Put Multiple ISO Files In One Bootable USB Disk

How To Put Multiple ISO Files In One Bootable USB Disk | Create Multiboot USB Disk

Creating a bootable USB disk comes handy when we have to reinstall our operating system in the case of a system failure. It’s very easy to put ISO files on portable flash drives by using various tools–like Windows USB/DVD tool and the Startup Disk Creator in Ubuntu.

Now, there are many OS available in the market, either free or paid. Each having its multiple versions and features. You can’t waste a flash drive for each of them. It would be great if you put all the ISO files on one flash drive and take the advantage of installing multiple operating systems through a multiboot USB media.

The process to create a multiboot USB disk is quite simple. For Windows OS, these multiboot USB disks can be created using a popular tool known as WinSetupFromUSB. It allows you put multiple ISOs in one installation disk. You can put Windows and Linux in a same bootable disk or create a master installation disk of Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. The choice is up to you.

Before proceeding with the method, if you don’t have the ISO files for Windows OS, the link below would guide you through the process to download them legally.

You must arrange a USB flash drive of considerable size. For putting three Windows ISOs in the multiboot USB disk, you will need a 16GB flash drive.

How to create a Multiboot USB Disk?

1. Download WinSetupFromUSB. Extract this file.
2. Connect your flash drive to your computer.
3. Open WinSetupFromUSB. Open the 32-bit and 64-bit version according to your OS. It will work without any installation.
4. Make your flash drive is listed and selected in the drop down menu. Click Refresh, if it is not on the list.
5. Tick Auto format it with FBinst.
   Note: You have to tick this option only for the first ISO installation. Choose FAT32 if your computer is set to boot using UEFI mode or if UEFI sounds strange to your ears. Else, go with the NTFS option.
6. Click Advanced options.
7. Tick the Custom menu names for Vista/7/8/Server Source checkbox. Click the Cross (X) button to exit Advanced Options.
   
8. To add ISO, tick the checkbox corresponding to OS in the ISO.
   For example, I am using the Windows 8.1 ISO.
   Note: If the size of your ISO is larger than 4 Gb, it will show a message to split the file into parts. This is because you’ve chosen the FAT32 option. Click OK.
   Note: WinSetupFromUSB doesn’t support dual ISOs i.e. it can’t have 32-bit and 64bit version in a single ISO. It will show an error message.
   
9. Click GO. A data deletion warning message will be displayed. This is because you’ve chosen to format the flash drive. Click Yes.
   Note: Do remember to check the flash drive name before clicking Yes. Else, you’ll end up formatting some other connected storage media.
   
10. Another warning message will be displayed telling you that all the partitions will be erased. Click Yes.
    
11. It will ask for the folder name. Type the desired one in 30 seconds or it’ll auto select. Click Ok.
    
12. It will ask for the boot menu name. Type your desired name like Windows 8.1 64-bit. Click Ok.
    
13. The process will take few minutes to finish.
    
    
14. Click EXIT to finish.

How to add the second ISO file in the Multiboot USB Disk?

1. Start the tool again.
2. Select your flash drive in the drop down menu.
3. Click Advanced Options and look for Custom menu names for Vista/7/8/10/Server Source.
4. Don’t Click Auto format with FBinst. Because it will remove your previous ISO file.
5. Add the ISO file.
6. Click GO and follow the same process.

Follow the same process to add more ISO files.

So, this was the method create a multiboot USB flash drive which allows you to choose between multiple operating systems at a time. Use the method to put a 32-bit and 64-bit version of the same OS in one bootable media.

Note: At the time of writing this post, WinSetupFromUSB 1.6 was available. You can use the latest version 1.7 to create multiboot USB.

Create Usb Bootable

Create a Bootable USB Drive Without Using Any Software

To create a bootable USB drive manually, we will use the Command Prompt as a Windows default program. Here are step by step to create a bootable USB drive as the Windows installation media. To create a bootable USB drive as a Windows installation media, we require at least 4 GB for minimum capacity. Larger capacity is better. At this moment, I use the USB flash drive with 2 GB of capacity as just an example. It's due to some reasons that my 4 GB flash drive encountered an unusual problem that i have to fix later. :D

Step 1: Using DISKPART Command

1. Insert your USB flash drive to your running computer. As the first step, we need to run Command Prompt as administrator. To do this, we need to find cmd by typing 'cmd' in the search box on Windows Start Menu. After search result for 'cmd' appears, right click on it and select "Run as administrator".
2. Type 'diskpart' on Command Prompt (without quotes) and hit Enter. Wait for a while until the DISKPART program run.
3. Type 'list disk' to view active disks on your computer and hit Enter. There would be seen that the active disks shown as Disk 0 for hard drive and Disk 1 for your USB flashdrive with its total capacity.
4. Type 'select disk 1' to determine that disk 1 would be processed in the next step then hit Enter.
5. Type 'clean' and hit Enter to remove all of data in the drive.
6. Type 'create partition primary' and hit Enter. Creating a primary partition and further recognized by Windows as 'partition 1'.
7. Type 'select partition 1' an hit Enter. Choosing the 'partition 1' for setting up it as an active partition.
8. Type 'active' and hit Enter. Activating current partition.
9. Type 'format fs=ntfs quick' and hit Enter. Formatting current partition as NTFS file system quickly.
10. Type 'exit' and hit Enter. Leaving DISKPART program but don't close the Command Prompt instead. We would still need it for next process.

Step 2: Creating Boot Sector

Let us assume that the flash / USB drive is the D: drive and the DVD installer located on drive F :. The first step, we will navigate Command Prompt to set installation DVD as its active directory.

1. By default, Command Prompt's active directory for Administrator permission is on C:\Windows\System32>. We will navigate Command Prompt to set on DVD (F:) as its active directory. Just type 'f:' then hit Enter, and the active directory changed to F:.
2. Type 'cd boot' and hit Enter. Active directory changed to F:\boot>.
3. Type 'bootsect /nt60 d:' and hit Enter. Creating boot sector on D: drive (USB flash drive).
4. Type 'exit' and hit Enter to close the Command Prompt. Until this step we have made a bootable USB drive sucessfully, and the flash drive is ready to be used as a boot media.

Step 3: Copying Installation Files

To install Windows from a bootable USB drive, we just need to copy the whole installation files contained on the DVD installer to flash drive. To do this, open the Command Prompt as in previous steps. Once it opens, type 'xcopy f: \ *. * d: \ / E / H / F' and then press Enter. Wait until all the files in the DVD installer copied to the flash drive. Now bootable USB drive is ready to be used for installing Windows from flash drive and you're done !