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There are a lot of links about multi-boot, multi-OS USB drives and various tools to create them. What they don't explain in detail is how to, or whether or not it's possible to, properly partition and set up the USB disk when you're planning on multi-Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, and additional partitions.

Here's what partitions I want:

  • Mac OS X 10.9/10.10 (20GB, HFS)
  • Windows 7 (20 GB, NTFS)
  • Linux multi-OS with persistence (40 GB, FAT32 or ext{3|4})
    • GParted Live/Clonezilla
    • Kali
    • Lubuntu
    • Ubuntu 14.10 Server (temporary, one-time installer)
    • Puppy Linux ?
  • 'Storage' (40GB, exFat)
    • Contains Win 7 Pro x64 installer files, Yosemite Installer, and shared files

(120 GB, Mushkin Ventura Ultra)

I initially converted the USB to GPT since I planned on the possibility of more than 4 partitions (and EFI boot). I've researched, and used, several programs such as YUMI, Rufus, UNetBootin, and SARDU to prepare and install Linux distros first. (I figured it was the better option so I would at least have a syslinux/grub bootloader). None, however, have proven successful even if I keep the USB as a single partition

I've looked into EFI and GPT to see what I'm missing. I understand that the NTFS partition needs to be set as 'active' and 'boot' so Windows can recognize it as a valid boot partition. I've tried installing Windows 7 on there first using other software such as WinToUSB and the Microsoft Windows USB Installer to no avail. What am I missing? Do I need to arrange the partitions in a specific order for the BIOS EFI to recognize and properly boot from it? (Windows is good to go, see update #1)

Update #1

I did some research and using the Microsoft website I partitioned the USB according to their recommended configuration script. This is how it looks so far:

|--300MB--|--296MB--|--20GB--|--24GB--|--40GB--|--26.99GB--| 
 WIN RECOV    EFI    WIN7 PRO   HFS+     exFAT  UNFORMATTED

Windows 7 boots just fine so far. I haven't installed OS X quite yet. exFAT is good. 27GB is left for multi-Linux.

  • DISKPART for Windows preparation
  • WinToUSB for Windows install
  • Will use Yosemite installer to use the 24GB partition
  • exFAT using Windows Computer Management
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7
  • Puppy Linux loads into the RAM and it definitively is pretty snappy because of it but the net connectivity might be cumbersome sometimes. At least in my experience and especially on older systems due to missing drivers or what not...
    – Darius
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:20
  • When I last did triple boot (SL, W7, ubuntu) the installation order was Mac, Windows, Linux, using iDeneb as "bootloader". Mac was the most opinionated about boot so had to be installed first.
    – directed laugh
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:23
  • @Darius I love Puppy Linux for that very reason. It's certainly my go-to when dealing with old x86 machines with 4GB of RAM or less.
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:24
  • @directedlaugh tsk, you have a point that I didn't consider. If OS X is that picky I may have to move it to the front and manage all the boot options. We'll see how it goes. I've never had issues with Mac booting off a USB but I've never had it behind other (OS) partitions
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:26
  • @Darius: that probably depends on the network hardware installed. My experience was I couldn't get Lubuntu off the ground because it lacked a driver for my WiFi dongle and that was the only Internet connection. Same with a number of other distros, not just featherweights (needed a non-free driver, so Debian and some spins were a problem). Puppy had no trouble at all with any drivers on old hardware I've used it with.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:28

3 Answers 3

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2

I would recommend one of my favorite tools, YUMI. Look it up, it uses GRUB, has a nice GUI, and supports tons of operating systems. http://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/

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  • I need to update my post since I did quite a bit of tinkering yesterday to the point of manually partitioning and installing an EFI from Windows. I already have 5 partitions (Recovery, EFI, Windows, HFS+, exFat) with files on it that I have confirmed to work and a sixth left over in FAT32. If I used YUMI on this sixth partition would it still work?
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 15:38
  • Also, I'm concerned about this (direct quote from YUMI site under FAQ: UEFI and EFI boot is not supported, as many distributions are not offering support yet. I don't know if they mean that the YUMI partition cannot boot from EFI or that some distros will not boot from EFI.
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 19:27
  • There's a UEFI YUMI BETA version now that should support UEFI/EFI
    – Xen2050
    Commented Mar 17, 2017 at 3:16
1

Not directly an answer to your question but related: As far as I know Windows needs to be on the first two partitions - one small SYSTEM_RESERVED and the windows main partition. About your question: I'd go with this as I would with installing All this on a normal hard drive, not using fancy tools like unetbootin or something. I guess this would give you most configuration/paritioning options.

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3
  • I've noticed the SYSTEM_RESERVED on several drives other HDDs but wrongfully assumed it was generated by the Windows Install disc/process by splitting the target partition during (re)formatting. I'll check what the recommended/mandatory size is. As for the tools, I figure that I'll have to forgo them since this setup is beyond their capability
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 13:05
  • I forgot to thank you for pointing this out. Thank you :D
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 24, 2015 at 14:19
  • "Windows needs to be on the first two partitions" - No, not at all.
    – Jamie Hanrahan
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 14:58
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Have you considered using Virtual Machines with a single base OS?

It would make maintenance of the systems much simpler, as well as allowing you to boot multiple systems at once.

You can create snapshots and backup systems very easily.

You could still use your external device to accomplish this.

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9
  • 1
    There is a chance that the OP does travel and carrying a "huge" PC is not an option. He/She might want to be able to go anywhere with that multi-boot flashdrive and boot from it on any device he might have access to.
    – Darius
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:18
  • Thanks for the response Craig but @Darius is right. I get that you mean I could use a single OS on the USB and within that have a range of virtual machines but this would require that the host computer has sufficient CPU and RAM to do so. It's easier to boot-'n-choose depending on what dinosaur or beast I'll be plugging into
    – Kamikaze Rusher
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:23
  • Yes and what I'm suggesting is to essentially use a hypervisor. An external hard drive or large USB flash drive could be setup in this fashion, containing an OS that could be booted to and then have a software suite to run virtual machines from, this would be much easier to maintain that trying to partition a drive into multiple OS's which has huge limitations.
    – Craig Lowe
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:23
  • Kinda like a external 1TB SSD ? :P
    – Darius
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:24
  • Yes but booting to any machine is not possible unless using 'live' Operating Systems. I understand your performance concerns and I had considered it but what you want to achieve is next to impossible. If you attempt to boot an OS on a different architecture it will 90% of the time crash, this can be fixed by removing drivers but would be a great nuisance as a permanent solution. You could use 'live' Operating Systems such as Tails, Ubuntu and versions of Windows. These could also be put onto a single device with a boot menu by using Sardu
    – Craig Lowe
    Commented Jun 25, 2015 at 16:27

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