Recommendations for bootable ISOs to add to Ventoy

kelper · Oct 31, 2023

Can anyone recommend some bootable ISOs to add to Ventoy? I have added Windows 11 and Macrium Reflect.
I have not yet discovered an easy way to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO. Many utilities that claim to do this are getting long in the tooth - i.e 2012 or 2016 and I'd like to use more recent apps. I have looked at the list on Ventoy.net.

Quandary · Oct 31, 2023

I consider my Ventoy USB a toolbox and have Partition Wizard, Partition Assistant, Linux Mint, and a version of MR for each of my PC's. But MR is the only one periodically used.

cereberus · Oct 31, 2023

kelper said:
Can anyone recommend some bootable ISOs to add to Ventoy? I have added Windows 11 and Macrium Reflect.
I have not yet discovered an easy way to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO. Many utilities that calaim to do this are getting long in the tooth - i.e 2012 0r 2016 and I'd like to use more recent apps. I have looked at the list on Ventoy.net.

You can use native windows deployment commands to do this.

Create Windows 10 ISO image from Existing Installation

How to create a Windows 10 ISO image for clean, in-place upgrade and repair install

www.tenforums.com

Go to Section 5 - rest are not needed.

Say installation usb drive is E:\

That tutorial points to a drive created on hard drive in previous steps

Start from step 5.3 (omit sections 5.1 and 5.2).

Note this step assumes you have install.wim not install.esd on usb drive. You can replace install.wim with a custom install.wim.

You run oscdimg.exe changing d:\isofiles highlighted in red - to E:\ (also omit steps 5.1 and 5.2)

Replace d:\14986PROx64.iso (highlighted red) with drive and path where you want to store the ISO image plus your preferred ISO file name. Lets say C:\users\myname\myiso.iso

Code:

oscdimg.exe -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bd:\iso_files\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bd:\iso_files\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin d:\iso_files d:\14986PROx64.iso

becomes

oscdimg.exe -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bE:\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bE:\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin E:\ C:\users\myname\myiso.iso

You can create a one line batch file to do above.

This works every time and no need for 3rd party tools.
Also works with W8, W10 and W11.

Of course above only work for Windows installations.

Stigg · Oct 31, 2023

kelper said:
Can anyone recommend some bootable ISOs to add to Ventoy? I have added Windows 11 and Macrium Reflect.
I have not yet discovered an easy way to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO. Many utilities that calaim to do this are getting long in the tooth - i.e 2012 0r 2016 and I'd like to use more recent apps. I have looked at the list on Ventoy.net.

Why do you need to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO?
Why don't you just create or download a bootable ISO?

kelper · Oct 31, 2023

Stigg said:
Why do you need to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO?
Why don't you just create or download a bootable ISO?

Because I want to put multiple, bootable ISOs on one 64g USB Flash Drive using Ventoy. this is easier than keeping a lot of separate USB drives, each with only one utility on them.

Stigg · Oct 31, 2023

kelper said:
Because I want to put multiple, bootable ISOs on one 64g USB Flash Drive using Ventoy. this is easier than keeping a lot of separate USB drives, each with only one utility on them.

I use Ventoy myself, but I haven't needed to convert a bootable USB flash drive to an ISO.

There may be a rare case where the program doesn't support ISOs, then you would have to try and convert it, but for the most part, it wouldn't be necessary. One such example of a program no longer supporting ISOs is PassMark MemTest86.

MemTest86 - Booting MemTest86 from CD/DVD

kelper · Oct 31, 2023

I want to put DiskGenius onto my Ventoy USB. It is my choice. I have a bootable version but I am asking for a way to convert this USB to an ISO, that's all.

Stigg · Oct 31, 2023

I don't use DiskGenius, but I did a quick search, and it doesn't appear that it supports making ISOs or optical disks.

Create WinPE Bootable USB Drive - DiskGenius

DiskGenius supports to make bootable USB disk based on Windows PE so that you can recover lost data, manage disk or backup data when system cannot boot.

www.diskgenius.com

Someone else has already asked this question on the Ventoy forum.

Create an .iso out of a bootable USB stick?

In that case, try following the instructions by cereberus.

SIW2 · Oct 31, 2023

I want to put DiskGenius onto my Ventoy USB. It is my choice. I have a bootable version but I am asking for a way to convert this USB to an ISO, that's all.

You want to create a bootable iso file from the diskgenius usb stick to pop onto your ventoy usb stick?

It should be easy. You could use cdimage, oscdimg or mkisofs which are command line tools.

Or you can use this which has a gui. It is in French and I cba to translate it. There is no need, it is obvious even to people who can't understand French.

Run lancer_x64

Select the directory you want to make the iso from ( e.g. select the usb stick )

Give the iso file any name you want

Select where the iso file will be saved to

Say yes you want hybrid bootable iso

Windows iso maker attached below:

cineman195 · Oct 31, 2023

In my Ventoy USB, I have windows 11, Kali Linux and Macrium Rescue and Dr.Parted Live ISOs

SIW2 · Oct 31, 2023

If you want to diy with command line, you can download oscdimg easily using curl.

download-oscdimg.cmd

Code:

pushd %~dp0

rem for x86 inside 5d984200acbde182fd99cbfbe9bad133.cab is fil720cc132fbb53f3bed2e525eb77bdbc1 rename it to oscdimg.exe

curl.exe https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/7/4/674ec7db-7c89-4f2b-8363-689055c2b430/adk/Installers/5d984200acbde182fd99cbfbe9bad133.cab --remote-name


rem for x64 inside bbf55224a0290f00676ddc410f004498.cab is fild40c79d789d460e48dc1cbd485d6fc2e rename it to oscdimg.exe

curl.exe https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/7/4/674ec7db-7c89-4f2b-8363-689055c2b430/adk/Installers/bbf55224a0290f00676ddc410f004498.cab --remote-name

popd
pause

if you can be bothered could add a couple of lines to the above .cmd file to extract the cabs and do the renaming.

kelper · Nov 1, 2023

Stigg said:
I don't use DiskGenius, but I did a quick search, and it doesn't appear that it supports making ISOs or optical disks.

Create WinPE Bootable USB Drive - DiskGenius

DiskGenius supports to make bootable USB disk based on Windows PE so that you can recover lost data, manage disk or backup data when system cannot boot.

www.diskgenius.com

Someone else has already asked this question on the Ventoy forum.

Create an .iso out of a bootable USB stick?

In that case, try following the instructions by cereberus.

Unfortunately that method crashed my computer and it didn't even crash properly!

I got this error, but half of the page is off the screen.

The error message would be 'a component of the operating system is out of date'. I guess this refers to winload.efi

I'll ask on the Ventoy forum when my registration has been approved.

BRAC · Nov 1, 2023

kelper said:
I want to put DiskGenius onto my Ventoy USB. It is my choice. I have a bootable version but I am asking for a way to convert this USB to an ISO, that's all.

Create an .iso out of a bootable USB stick?

Code:

Just copy the boot.wim file to the Ventoy USB disk and boot to the boot.wim directly from Ventoy - no need to make an ISO.
You will need to add wimboot plugin too
https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_wimboot.html

kelper · Nov 1, 2023

BRAC said:

Create an .iso out of a bootable USB stick?

Code:

Just copy the boot.wim file to the Ventoy USB disk and boot to the boot.wim directly from Ventoy - no need to make an ISO.
You will need to add wimboot plugin too
https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_wimboot.html

See post 12

but thanks.

SIW2 · Nov 1, 2023

I just had a look at the code of the windows iso maker I attached previously.

It is expecting to find setup.exe on the root. Copying setup.exe to the root of the usb stick satisfies it.

**************************************************************

I have made one which is just a simple .cmd file and doesnt look for setup.exe

Copy and paste the usb stick to a hard drive. Then run the .cmd file and browse to directory you just copied.

jimbo45 · Nov 1, 2023

kelper said:
Can anyone recommend some bootable ISOs to add to Ventoy? I have added Windows 11 and Macrium Reflect.
I have not yet discovered an easy way to convert a bootable USB drive to a bootable ISO. Many utilities that claim to do this are getting long in the tooth - i.e 2012 or 2016 and I'd like to use more recent apps. I have looked at the list on Ventoy.net.

One possible good iso is to create a standard winpe.iso - this has a boot.wim on it which you can add -- I have this in a vhdx file and on a bootable wintogo system.

WinPE: Create bootable media

Create bootable WinPE media

learn.microsoft.com

As for creating a bootable iso from a bootable usb -- I only know a LINUX way of doing it -- if you don't want to install Linux or use a Linux VM you could try the Subsystem for Linux on windows.

However for those interested :

Type "sudo mkisofs -o /path/to/image. iso /dev/sdb" (replacing /path/to/image. iso with the desired location and name of your ISO file and /dev/sdb with the device name of your USB drive).

This will create an ISO file from your bootable USB.

cheers
jimbo

kelper · Nov 1, 2023

SIW2 said:
I have made one which is just a simple .cmd file and doesnt look for setup.exe

View attachment 76151

Thanks! I can't point it at the WIM I wish to use. Here is the directory structure of the DiskGenius Bootable USB. Whichever directory I select, I get the message, ""D:\DiskGenius - Boot\sources\boot.wim" not found"

SIW2 · Nov 1, 2023

rt click DISKGENIUS (D) and select copy

then paste onto a hard drive so you will have a folder e.g. C:\DISKGENIUS

the run the .cmd file and browse to C:\DISKGENIUS

EDIT:

I just made one because your screenshot looked odd.

Very unusual. Normally there is a sources folder containing boot.wim

DG does something different.

instead of a sources folder, it creates Diskgenius-boot folder with boot.wim inside.

and changes the bcd entry to point at it

you will need a different .cmd file to cope with that.

kelper · Nov 1, 2023

Thanks for all your efforts, much appreciated.

kelper · Nov 1, 2023

cereberus said:
You can use native windows deployment commands to do this.

Create Windows 10 ISO image from Existing Installation

How to create a Windows 10 ISO image for clean, in-place upgrade and repair install

www.tenforums.com

Go to Section 5 - rest are not needed.

Say installation usb drive is E:\

That tutorial points to a drive created on hard drive in previous steps

Start from step 5.3 (omit sections 5.1 and 5.2).

Note this step assumes you have install.wim not install.esd on usb drive. You can replace install.wim with a custom install.wim.

You run oscdimg.exe changing d:\isofiles highlighted in red - to E:\ (also omit steps 5.1 and 5.2)

Replace d:\14986PROx64.iso (highlighted red) with drive and path where you want to store the ISO image plus your preferred ISO file name. Lets say C:\users\myname\myiso.iso

Code:

oscdimg.exe -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bd:\iso_files\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bd:\iso_files\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin d:\iso_files d:\14986PROx64.iso becomes oscdimg.exe -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bE:\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bE:\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin E:\ C:\users\myname\myiso.iso You can create a one line batch file to do above.

This works every time and no need for 3rd party tools.
Also works with W8, W10 and W11.

Of course above only work for Windows installations.