Stop Re-Burning ISOs: The Multi-Boot USB Trick Every Admin Should Use
Bootable USB drives are indispensable for system administrators, DevOps engineers, and homelab enthusiasts. Whether you're provisioning bare-metal servers, rebuilding lab nodes, or maintaining a fleet of workstations, having a single USB stick capable of booting multiple operating systems significantly improves efficiency.
Ventoy is a modern, open-source bootloader that eliminates the traditional “burn ISO → reformat → burn again” workflow. With Ventoy, you install the bootloader once, then simply copy ISO files to the USB drive like regular files. When you boot from the USB stick, Ventoy automatically displays a menu of all available ISOs.
This guide explains how to set up Ventoy on a 128 GB USB drive using a Windows ThinkPad, copy Ubuntu Server and CentOS Stream ISOs to it, and finally boot and install an operating system on a Dell machine using Ventoy’s multi-boot interface.
1. Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
A 128 GB USB thumb drive (Ventoy will reformat it)
A Windows ThinkPad (for downloading Ventoy and OS images)
A Dell system (where the installations will take place)
Internet access for downloading Ventoy and the ISOs
2. Downloading Ventoy on Windows
Ventoy provides a Windows GUI tool, making the setup process straightforward.
Visit the official Ventoy download page: https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html
Download the latest Ventoy Windows ZIP package.
Extract the ZIP file to a folder of your choice.
In the extracted directory, right-click
Ventoy2Disk.exeand select Run as Administrator.
You should now see the Ventoy installation window with your available USB devices listed.
3. Installing Ventoy on the 128 GB USB Drive
Once Ventoy is running:
Insert your 128 GB USB drive into the ThinkPad.
Ventoy should automatically detect the device.
Verify that the correct USB disk is selected.
Click Install.
Confirm the prompts—Ventoy will format the USB and install its bootloader.
When finished, your USB drive will include Ventoy’s bootloader structure along with a large exFAT partition for storing ISOs.
You won’t need to reinstall Ventoy unless you choose to upgrade it later.
4. Downloading OS ISO Files (Ubuntu Server & CentOS Stream)
Next, download the required operating system images.
Ubuntu Server ISO
Download from the official LTS release page: https://ubuntu.com/download/server
CentOS Stream ISO
Download from the CentOS mirror list: https://www.centos.org/download/
Save both .iso files to your system’s Downloads folder or another preferred directory.
5. Copying ISO Files to the Ventoy USB
Ventoy requires no ISO conversion or special preparation.
To copy your ISOs:
Open File Explorer.
Navigate to the Ventoy USB drive.
Drag and drop the ISO files (e.g.,
ubuntu-24.04-live-server-amd64.iso,CentOS-Stream-9-latest-dvd1.iso) onto the USB.
Ventoy can display and boot dozens of ISOs as long as storage space allows. There is no limit to how many operating systems you can add.
6. Booting a Dell System Using Ventoy
With your USB ready, you can now use it on the target Dell machine.
Insert the Ventoy USB drive into the Dell system.
Power on the system.
Press F12 repeatedly to open the Dell boot menu.
Select your USB device (typically listed as UEFI: Ventoy).
Ventoy’s boot menu will appear with all available ISOs.
Use the arrow keys to select either:
Ubuntu Server
CentOS Stream
Press Enter to begin the installation process.
Ventoy loads the ISO directly and hands off control to the OS installer.
7. Updating Ventoy Later (Optional)
Ventoy receives frequent updates. To upgrade:
Launch Ventoy2Disk.exe again on your ThinkPad.
Insert your USB drive.
Ventoy will detect if it’s running an older version.
Click Update — the process is non-destructive, and your ISOs remain intact.
Keeping Ventoy updated ensures compatibility with new OS installers and boot methods.
8. Why Ventoy Is Ideal for Homelab Environments
Ventoy is especially useful in environments where systems are regularly reinstalled or tested, including:
Kubernetes homelabs
Hypervisor installations (Proxmox, ESXi)
Bare-metal server provisioning
Windows/Linux multi-boot experimentation
Cloud-native hardware and firmware testing
With Ventoy, there is no need for repeated reformatting or “reburning” USB sticks. Just copy ISOs and boot.
Final Thoughts
Using Ventoy with a 128 GB USB drive provides a flexible, portable multi-boot solution ideal for DevOps workflows, homelab setups, and repeated OS deployments. With a quick setup on your Windows ThinkPad, you can easily boot and install Ubuntu Server, CentOS Stream, or virtually any other operating system on your Dell machines.
This setup becomes a valuable addition to any engineer’s toolkit, especially when working across diverse operating systems and hardware platforms.
