Up to today I have stuck with a one size fits all linux mint, but I have a requirement next week to install a new copy of linux mint on a clients computer. This is something I do most weeks and probably have done over 300 of such things over the last 15 years of using mint in different versions, mate, cinnamon, lmde, xfce… 64 bit and 32 bit originally.
So why different… I bought a new usb key in the local tech shop on promotion and 64 gb, installed lmde on it ready to use. I then realised that it only used a small fraction of the usb but locked the rest so lots of wasted storage.
On our site lots of discussion has gone on before about Ventoy, but never got round to trying it as my usb keys tended to be 4 gb max so one distribution per usb and a collection of keys to use.
So onto the
Follow the guide
Installed the tool (not sure what name to use, tool, grub, boot loader ?)
Copied the different versions of mint iso onto the usb
Rebooted to the key and the menu of iso were displayed
Checked each one booted, including the 32 bit, and xfce which surprised me.
Now like tge shampoo, conditioner, boddy wash (head and shoulders) I only need to carry one key instead of several, my tool kit gets less each year.
Thanks for the tutorial.
Ok question,
Why is it so complex to set up in the first place ?
Why could I not just download an ventoy iso and burn that to the usb as I do with other linux iso ?
I guess if I want to add, update, or change an iso, I simlpy delete and copy a new iso in its place ?
I agree. I just gave a halfhearted effort once. It didn’t work for me, so I walked away. It sure should be as easy as downloading an ISO and write to USB. That’s how all the Linux bootable USBs get created.
Download a file
Unzip it
Change directory into new folder
Open another file with a ip address
Go to that site to select an install button
After that its plain sailing… but why not simply give the link in the firstplace
What does the install do different to a iso burn onto a usb ?
Very rare we use them now but before (10 years back) we used dvd to create boot disks, if they were rewritable dvd would it still work. .?
Thought it was risky having a site format a usb so used a old machine not worried about it going wrong.
“Open another file with a ip address”
It’s possible that you used the file ventoy-XXXX-livecd.iso instead of the file ventoy-XXXX-linux.tar.gz, which caused you to put IP.
Try the other file: just extract it and run the file “VentoyGUI.x86_64”, if it’s for x86_64, of course.
To answer your question about not using an ISO file
Try looking at the partitions that have been created on your flashdrive, an example of my flashdrive:
It is also complex to use.
Sooner or later, when you desperately need to boot something from a usb, it will fail you. It is a significantly more complicated method of booting, and as such it will interact with the various BIOS’s that you encounter, and eventually will find one that it does not work with… right when you need it most.
I’m glad this thread popped up when it did. It looked fairly easy in the video tutorial I watched, and I was literally thinking of using it today. Guess I avoided frustration.
The thing that happened with me on Ventoy was that some distros would boot - others wouldn’t…
I should give it another whack I reckon…
I’d like to preview Pop!_OS 24 with the newfangled Cosmic desktop (not Gnome 4x)… This is one that failed on me before - wouldn’t boot from Ventoy so gave up…
I used to carry several usb to clients to recover files or demo linux, but do that less and less, either they come to le or I take the computer home. Discovered they see it boot on mint and think if its so quick why pay for a few hours install, or the secure boot takes afes to sort on site so looks like I dont know how to do it…
Prefer now to take my time and do it correct.
Yes thanks Neville i will continue to guard smaller usb copies just in case. Did think it would be so much easier with just one key fits all so less to change on new versions.
Thanks jorge for your suggestions will give that a try later.
The only distro I have had a problem with booting from Ventoy is Fedora 41 workstation and later discovered that there was a problem with the .iso reported by others.
Installing Ventoy using the guide was a breeze.
Now have Fedora 42 but not tried spinning it up yet from Ventoy - task for another day (tax return time )
Always a great time… My wife does ours and I always have to remind her to do it.
One of the reasons I stopped my business was having to do my returns every 3 months. Then repeat at the end of the financial year. Far too complex the forms and they change where was correct last year is different this year.
@callpaul.eu
I do not see the issue “here”!!! I have been using a Ventoy 32GB USB, I made several years ago, it used to be, that 32GB was the largest, that Ventoy could partition, because of the fat32 limitations, but that has changed!!
You basically download the Ventoy App and let Ventoy partition the USB drive.
You will have one partition that boots the Ventoy USB and a partition to copy and paste the Linux live ISO you wish to boot, Ventoy will not boot all Linux ISO’s, mostly due to Graphics issues, but most Ubuntu based Distro’s will boot.
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