[morphios]

Ventoy

A New Bootable USB Solution

Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files.
With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk over and over, you just need to copy the ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI files to the USB drive and boot them directly.

You can have multiple OS image files on the USB drive, and ventoy will give you a boot menu so you can choose which one to boot.


In addition to browsing a USB drive, you can also browse for disc image files in local disks and boot them.


x86 Legacy BIOS, IA32 UEFI, x86_64 UEFI, ARM64 UEFI and MIPS64EL UEFI are all supported in the same way.
To list all the supported operating systems, expand the spoiler section below.

Spoiler:

1. Windows
   • Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, WinPE
     
2. Linux
   • Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS(6/7/8/9), RHEL(6/7/8/9), Deepin, Fedora, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, EuroLinux(6/7/8/9), openEuler, OpenAnolis, SLES, openSUSE, MX Linux, Manjaro, Linux Mint, Endless OS, Elementary OS, Solus, Linx, Zorin, antiX, PClinuxOS, Arch, ArcoLinux, ArchLabs, BlackArch, Obarun, Artix Linux, Puppy Linux, Tails, Slax, Kali, Mageia, Slackware, Q4OS, Archman, Gentoo, Pentoo, NixOS, Kylin, openKylin, Ubuntu Kylin, KylinSec, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, Kubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Studio, Bluestar, OpenMandriva, ExTiX, Netrunner, ALT Linux, Nitrux, Peppermint, KDE neon, Linux Lite, Parrot OS, Qubes, Pop OS, ROSA, Void Linux, Star Linux, EndeavourOS, MakuluLinux, Voyager, Feren, ArchBang, LXLE, Knoppix, Calculate Linux, Clear Linux, Pure OS, Oracle Linux, Trident, Septor, Porteus, Devuan, GoboLinux, 4MLinux, Simplicity Linux, Zeroshell, Android-x86, netboot.xyz, Slitaz, SuperGrub2Disk, Proxmox VE, Kaspersky Rescue, SystemRescueCD, MemTest86, MemTest86+, MiniTool Partition Wizard, Parted Magic, veket, Sabayon, Scientific, alpine, ClearOS, CloneZilla, Berry Linux, Trisquel, Ataraxia Linux, Minimal Linux Live, BackBox Linux, Emmabuntüs, ESET SysRescue Live,Nova Linux, AV Linux, RoboLinux, NuTyX, IPFire, SELKS, ZStack, Enso Linux, Security Onion, Network Security Toolkit, Absolute Linux, TinyCore, Springdale Linux, Frost Linux, Shark Linux, LinuxFX, Snail Linux, Astra Linux, Namib Linux, Resilient Linux, Virage Linux, Blackweb Security OS, R-DriveImage, O-O.DiskImage, Macrium, ToOpPy LINUX, GNU Guix, YunoHost, foxclone, siduction, Adelie Linux, Elive, Pardus, CDlinux, AcademiX, Austrumi, Zenwalk, Anarchy, DuZeru, BigLinux, OpenMediaVault, Ubuntu DP, Exe GNU/Linux, 3CX Phone System, KANOTIX, Grml, Karoshi, PrimTux, ArchStrike, CAELinux, Cucumber, Fatdog, ForLEx, Hanthana, Kwort, MiniNo, Redcore, Runtu, Asianux, Clu Linux Live, Uruk, OB2D, BlueOnyx, Finnix, HamoniKR, Parabola, LinHES, LinuxConsole, BEE free, Untangle, Pearl, Thinstation, TurnKey, tuxtrans, Neptune, HefftorLinux, GeckoLinux, Mabox Linux, Zentyal, Maui, Reborn OS, SereneLinux , SkyWave Linux, Kaisen Linux, Regata OS, TROM-Jaro, DRBL Linux, Chalet OS, Chapeau, Desa OS, BlankOn, OpenMamba, Frugalware, Kibojoe Linux, Revenge OS, Tsurugi Linux, Drauger OS, Hash Linux, gNewSense, Ikki Boot, SteamOS, Hyperbola, VyOS, EasyNAS, SuperGamer, Live Raizo, Swift Linux, RebeccaBlackOS, Daphile, CRUX, Univention, Ufficio Zero, Rescuezilla, Phoenix OS, Garuda Linux, Mll, NethServer, OSGeoLive, Easy OS, Volumio, FreedomBox, paldo, UBOS, Recalbox, batocera, Lakka, LibreELEC, Pardus Topluluk, Pinguy, KolibriOS, Elastix, Arya, Omoikane, Omarine, Endian Firewall, Hamara, Rocks Cluster, MorpheusArch, Redo, Slackel, SME Server, APODIO, Smoothwall, Dragora, Linspire, Secure-K OS, Peach OSI, Photon, Plamo, SuperX, Bicom, Ploplinux, HP SPP, LliureX, Freespire, DietPi, BOSS, Webconverger, Lunar, TENS, Source Mage, RancherOS, T2, Vine, Pisi, blackPanther, mAid, Acronis, Active.Boot, AOMEI, Boot.Repair, CAINE, DaRT, EasyUEFI, R-Drive, PrimeOS, Avira Rescue System, bitdefender, Checkra1n Linux, Lenovo Diagnostics, Clover, Bliss-OS, Lenovo BIOS Update, Arcabit Rescue Disk, MiyoLinux, TeLOS, Kerio Control, RED OS, OpenWrt, MocaccinoOS, EasyStartup, Pyabr, Refracta, Eset SysRescue, Linpack Xtreme, Archcraft, NHVBOOT, pearOS, SeaTools, Easy Recovery Essentional, iKuai, StorageCraft SCRE, ZFSBootMenu, TROMjaro, BunsenLabs, Todo en Uno, ChallengerOS, Nobara, Holo, CachyOS, Peux OS, Vanilla OS, ShredOS, paladin, Palen1x, dban, ReviOS, HelenOS, XeroLinux, Tiny 11, chimera linux, ......
     
3. Unix
   • DragonFly FreeBSD pfSense GhostBSD FreeNAS TrueNAS XigmaNAS FuryBSD OPNsense HardenedBSD MidnightBSD ClonOS EmergencyBootKit helloSystem
     
4. ChromeOS
   • FydeOS, CloudReady, ChromeOS Flex
     
5. Other
   • VMware ESXi, Citrix XenServer, Xen XCP-ng
     

For a more detailed list of tested images you can open the link https://www.ventoy.net/en/isolist.html or you can check out their list of tested Distro's https://www.ventoy.net/en/distrowatch.html.

Download Ventoy by heading over to https://github.com/ventoy/Ventoy/releases, and downloading the archive for your supported OS.

---

Windows

• Ventoy2Disk.exe
  
• VentoyPlugson.exe
  
• VentoyVlnk.exe
  

Linux

• CreatePersistentImg.sh
  
• ExtendPersistentImg.sh
  
• Ventoy2Disk.sh
  
• VentoyPlugson.sh
  
• VentoyVlnk.sh
  
• VentoyWeb.sh
  

NB: I did not do a VT scan on every file contained in the archive.

[mothered]

Nice one.

It'd be Interesting to see how It compares to Rufus.

[morphios]

Nice one.

It'd be Interesting to see how It compares to Rufus.

The last time I used Rufus, it was only capable of formatting one USB to one OS.
If you wanted more than one OS available, you had to edit the ISO, and it was very limited.

Someone who worked out in the field that should be able to re-install a customer's OS on site had to have one USB for live boot to back up, one USB matching the customer's OS and one USB for apps and drivers.

I remember, at a stage, I used to have seven USB's, each having its own function.
Now I have one USB capable of installing five different operating systems, Live boot the PC on three different platforms and have all the apps and drivers available for re-installation. The only downside of having a one USB fix it all solution is to not lose it, forget it or wash it.

One thing I have noticed about Ventoy is it doesn't always work on the older generation PC's, starting from the 4th gen i processors and older.

[Drako]

I've been using Ventoy, and its been a game changer for me. I can keep Windows ISOs, Linux rescue ISOs, and diagnostics tools like memtest, all on one USB. Before Ventoy, I was using either Rufus or the dd command in Linux to burn one image to a USB. And that was definitely a pain in the ass.

[mothered]

Nice one.

It'd be Interesting to see how It compares to Rufus.

The last time I used Rufus, it was only capable of formatting one USB to one OS.
If you wanted more than one OS available, you had to edit the ISO, and it was very limited.

Someone who worked out in the field that should be able to re-install a customer's OS on site had to have one USB for live boot to back up, one USB matching the customer's OS and one USB for apps and drivers.

I remember, at a stage, I used to have seven USB's, each having its own function.
Now I have one USB capable of installing five different operating systems, Live boot the PC on three different platforms and have all the apps and drivers available for re-installation. The only downside of having a one USB fix it all solution is to not lose it, forget it or wash it.

One thing I have noticed about Ventoy is it doesn't always work on the older generation PC's, starting from the 4th gen i processors and older.

Judging by your experience, Ventoy Is certainly the better tool.

All my laptops are 11th gen, so they'd obviously be no Issues there.
Much appreciate the contribution.

[morphios]

Nice one.

It'd be Interesting to see how It compares to Rufus.

The last time I used Rufus, it was only capable of formatting one USB to one OS.
If you wanted more than one OS available, you had to edit the ISO, and it was very limited.

Someone who worked out in the field that should be able to re-install a customer's OS on site had to have one USB for live boot to back up, one USB matching the customer's OS and one USB for apps and drivers.

I remember, at a stage, I used to have seven USB's, each having its own function.
Now I have one USB capable of installing five different operating systems, Live boot the PC on three different platforms and have all the apps and drivers available for re-installation. The only downside of having a one USB fix it all solution is to not lose it, forget it or wash it.

One thing I have noticed about Ventoy is it doesn't always work on the older generation PC's, starting from the 4th gen i processors and older.

Judging by your experience, Ventoy Is certainly the better tool.

All my laptops are 11th gen, so they'd obviously be no Issues there.
Much appreciate the contribution.

Give Ventoy a try, even if it's just to boot a live disk as a test.

I am glad if I helped with the contribution.

[mothered]

The last time I used Rufus, it was only capable of formatting one USB to one OS.
If you wanted more than one OS available, you had to edit the ISO, and it was very limited.

Someone who worked out in the field that should be able to re-install a customer's OS on site had to have one USB for live boot to back up, one USB matching the customer's OS and one USB for apps and drivers.

I remember, at a stage, I used to have seven USB's, each having its own function.
Now I have one USB capable of installing five different operating systems, Live boot the PC on three different platforms and have all the apps and drivers available for re-installation. The only downside of having a one USB fix it all solution is to not lose it, forget it or wash it.

One thing I have noticed about Ventoy is it doesn't always work on the older generation PC's, starting from the 4th gen i processors and older.

Judging by your experience, Ventoy Is certainly the better tool.

All my laptops are 11th gen, so they'd obviously be no Issues there.
Much appreciate the contribution.

Give Ventoy a try, even if it's just to boot a live disk as a test.

I most certainly will give It a shot sometime this week.

I have no doubt It will serve Its purpose well.

[Tamarisk]

Very interesting tool, I knew an external HDD where you could load ISO but having this on a USB stick is very convenient ! Not too slow in comparison to native ISO burning?

[morphios]

Very interesting tool, I knew an external HDD where you could load ISO but having this on a USB stick is very convenient ! Not too slow in comparison to native ISO burning?

I hope I am understanding your question correctly.

So, it is, as with most technical answers, a yes and no answer.

You have to keep in mind that there are different versions of USB on the market and to make things even better, you get just about the same amount of different USB versions on USB drives.

If you were to plug a USB 3.2 drive into a USB 3.2 port, then USB will outperform native burning every time.
But using that old memory stick you found in the drawer that you thought you lost seven years ago, and hoping that you will get blazing fast file transfer speeds, you will probably be very disappointed and frustrated.

One thing I can say for a fact though, if I ever wanted to burn a ISO, I always had to get three disks because two out of the three times it failed on me. With Ventoy you format the drive once and from there on out you can transfer and delete as you see fit simultaneously using the drive as a normal storage drive without any issues.
This is because Ventoy partitions the USB drive, keeping the boot partition separate from the empty or file storage part of the USB where files are copied and removed.

Booting from an image with Ventoy V.S booting from a disk I personally have not experienced an instance where Ventoy was slower, but regularly I feel it outperforms booting from a disk.

I hope I have answered your question.

[GreatBuild]

Very intresting thanks