multiboot iso usb

grub.cfg

# multiboot iso grub config

set timeout=15
set default=0

# (U)EFI Graphic Protocol
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod font

if loadfont $(prefix)/fonts/unicode.pf2
then
    insmod gfxterm
    set gfxmode=auto
    set gfxpayload=keep
    terminal_output gfxterm
fi

### BEGIN custom menu
menuentry "Gentoo Admin CD (amd64) (2017.02.09)" {
  set iso=/iso/admincd-amd64-20170209.iso
  set cmdline="root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc dokeymap looptype=squashfs cdroot vga=791"
  loopback loop $iso
  linux (loop)/image.squashfs $cmdline
  initrd (loop)/gentoo.igz
}

menuentry "SystemRescueCD (x86) (5.0.1)" {
  set iso=/iso/systemrescuecd-x86-5.0.1.iso
  set cmdline="nomodeset vga=791 docache setkmap=us isoloop=$iso"
  loopback loop $iso
  linux (loop)/isolinux/rescue64 $cmdline 
  initrd (loop)/isolinux/initram.igz
}

menuentry "Arch Linux (x86/64) (2017.05.01)" {
  set iso=/iso/archlinux-2017.05.01-x86_64.iso
  set imgdevpath="/dev/disk/by-uuid/13719501-8776-42b8-bbba-b13a8c6f5337"
  set cmdline="archisodevice=/dev/loop0 img_dev=$imgdevpath img_loop=$iso earlymodules=loop"
  loopback loop $iso
  linux (loop)/arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz $cmdline
  initrd (loop)/arch/boot/x86_64/archiso.img
}

menuentry "Tails (x86) (2.12)" {
  set iso=/iso/tails-i386-2.12.iso
  set cmdline="boot=live fromiso=$iso config
  loopback loop $iso
  linux (loop)/live/vmlinuz $cmdline
  initrd (loop)/live/initrd.img
}
### END custom menu

multiboot-iso-usb.md

multiboot iso usb

create an uefi bootable usb, which boots multiple iso files from a menu

requirements

1. 16gb usb (or enough space for your iso files and grub)
2. parted (or your favorite partitioning tool)
3. dosfstools
4. grub2

directions

1. list storage devices
   • $ lsblk
2. plug in usb!
3. find usb name
   • $ lsblk
     • look for new device
4. partition usb
   • $ parted /dev/sdX
   • create a new gpt partition table
     • (parted) mklabel gpt
   • make a new boot partition
     • (parted) mkpart p fat32 1 201
     • (parted) name 1 boot
     • (parted) set 1 boot on
   • make a new data partition
     • (parted) mkpart p ext4 201 100%
     • (parted) name 2 data
   • finals results should look similar

     Disk /dev/sde: 16.1GB
     Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
     Partition Table: gpt
     Disk Flags: 
     
     Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name  Flags
     1      1049kB  210MB   209MB   fat32        boot  boot, esp
     2      210MB   16.1GB  15.9GB  ext4         iso
     

5. format partitions
   • $ mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdX1
   • $ mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX2
6. create multiboot iso usb
   • mount data partition
     • $ moint /dev/sdX2 /mnt
   • create efi dir
     • $ mkdir /mnt/efi
   • mount boot partition
     • $ mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/efi
   • install grub
     • $ grub-install --removable --boot-directory=/mnt --efi-directory /mnt/efi --target x86_64-efi
   • create iso dir & copy iso files
     • $ mkdir /mnt/iso
   • create grub.cfg file
     • $ touch /mnt/grub/grub.cfg
     • view my attached grub.cfg file