Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stick?

User discussion and information resource forum for BootIt Bare Metal and BootIt UEFI
Post Reply
Leeteq
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:31 pm

Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stick?

Post by Leeteq »

Hi, it is possible to have both BTBM and Linux Live boot disk on the same USB, so that when booting from it, you get to choose which one you want to boot? (BTBM or Linux)
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3596
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stick?

Post by TeraByte Support »

if you partition it then you can install BIBM to it and use it that way.

"Leeteq" wrote in message news:7166@public.bootitbm...

Hi, it is possible to have both BTBM and Linux Live boot disk on the same
USB, so that when booting from it, you get to choose which one you want to
boot? (BTBM or Linux)

Leeteq
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:31 pm

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by Leeteq »

Hi, thanks for the quick answer.
What you describe is the way to install linux and BTBM manually.

Bear in mind that this will be a "Linux Live USB" key..:

The process of making a Linux Live key is to use "Startup Disk creator" in Linux and create the USB key from an .ISO file. That process deletes the whole USB key, and installs a bootable Linux from on _one_ partition.

Since we will have to repeatedly re-install new, updated Linux Live ISOs, which each time will erase the whole USB key, it is too much work to need to do what you suggest.

And how to actually "install" / get BTBM onto such a key without deleting its content after it has been set up as a Linux Live USB stick?
(Cannot use the makedisk program, obviously.)
I am not sure if it is possible to install BTBM from a CD into a USB key, while booting from the CD to get the BTBM installer going?
And if that is somewhat possible, and safe - without the risk of touching the MBR of the main hard drive...(?) - would it be possible to install BTBM into the MBR of the usb stick?
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by Brian K »

Leeteq,

You could use a Grub4DOS UFD and put both ISOs in the partition. Easy.
Leeteq
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:31 pm

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by Leeteq »

Brian K wrote:
> Leeteq,
>
> You could use a Grub4DOS UFD and put both ISOs in the partition. Easy.

Yes, well, that may be interesting in some situations, and potentially in this one if it turns out to be impossible to achieve the desired flexibility.
Is it correct to assume that booting ISOs with Grup4DOS UFD would mean a "read-only" environment where the changes and configuration done in each session would be lost on each shutdown?

I am trying to find out if it is possible to cater for all of the following from one and the same USB stick:
- multi-boot from usb as writeable medium (not read-only state)
- use BTBM as an installed Boot Manager where also BTBM settings are remembered/stored.
- keep adding/updating more/new Linux (and others) boot "ISO's" WITHOUT having to reformat the whole drive or set up everything from scratch each time...
- use BTBM partition tools to do partitioning work for both Linux and Windows (vista + 7 + 8...) - also on new systems that use UEFI etc...

If this is not possible, I would like to learn exactly where the limitations are, what are the dilemmas and conflicting interest areas where we have to choose one or the other, and which are the consequences of these choices.

Until now I have thought it to be "too risky" to start using BootIT's support for 4+ partitions, but I am increasingly curious about when that solution can be regarded as "mature" and more useful than the drawbacks of not adhering to an established standard such as the max-4 main partitions system.
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by Brian K »

Leeteq wrote:

> Until now I have thought it to be "too risky" to start using BootIT's
> support for 4+ partitions, but I am increasingly curious about when that solution can
> be regarded as "mature" and more useful than the drawbacks of not adhering
> to an established standard such as the max-4 main partitions system.

It's been "mature" for many years.
Leeteq
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2011 8:31 pm

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by Leeteq »

Brian K wrote:
> It's been "mature" for many years.

Technically speaking, I both think and hope so.

However, my approach is from a perspective of what might go wrong, what chances a person has to fix something that have gone wrong in such a solution if there are no shop or local experts to visit to get a "hands-on" trouble-shooting.
I am referring to the general "market situation" with the term "mature", not only this technical solution.
IMHO, it would be too risky if I go down that road and only have some internet forums as my "rescue" in case something actually goes wrong.
Better then stay within the standard where I can expect to both avoid "extreme problems" and also be able to fix things with the help of local services. By local I mean "nearest city". If such a "limit" is not sufficient to solve a problem, then the solution as a market penetrator is not "mature" yet. (Read: not sufficiently widespread usage. Including: Not sufficient competitors with widespread usage either.)

That said, I would like myself to help spread this technology if it is indeed technically mature enough to not pose a risk by implementing it.
There are scenarios to be understood, though, in order to come to such a conclusion.
By that I mean that I assume there are various things one should not do, various possible combinations of settings or tools that one should be aware of not to use, etc. And without that "full insight", one is left more vulnerable than if simply going with the standard max-4 partitions.

Moreover, I am currently in Europe, and having each country here significantly smaller and the barriers between them somewhat taller (including language barriers), then as of how mature the "situation" is may be quite different than in North America.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Possible to combine BTBM with a Linux Live USB boot stic

Post by DrTeeth »

On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 08:07:10 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
Leeteq disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>Technically speaking, I both think and hope so.

All my PCs have unlimited partitions and never had any problem as a
result.

Caveats: Assuming unlimited partitions 1) NEVER, EVER let another
program or operating system create partitions or modify them. 2)
ALWAYS use TBU products for backup and restore and 3) Do not forget
(like I have several times) that to see/use a partition, it must be
manually added to the MBR.

I do not know if you have heard of ISO Buster. It is a highly regarded
data recovery program and it has implemented the EMBR system too so
will also work with unlimited primaries.

IMHO, 'unlimited' is no more risky than 'limited'.

--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.
Post Reply