It’s quite common that when you want to format a PC or install an operating system from scratch, you mount an ISO image on a USB drive to boot the PC and start the installation process. However, when you want to install a different operating system, you will have to repeat the process or use a different USB drive, but what if we told you that you can have multiple operating systems on a single USB drive and which one do you want to choose to install each time? In this article we teach you how to do it.
Windows 10, Windows 11, a couple of Linux distributions… everything will fit on a single USB flash drive as long as you have space available to be able to copy the ISO. The process is actually very simple, and the key is simply to use the tools we’re going to talk about below to create a sort of boot menu to choose which ISO image to boot each time. Could
With this we want to tell you that initially we have to prepare the pen drive or USB hard drive with the operating system you want to provide which will take some time but it will save you from doing the same process again and again again every time you want to change the operating system you want to install, which will save you a lot of time in the end.
USB drive compatible with all operating systems
The first step is to collect the ISO files of the operating systems you want to have at your disposal. It’s quite simple: in the case of Linux distributions, many are available on their official web pages (for example, Ubuntu, which is one of the most popular), and in the case of Windows, Microsoft also provides you. Windows 11 ISO for free from their website; For Windows 10 it’s a bit more complicated if you don’t already have the ISO, but you can also get it with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool.
To create a USB drive with this group of operating systems, we will need a tool called Ventoy, which you can download for free (as you can see by clicking on the link, it is available for many operating systems , so download the one you’re using to create a bootable USB). You’ll download a zip file that you’ll need to unzip to a directory on your computer of your choice.
The next step is to insert the USB drive you want to use to load the operating system into the PC, and then run the Ventoy2Disk.exe file (it’s a portable tool, which means you don’t need to install anything). Not there). A window with the application will open, and all you have to do is select the USB drive at the top of “Devices” and then click the Install button.
Upon doing so, a warning will appear indicating that data already on the USB drive will be erased (keep this in mind). Click on Yes and the process of creating a bootable drive will begin. Once this is done, the USB drive will be called “Ventoy”, and you will need to copy the ISO files to the root inside it.
Once this step is done, you have everything ready, and when you start the PC with the USB drive inserted (make sure you have selected boot from USB) the vento menu will appear in which you can choose That’s where you can choose which operating system you want to start the PC with to start the installation.
Simple, isn’t it? Remember: all you have to do is download Ventoy and create a USB drive with it, then copy the ISO of the operating system to the USB drive and that’s it, you can use it.
