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Im trying to create a dual bootable flash drive in linux. Im going to use GParted to create a single extended partition then Ill use Disks to write images to each extended partition. I hope I could see both OSs to choose from when I choose to boot from my flash drive. Will this work or is there another method? I just want 2 live OSs on a single drive I can boot into without having to change which is primary.
PNY USB 2.0
the method I described didn't work and when I try to partition the flash drive and create a bootable disk one of the partitions will allow me to burn the ISO to create a bootable drive and it's the first partition the problem is the only way I can get somboot into the USB Drive the first operating system will load and it won't give me any options when I boot into the USB Drive the first operating system will load and it won't give me any options for the second partition so how could I burn two different operating systems on the same flash drive
I'm wondering why you want an Extended partition?
Do you want the Linux as a Live CD? If so you need to install Grub/Grub2 to the flash drive, then create a grub.cfg entry. The link below has some info on that if you want to boot an iso directly. You only need one partition for this method. It would help if you indicated which of the hundreds of Linux distributions you want.
As an actual install? You would just install as you would to an internal hard drive and install the bootloader to the mbr of that drive .
How are you 'burning' the iso? Using the method discussed in the link above you would simply copy the iso to the partition on the flash drive.
You mention windows. Do you want windows on the flash drive also? Which windows version? Windows can't be installed directly to a usb drive but you can put the extracted installation iso on a flash drive and boot it but that doesn't seem like what you want.
Quote:
windows setup does
not support configuration or installation to a disk connected through usb or IEEE 1394 ports
You could probably get more help if you were more specific on what you actually want to accomplish.
I tend to treat bootable USB sticks as HDDs. And do semi-normal partitioning and install grub into the MBR of said storage device. Grub doesn't seem to like being in the MBR of them with complaints about the size of the MBR. So as a precaution I create an unused first primary partition that is small. Various ways to get there with any live bootable linux. And probably with most distro installers that let you choose where you put the installation. It's not that daunting once you've done it a couple times. Backup or disconnect the windows drive the first time around just in case, or merely out of paranoia.
Windows isn't a live OS. While you might be able to install it on a USB flash drive (though yancek's quote isn't encouraging), you won't be able to plug this flash drive into any other computer without facing a multitude of driver problems, Windows reactivation, etc.
I'm not really sure what the OP wants. He indicates he wants "2 live OSs" which should be pretty simple with Linux systems. As indicated above, there is not such thing as a windows 'Live CD' and the OP mentions that in the thread title. If it includes windows, I can see problems with that as mentioned above in addition to possible licensing problems.
Creating a bootable installation medium from a windows iso file extracted and copied to a flash drive works and will boot with Grub Legacy or Grub2. Tried it with windows 10 after coming across a site explaining it and it did boot and begin the install. That's when I got the message above about being unable to install to usb, I didn't have room on the internal drives.
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