https://github.com/mgedmin/bootable-iso

Bootable USB disk that lets you choose an ISO image
https://github.com/mgedmin/bootable-iso

Last synced: 2 months ago
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Bootable USB disk that lets you choose an ISO image

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/mgedmin/bootable-iso
• Owner: mgedmin
• Created: 2016-04-22T06:30:17.000Z (over 8 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2020-10-19T13:33:13.000Z (about 4 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-08-13T07:09:41.884Z (4 months ago)
• Language: Python
• Size: 45.9 KB
• Stars: 16
• Watchers: 5
• Forks: 2
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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• jimsghstars - mgedmin/bootable-iso - Bootable USB disk that lets you choose an ISO image (Python)

README

        
Bootable USB disk that lets you choose an ISO image

===================================================

This is basically a newer iteration on

https://mg.pov.lt/blog/booting-iso-from-usb.html

Creating a bootable USB disk that lets you boot any Ubuntu ISO image:

1. Mount a USB disk with a sufficient amount of free space.  Note the device

   name (e.g. `/dev/sdb`) and the mount point (e.g. `/media/mg/MG-FLASH`).

2. Install GRUB:

    ```

    sudo grub-install --target=i386-pc \

                      --root-directory=/media/mg/MG-FLASH /dev/sdb

    ```

   (you may have to also use `--force`)

3. Perhaps also install an UEFI bootloader

    ```

    sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --removable \

                      --root-directory=/media/mg/MG-FLASH \

                      --efi-directory=/media/mg/MG-FLASH /dev/sdb

    ```

   (be very careful not to forget `--removable`, or it'll overwrite your EFI

   boot variables and your host machine will fail to boot!)

4. Download Ubuntu ISO images you want

    ```

    cd /media/mg/MG-FLASH

    git clone https://github.com/mgedmin/ubuntu-images ubuntu

    cd ubuntu

    # maybe edit the Makefile to pick what Ubuntu versions and variants you want

    make verify-all

    ```

5. Check out this repository (this is tricky because git doesn't want to check

   out things into an existing non-empty directory)

    ```

    git clone https://github.com/mgedmin/bootable-iso /tmp/bootable-iso

    mv /tmp/bootable-iso/.git /media/mg/MG-FLASH/boot/grub/

    mv /tmp/bootable-iso/* /media/mg/MG-FLASH/boot/grub/

    ```

6. Run `make -C /media/mg/MG-FLASH/boot/grub/` to build a `grub.cfg` that

   matches your Ubuntu images

7. Test that things work

Testing with KVM

----------------

1. Find the device name

    ```

    udisksctl status

    ```

2. Run

    ```

    sh kvmboot /dev/sdb1

    ```

3. Record the test results in mkgrubcfg.py

Other resources

---------------

- https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot

- You may be interested in [Ventoy](https://www.ventoy.net/), which seems a

  much more polished and capable solution for this kind of thing.