Practice yous want to run multiple operating systems from a single USB stick? Mayhap boot into a alive environment or fifty-fifty install the operating system? Learning how to boot from USB is easier than you'd think!

Multiboot USB drives can host live Linux distributions and installation media for Windows. That is, minor operating systems explicitly designed to provide maintenance to a calculator from outside of the computer'due south operating organisation.

This article will wait at several gratuitous Windows programs that can create dual-boot and multiboot USB media. Be sure to utilize a high-quality USB drive, preferably one that'south larger than 8GB.

1. WinSetupFromUSB

WinSetupFromUSB is a highly recommended option for installing Windows from a USB and multiboot USBs. It's an intuitive multiboot software option. However, WinSetupFromUSB is just compatible with Windows 2000/XP and after, also as Linux and BSD.

  1. Using WinSetupFromUSB is easy. Open the software, and select your USB disk from the dropdown menu.
  2. Next, check the button next to your preferred operating systems.
  3. Then you'll need to browse to the book containing the operating system yous wish to install on your multiboot USB. When you're ready, click the Get push button.
  4. If you're interested, check the Evidence Log option to view detailed information on what's going on.
  5. Finally, when installation is complete, you'll see a Job Done message.
  6. If you desire to install a 2nd operating system, run through the process again.

Overall, WinSetupFromUSB is pretty unproblematic to use and features a quick write time. It'southward too got a QEMU mode, and information technology'southward a small, portable app.

Download: WinSetupFromUSB (Gratis)

ii. MultiBootUSB

MultiBootUSB is a pretty popular open-source program for creating a multi-OS bootable USB flash bulldoze. The software is also a portable application, pregnant information technology'll run from your USB drive, and yous exercise non need to install information technology. This gives you a nifty deal of flexibility, should you desire to change things up just you aren't at your home or function figurer.

Adding multiple bootable OS distros is easy.

  1. Scan under Select prototype and choose your ISO. Note that while MutiBootUSB runs on Windows and Linux, y'all can only create Linux Alive USB systems.
  2. Once you've clicked called your image, select your desired amount of persistence if you want to exist able to salvage files on the partition, and click Install distro.

A smashing characteristic of MultiBootUSB is the addition of QEMU virtualization software, which allows you lot to test both private Linux ISOs and your USB stick without restarting the computer.

For a simple way to put multiple Linux distributions on a USB stick, MultiBootUSB is a smashing lightweight pick.

Download: MultiBootUSB (Free)

3. XBoot

XBoot has a lot more than documentation than MultiBootUSB, but both programs don't require a lot of instruction to use. XBoot provides a similar experience and is too portable media making it handy to apply on the movement.

Installation of XBoot is pretty straightforward.

  1. Double-click the executable file, and it opens in seconds.
  2. From there, it'south quite simple to add together your ISOs. Only elevate and drop them into the main box.
  3. Next, click on the Create USB push button. The program will prompt you lot to select the USB drive you wish to install the ISOs on and select the kind of bootloader yous want to use. If your USB stick is formatted to FAT32, XBoot recommends Syslinux. If the USB stick is formatted to NTFS, Grub4DOS is recommended. You could also select Do non install any Bootloader, but since you want the USB stick to be bootable, you lot'll probably ignore that.
  4. Click OK, and we're on the fashion!

XBoot also has the same QEMU features, where you can boot a live CD ISO or boot the USB you lot just fabricated.

Despite being a slightly more than substantial program, XBoot works a little faster than MultiBootUSB. Another nice touch is the ability to download ISO files directly via the XBoot downloader.

Download: XBoot (Costless)

4. YUMI: Your Universal Multiboot Installer

YUMI is a well-respected tool, which is not as characteristic-rich as others in this list only a solid option for creating multiboot USB drives.

YUMI has a slightly different workflow. First, you lot choose which distro you desire from the list before browsing to the ISO on your difficult drive or following the provided link to the dwelling page of your chosen distro. Furthermore, there are also ii dissimilar versions of YUMI:

  • YUMI Legacy: Works with NTFS or FAT32 format. BIOS USB boot merely.
  • YUMI UEFI: Supports FAT32 just, every bit well as BIOS and UEFI USB booting via GRUB2 (although this is distro dependent).

So, if y'all're booting ane of the latest versions of Windows, such every bit Windows 10 or Windows 11, you lot need to select the YUMI UEFI version (unless you're running your BIOS in CMS Legacy mode). YUMI's UEFI version is a relatively new tool at the fourth dimension of writing simply is a handy upgrade with support for modernistic operating systems. The images below are taken from YUUMI UEFI.

  1. Select your distro, in this case, Lubuntu, and locate the ISO on your hard drive. Alternatively, you tin can select the Download Link option, which will accept you to the download page for the selected distro or operating system.
  2. When you lot are prepare, click Create. It'll take a few minutes. Then you can repeat the process to add boosted Bone images to your drive.

YUMI doesn't accept the QEMU tools of MultiBootUSB or XBoot. But, what information technology does accept, is the support of countless network administrators and tech workers who use information technology in their daily work lives!

Download: YUMI (Free)

One USB for All Your Operating Systems

To employ the USB drives you create, information technology'south worth knowing how to modify the boot order on your PC so you tin can choose which one to boot from each time.

Remember, you lot cannot switch between operating systems in one case you kicking into the Bone. You lot have to cull the operating system yous want utilize during the kicking procedure, restarting your reckoner to switch between each different operating system as you want to utilize them. Of course, if you desire to use a

How to Make a Bootable CD/DVD/USB to Install Windows

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About The Author

Gavin Phillips (1046 Articles Published)

Gavin is the Inferior Editor for Technology Explained, a regular correspondent to the Really Useful Podcast, and a frequent product reviewer. He has a caste in Gimmicky Writing pillaged from the hills of Devon, and more than than a decade of professional writing feel. He enjoys copious amounts of tea, board games, and football.

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