i wanted to make a multiboot usb on linux, without any additional programs, just grub and gparted (for formatting)
this is the only thing i still keep a windows hdd around, now im free
iso files tested:
antiX-17.1_386-full.iso
linuxmint-18.3-mate-32bit.iso
lubuntu-17.10.1-desktop-i386.iso
kali-linux-2018.1-i386.iso
debian-live-9.4.0-i386-lxde+nonfree.iso
manjaro-xfce-17.1.7-stable-x86_64.iso
grub, the bootloader on many linux distros has the ability to mount iso files and boot them
so we need an empty flash drive with a single partition, for convenience use gparted to delete the partitions and make a single ext2 partition
now we'll use the terminal
use "lsblk" to identify the flash drive
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 149.1G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 29.3G 0 part /
└─sda3 8:3 0 119.8G 0 part /media/sda3
sdb 8:16 1 14.8G 0 disk
└─sdb1 8:17 1 14.8G 0 part /media/sdb1-usb-Multiple_Card_Re
my usb device is sdb - 14.8gb
take note 'sdb' is the device, 'sdb1' is the partitions (very important)
my partition is already mounted,
but we'll mount it on another mountpoint: /media/usb
create the mountpoint "sudo mkdir /media/usb"
mount it "sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/usb"
now we install the bootloader "sudo grub-install --force --removable --boot-directory=/media/usb/boot /dev/sdb"
note we are using /dev/sdb - wich is the device
make sure you replace sdb with your own device, it can be sdc,sde, whatever
next we must put the grub.cfg file in '/media/usb/boot/grub'
grub.cfg.txt is attached to this post, rename it as grub.cfg
so if your usb is mounted on /media/usb
file location should be /media/usb/boot/grub/grub.cfg
now just copy your iso files to the root of your flash drive
these are the latest versions downloaded tonight, if you get the iso files right now, they will work without modifications
as time goes on, new versions will come out, some filenames will change, and grub.cfg must be modified accordingly
most of the boot entries i got from the isos themselves, you can open them in mc and look for grub.cfg or something similar, and just added $isofile
the manjaro boot entry i got from their forum
hope this will be of use to someone, i wanted this for so long
