boot from USB"

(click the thumb for full image)

Here are the available options of the multiboot USB in my case. Everything works fine!

(click the thumb for full image)

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