Last Updated on May 28, 2022
In operation
Now we’ve prepared the software, we can copy ISOs to the exFAT filesystem (in our case that’s the /dev/sde1 partition). They can be saved to anywhere on the first partition, as Ventoy recursively searches for all files on that partition.
In this instance, we’ve copied ISOs for 6 popular Linux distros: Fedora, Ubuntu, Mint, MX, Elementary OS and openSUSE. The vast majority of Linux distributions are supported.
Booting from the USB drive presents the following menu in the program’s list view.
Pressing F3 changes to the program’s TreeView. In this mode, Ventoy lists the directories, subdirectories and ISO files in a tree view according to their location.
There’s a good range of features including:
- Directly boot from ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(x)/EFI file, no extraction is necessary.
- Legacy + UEFI supported.
- Support for UEFI Secure Boot, Persistence, MBR and GPT partition style.
- Not just support for ISOs (including ISOs larger than 4GB). The software also supports WIM, IMG, VHX(x), and EFI.WIM files.
- Auto installation.
- File injection.
- Native boot menu style for Legacy & UEFI. x86 Legacy BIOS and amd64 UEFI are supported in the same way.
- Not only boot but also complete installation process.
- Linux vDisk boot supported (vdi/vhd/raw).
- “Ventoy Compatible” concept. This is a concept introduced by the author of the program, and describes a distro that doesn’t require a manual ‘hook’ before boot.
- Plugin Framework which is used to customize and enhance the software.
- Menu Alias/Menu Style/Customized Menu.
- USB drive write-protected.
- USB normal use unaffected.
- Data nondestructive during version upgrade.
- No need to update Ventoy when a new distro is released.
Pages in this article:
Page 1 – Introduction / Installation
Page 2 – In Operation
Page 3 – Summary
Complete list of articles in this series:
| Essential System Tools | |
|---|---|
| Alacritty | Innovative, hardware-accelerated terminal emulator |
| BleachBit | System cleaning software. Quick and easy way to service your computer |
| bottom | Graphical process/system monitor for the terminal |
| btop++ | Monitor usage and stats for CPU, memory, disks, network and processes |
| catfish | Versatile file searching software |
| Clonezilla | Partition and disk cloning software |
| CPU-X | System profiler with both a GUI and text-based |
| Czkawka | Find duplicate files, big files, empty files, similar images, and much more |
| ddrescue | Data recovery tool, retrieving data from failing drives as safely as possible |
| dust | More intuitive version of du written in Rust |
| f3 | Detect and fix counterfeit flash storage |
| Fail2ban | Ban hosts that cause multiple authentication errors |
| fdupes | Find or delete duplicate files |
| Firejail | Restrict the running environment of untrusted applications |
| Glances | Cross-platform system monitoring tool written in Python |
| GParted | Resize, copy, and move partitions without data |
| GreenWithEnvy | NVIDIA graphics card utility |
| gtop | System monitoring dashboard |
| gWakeOnLAN | Turn machines on through Wake On LAN |
| hyperfine | Command-line benchmarking tool |
| HyFetch | System information tool written in Python |
| inxi | Command-line system information tool that's a time-saver for everyone |
| journalctl | Query and display messages from the journal |
| kmon | Manage Linux kernel modules with this text-based tool |
| Krusader | Advanced, twin-panel (commander-style) file manager |
| Nmap | Network security tool that builds a "map" of the network |
| nmon | Systems administrator, tuner, and benchmark tool |
| nnn | Portable terminal file manager that's amazingly frugal |
| pet | Simple command-line snippet manager |
| Pingnoo | Graphical representation for traceroute and ping output |
| ps_mem | Accurate reporting of software's memory consumption |
| SMC | Multi-featured system monitor written in Python |
| Timeshift | Reliable system restore tool |
| QDirStat | Qt-based directory statistics |
| QJournalctl | Graphical User Interface for systemd’s journalctl |
| TLP | Must-have tool for anyone running Linux on a notebook |
| Unison | Console and graphical file synchronization software |
| VeraCrypt | Strong disk encryption software |
| Ventoy | Create bootable USB drive for ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD(x), EFI files |
| WTF | Personal information dashboard for your terminal |