ventoy

Install Ventoy to a specific drive with the defaults

$ sudo ventoy -i [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -i -g [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -i -g -S -L [LABEL_NAME] [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -i -r [SIZE_MB] [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -I [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -u [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -l [/dev/sdX]

$ sudo ventoy -i -n [/dev/sdX]

The `ventoy` command is typically invoked via a script like Ventoy2Disk.sh.

Ventoy2Disk.sh [OPTION]... /dev/sdX
Ventoy2Disk.sh -l
Ventoy2Disk.sh -v

-l, --list
    Lists all available USB devices detected by the system, useful for identifying the target drive.

-i, --install
    Installs Ventoy to the specified device (e.g., /dev/sdb). Warning: all data on the target device will be lost.

-u, --update
    Updates an existing Ventoy installation on the specified device. User data in the first partition is usually preserved, but the Ventoy core files are refreshed.

-r SIZE, --reserve SIZE
    Reserves a specified amount of space (e.g., -r 32M for 32MB) at the end of the Ventoy disk. This space will be unallocated or can be used for a separate data partition.

-g, --gpt
    Forces the use of GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition style for the Ventoy drive. The default is MBR.

-M, --mbr
    Forces the use of MBR (Master Boot Record) partition style for the Ventoy drive. This is typically the default.

-s, --secure
    Enables Secure Boot support for the Ventoy installation. May require manual enrollment of MOK (Machine Owner Key) on some systems.

-F, --force
    Proceeds with installation or update without requesting user confirmation. Use with extreme caution.

-v, --version
    Displays the current Ventoy version number.

Ventoy is an open-source tool designed to create a bootable USB drive without the need to format the drive repeatedly. Unlike traditional methods where each ISO requires a separate drive or re-formatting, Ventoy allows you to simply copy multiple ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD(x), or EFI files directly to the USB drive after installation. When booted, Ventoy presents a menu of all detected bootable files, letting you choose which one to start. This significantly streamlines the process of testing various operating systems, installing different Linux distributions, or using multiple utility disks from a single portable device. It supports both MBR and GPT partition styles, UEFI and Legacy BIOS booting, and offers a straightforward command-line interface for installation and updates on Linux systems, alongside a graphical user interface for ease of use. Its key advantage lies in its "boot-from-file" approach, eliminating the extraction or burning process for each image.

Data Loss: Installing Ventoy to a drive will irrevocably erase all existing data on that drive. Always double-check the target device (e.g., /dev/sdb) before proceeding.
Device Naming: Ensure you correctly identify the target USB device (e.g., /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc) as using the wrong device name can lead to data loss on a system drive.
Secure Boot: While Ventoy supports Secure Boot, some systems might require manual enrollment of Ventoy's MOK (Machine Owner Key) or temporarily disabling Secure Boot if issues arise.
Performance: The boot speed can depend on the USB drive's speed and the size/type of the ISO files. For optimal performance, use a fast USB 3.0/3.1 drive.

Ventoy supports an extremely wide range of bootable files including ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD(x), and EFI files. It's compatible with over 1100 different operating system images, covering most Linux distributions, Windows installers, and various utility disks.

Ventoy itself doesn't offer persistent storage for the OS images by default. If you need persistence (e.g., to save changes made to a live Linux OS), you typically need to create an additional data partition on the Ventoy drive and use a distribution that supports persistence on that partition, or utilize Ventoy's official persistence plugin feature which allows creating a persistence image file.

Ventoy was first released in April 2020 by LongPao and quickly gained popularity due to its innovative "boot-from-file" approach. Before Ventoy, users typically relied on tools like Rufus (Windows) or dd (Linux) which required writing a single ISO to a USB, necessitating reformatting for each new image. Ventoy revolutionized this by creating a persistent boot environment on the USB drive, allowing users to simply copy and paste multiple ISOs without reformatting. This simplification addressed a common pain point for IT professionals, system administrators, and enthusiasts, cementing its place as a go-to tool for multi-boot USB creation. Its development continues with regular updates adding support for new bootable formats and addressing compatibility issues.

dd(1), fdisk(8), gparted(8), mkfs(8), lsblk(8)