Multiboot Hardware/Software Virtual Optical Disk

[LeMarchand]

Had a Zalman Virtual Drive for years now: You just place any ISO you like into the earmarked folder, select it using the admittedly clunky button and the machine sees it as a bootable disk. As well as this, you can use it as a standard external disk with a write protect switch (until that bit snapped). Unfortunately the board/socket now seems to be failing and, while I'd like to replace it, the "Virtual ODD" function sees little use now MS have made it so easy to stick a W10 install onto a key. As it's a bit of a specialist item they seem to be £50+ if you can find one. Don't suppose anyone knows of anything similar apart from the iODD (apparently the original version of the Zalmans) and StarTech equivalents, which are just as rare/pricey?

 

Otherwise, anyone got an easy-to-use multiboot USB builder? I've tried Easy2Boot, WinSetupFromUSB, Sardu and Yumi (as well as XBoot, which wouldn't see my drive) of late and they all kinda work, but not flawlessly and some ISOs take an age to load. Recently found Ventoy, which was nice and easy to use (just format stick and copy across your ISOs) but not all the ISOs were bootable.

 

Guess the other solution would be to just keep a spare stick and use Rufus to make a bootable drive when called for, but that adds a few minutes time to the proceedings and isn't as handy.

Edited March 16, 2021 by LeMarchand

[mavhc]

I've used Easy2boot for years, works with 99% of ISOs

[LeMarchand]

I've used Easy2boot for years, works with 99% of ISOs

 

Yeah, it's generally OK, but getting to be more of a faff to use due to UEFI.

[mavhc]

Have you tried https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ ?

[LeMarchand]

Have you tried https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/ ?

 

 

Yep.

 

I've tried Easy2Boot, WinSetupFromUSB and Yumi (as well as XBoot, which wouldn't see my drive) of late and they all kinda work, but not flawlessly and some ISOs take an age to load. Recently found Ventoy, which was nice and easy to use (just format stick and copy across your ISOs) but not all the ISOs were bootable.

 

It was fairly easy to use, if long-winded, but didn't work with all the ISOs I tried.

[s69]

Have you made an E2B v2 USB drive recently? It now supports direct UEFI booting and loading of ISOs using a1ive grub2 (agFM) and also has a version of Ventoy too (MBR\UEFI).

To UEFI-boot you just boot to the 2nd FAT32 partition now and select an ISO/VHD/EFI file, etc.

On most systems you can even Secure UEFI64-boot to the menu system and use a1ive grub2 menu or Ventoy to boot unsecure ISOs, etc.

I am the E2B developer and free chat help is available if you have any problems.

[LeMarchand]

Thanks for the advice.

 

Moving to the UEFI setup was on my (long) To Do list, but I've never worked up the energy to try it. Now that the head honcho has spoken, I guess I'd better!

 

Thanks for E2B, by the way!

[jthompson]

I've used Yumi quite a bit in the past but more recently I've opted for Rufus. Similiar kind of thing. I can't remember why I used that over Yumi, but I imagine it worked when Yumi didn't for some reason.

[LeMarchand]

Rufus is just single boot as far as I can tell, though. It's great at that (use it a lot) but I was hoping to keep a multiboot stick.