Edit Section: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS for Human Beans

!!!# Writing multiple images on one USB

(a.k.a. "Multi-boot USB disk")

If you want to write multiple ISO images on one USB in order to have the capacity to boot into a selection of systems by using the same pen drive, you can do it with a tool called “MultiSystem”, or with another one called multiboot.

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-=Using multisystem =-

Add the corresponding repository by entering the following commands on the terminal:

{CODE(colors="shell", ln="1")}

sudo add-apt-repository 'deb http://liveusb.info/multisystem/depot all main'

sudo launchpad-getkeys

sudo apt update

sudo apt install multisystem

{CODE}

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Open the application and select the device from the list below. Note that the device must be mounted at “/media” and its filesystem must be “FAT32” in order for multisystem to detect it properly. 

{REMARKSBOX()}

Watch out that it reports that it will write grub boot loader in the Master Boot Record (of the usb? or the main hard disk of your computer??? )

{REMARKSBOX}

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MultiSystem started

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{img src="display550" width=600}

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On the first tab of the application’s menu, you may add your image files one by one. Just hit the green arrow button and a file manager window will let you navigate your local files.

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Add image file in MultySystem

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Next, you may select the “Menus” tab which is basically a Grub configurator. It will allow you to set up the grub.cfg configuration file set the colors and background image of the bootloader and compile the menu list.

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Grub Configurator

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Other options include the use of non-free components like the PLoP boot manager and the FiraDisk. Moreover, in the “Boot” tab, you may select system-specific boot options, or just test-drive your creation in the QEMU system virtualization tool, or in VirtualBox. This of course, presupposes the existence of either in your system.

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Other Bootmanagers

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If MultiSystem isn’t working for you, you may also try alternatives like the multibootusb or the YUMI that basically do the same thing. In general, I have found that all of these tools are a little bit underdeveloped and often riddled with bugs, so you should have patience and not give up easily. Having a multisystem USB stick is worth your time and effort.

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-=Using multibootusb =-

From: https://itsfoss.com/multiple-linux-one-usb/

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Web: http://multibootusb.org/

Deb: https://github.com/mbusb/multibootusb/releases/download/v9.2.0/python3-multibootusb_9.2.0-1_all.deb

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The recommended filesystem is FAT32, so make sure to format your USB drive before creating a multi-boot USB stick.

{img src="display547" width=600}

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You can select the persistence size by dragging the slider under MultiBootUSB tab. Persistence gives you an option to save changes to the USB drive in runtime.  (in theory; will it work since Ubuntu 16.04 doesn't seem to use it by default?)

{img src="display548" width=600}

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Next time I boot through the USB, I get the option of choosing either of the distributions.

{img src="display549" width=600}

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