Windows To Go (WinToUSB) and Ubuntu Linux on the same USB flash drive?

Sandi1987 · Mar 15, 2023

Is it possible to have Windows To Go (WinToUSB) and Ubuntu Linux on the same USB flash drive? For Windows To Go i use Rufus.

Ghot · Mar 15, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
Is it possible to have Windows To Go (WinToUSB) and Ubuntu Linux on the same USB flash drive? For Windows To Go i use Rufus.

I have no idea what you're doing there, but "Ventoy" is designed to put multiple things on a USB stick.

Ventoy

Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO files. With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk again and again, you just need to copy the iso file to the USB drive and boot it.

www.ventoy.net

Ventoy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Ventoy is a free and open-source utility used for writing image files such as .iso, .wim, .img, .vhd(x), and .efi files onto storage media to create bootable USB flash drives. Once Ventoy is installed onto a USB drive, there is no need to reformat the disk to update it with new installation files; it is enough to copy the .iso, .wim, .img, .img(x), or .efi file(s) to the USB drive and boot from them directly. Ventoy will present the user with a boot menu to select one of these files.

It's like... super-RUFUS.

cereberus · Mar 16, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
Is it possible to have Windows To Go (WinToUSB) and Ubuntu Linux on the same USB flash drive? For Windows To Go i use Rufus.

Sure

1) install Windows To Go on usb drive as normal.

2) boot from it and run following from admn command prompt.

Code:

reagentc /disable

3) Delete Recovery Partition (not going to work on Windows To Go drive). Use minitool partition wizard free or similar.

4) Shrink C drive by enough space to install Linux

5) Boot from Linux installation drive, insert WTG drive and install Linux in free space on WTG drive.

jimbo45 · Mar 16, 2023

Hi there

Be careful where you install GRUB though (The linux boot loader) as it can (or used to) wipe out the Windows boot loader. Some Linux distros now are much more tolerant in that when GRUB is installed it takes note of other OS'es it finds in the /boot area. If you install grub only in the Linux partition then that problem doesn't arise but then you'll probably have to use the computers BIOS / Firmware menu when you want to boot Linux.

If you install GRUB to the main Windows boot partition you should be able to get to GRUB (and Linux boot) from the main Windows boot manager rather than using the computers firmware menu

After installing the Linux system :

When booting --from the Windows boot menu on the WintoGo device --simply choose other device and you should see GRUB in the menu (depending on where you installed GRUB) so you can boot directly into linux without using the computers BIOS menu if that is what you want to do.

Just a warning though -- don't copy the WintoGo system back to your fixed drive as Windows will still think it's on a "removable" device which will give you problems on updating to a newer build.

I believe currently you can only "Clean install" on a "WintoGo" type system -- although Rufus may have got round that -- haven't used it yet.

There might be other work arounds to update a WintoGo system to a newer build though. It can be done indirectly via using a VM or a "non WintoGo" system but AFAIK it can't be done directly from the external device -- if anybody knows how to do it directly --please post !!!!!

Bog standard / "normal" updates via WU work of course. I'm specifically thinking about new builds especially major release builds.

Note - if you try and update to newer build from Windows to Go -- you'll probably get this:

perfectly kosher and above board.

Again any offers on how to update an existing wintogo system directly. Easy enough to do it indirectly via a number of steps although this might be confusing and complicated for many.

cheers
jimbo

yavuzemre12346 · Apr 8, 2023

WİNTOUSB DOWNLOAD LİNK

NavyLCDR · Apr 8, 2023

yavuzemre12346 said:
WİNTOUSB DOWNLOAD LİNK

That was super helpful.

Stigg · Apr 8, 2023

NavyLCDR said:
That was super helpful.

That new member looks a bit suspicious to me.
And have a look at the members "My Computers".

My apologies if I'm wrong.

yavuzemre12346 · Apr 10, 2023

windows togo rufus download okay

jimbo45 · Apr 11, 2023

Hi folks
WintoGo and UBUNTU can easily co-exist on the same usb drive -- install Windows first though.
From the Windows boot simply scroll into the next section and ou will get options -- boot from a device, boot from efi file or even GRUB - depending on how you installe the Grub bootloader.

Note my question wasn't on creating a Windows to Go -- that's a doddle -- but whether I could copy an existing non windows to go system to a windows to go partition, re-run the boot manager and then get it to boot. So far been unsuccessful -- however the OTHER way around - copying a Windows to go system to an internal HDD works --BUT BE CAREFUL as then Windows won't update to new build because it thinks the internal hard disk is an external Windows to go system !!! -- I've made that error a couple of times.

cheers
jimbo

cereberus · Apr 11, 2023

jimbo45 said:
Hi folks
WintoGo and UBUNTU can easily co-exist on the same usb drive -- install Windows first though.
From the Windows boot simply scroll into the next section and ou will get options -- boot from a device, boot from efi file or even GRUB - depending on how you installe the Grub bootloader.

Note my question wasn't on creating a Windows to Go -- that's a doddle -- but whether I could copy an existing non windows to go system to a windows to go partition, re-run the boot manager and then get it to boot. So far been unsuccessful -- however the OTHER way around - copying a Windows to go system to an internal HDD works --BUT BE CAREFUL as then Windows won't update to new build because it thinks the internal hard disk is an external Windows to go system !!! -- I've made that error a couple of times.

cheers
jimbo

Actually one trick is to install two EFI s on usb drive. Note: this may depend on pc bios capability - not sure.

1) install windows to go but leave enough unallocated space for Linux

2) make image backup of efi partition, and delete it.

3) install linux in unallocated space. As installer will not find efi (as we deleted it), it creates a new one.

4) restore windows EFI partition.

5) select which efi you want to boot from in bios (can do that on my bios but not sure if all devices assume one efi per physical drive).

jimbo45 · Apr 11, 2023

cereberus said:
Actually one trick is to install two EFI s on usb drive. Note: this may depend on pc bios capability - not sure.

1) install windows to go but leave enough unallocated space for Linux

2) make image backup of efi partition, and delete it.

3) install linux in unallocated space. As installer will not find efi (as we deleted it), it creates a new one.

4) restore windows EFI partition.

5) select which efi you want to boot from in bios (can do that on my bios but not sure if all devices assume one efi per physical drive).

Also a good one !!

However 1 EFI partition is enough. !!! GRUB is quite sophisticated these days. Even Windows is starting to "behave itself".

Compared to Win 7 which most people thought was an excellent OS all current versions of W10 and W11 (at least on my systems) have been far more stable, not requiring mega updates nearly every other day (Windows 7) and run quite decently. Not saying I haven't had a few glitches --running "Alpha" or test software - well you have to expect that.

Nothing though compares with how fast XP runs even on a VM , and W22K server. Both super slick and fast -- although of course on XP no USB3 and security leaves a lot to be desired.

On the whole Ms is moving IMO in the right direction on Windows -- in spite of the fact there's nothing too interesting in the newer builds so far.

I'm getting more enjoyment these days playing with ARM processors !!!

(Installing Linux using an EFI windows created partition -- simply at Grub / bootloader install time ensure that the efi partition say /dev/sda1 is mounted on /boot/efi and simply run your package installer for grub-install and grub-mkconfig (or equivalent)).

The easy way to do that is to run this in chroot -- but this is a Windows forum so look at the documentation for your Linux distro on doing that.

Cheers
jimbo