Question Could I make a bootable USB drive with several software tools?

[Rodion15]

I’m thinking of something ambitious. I have several thumb-drives with stuff like HIren’s Boot CD, Ultimate Boot CD, etc.

I wonder if I could make a single drive (or bootable SSD if needed) and have all these tools there in a multi-boot. I wonder if this is possible, any experiences?

Any advice much welcome 😀

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

https://portableapps.com

 

[USAFRet]

Given the exceedingly low cost of flash drives, and given that you'd probably be using this with partially broken systems that may not want to boot correctly, I'd recommend just having one tool on one flash drive.

Much much easier and reliable.

 

[Rodion15]

Given the exceedingly low cost of flash drives, and given that you'd probably be using this with partially broken systems that may not want to boot correctly, I'd recommend just having one tool on one flash drive.

Much much easier and reliable.

Excuse me mate, you're probably right but what's the reason not to? do you mean it's more stable booting to a single app than several partitions?

 

[USAFRet]

Excuse me mate, you're probably right but what's the reason not to? do you mean it's more stable booting to a single app than several partitions?

Yes.
Some systems may demand a 32bit application to boot with, others 64bit.
Different partitioning schemes, etc, etc,etc.

Some systems may not recognize a multi partition flash drive.

 

[Ralston18]

You are putting all of your "diagnostic eggs" in one basket.

Better to have just one broken egg and losing one tool than losing all your tools to a defective or failed flash drive.

Or to whatever gremlins (sometimes named Murphy) that decide to make an appearance.

 

[John553]

I know that there are some companies out there selling pre-configured bootable flash drives so it can be done, though I don't know how hard it is to do yourself. If nothing else I wouldn't think it wouldn't be to hard to put the programs on the pre-configured ones. Interesting concept rodion15.

 

[Rodion15]

You are putting all of your "diagnostic eggs" in one basket.

Better to have just one broken egg and losing one tool than losing all your tools to a defective or failed flash drive.

Or to whatever gremlins (sometimes named Murphy) that decide to make an appearance.

I'd create 3 copies rather than having 10 USB sticks

 

[Ralston18]

No disagreement with, or even any meaningful counters, to that approach.

"May the Force be with you".

 

[Rodion15]

I tried getting two of these on a memory stick 3 times using Yumi and Multiboot without success, tried NTFS and Fat32. No way.
I tried Hiren's BootCD + Medicat (no joy), then Hiren's + Memteset (no joy).
Looks like this isn't possible
I inspired myself on https://www.geckoandfly.com/32030/bootable-windows-pe-recovery-repair/
I had it coming for being too ambitious

 

[John553]

I still like the idea.

 

[John553]

I did a litte research on those bootable flash drives I was talking about above. Maybe you could use something like this: https://www.unspyable.com/vpn-flash-hard-drives

 

[USAFRet]

I did a litte research on those bootable flash drives I was talking about above. Maybe you could use something like this: https://www.unspyable.com/vpn-flash-hard-drives

That has little or nothing to do with wanting multiple bootable toolkits on a single USB flash drive.
And, incredibly expensive for what you can create for $10.
A bootable LinuxMint on a 64GB flash drive is only the cost of the drive.