You can easily find countless Linux Live CDs online and that too without paying a penny. Most of these CDs are essential for performing various tasks and purposes such as security, system rescue, drive cloning desktop recovery, etc. Along with this, a few Linux distributions work as a bootable CD, but it is not always a convenient option to carry all the data in CDs. Fortunately, you can combine multiple ISO files and turn them into a single bootable ISO image using MultiCD, a Linux shell script that helps build a multiboot CD image. Doing so will save a lot of space and enable you to carry a huge variety of free tools.
Note that the MultiCD can be used with almost any bootable Live CD, including Arch Linux, Debian, Elastix, PING, Mint, Ubuntu, and more. With the help of MultiCD, you can create a bootable USB flash drive, but it will be limited to be a read-only drive. Since most people have a spare USB flash drive in-hand, this guide will offer you details for using MultiCD with a USB flash drive along with some alternatives.
First, we will start by guiding the steps involved in creating a multiboot CD with MultiCD. The below-mentioned steps were run on Ubuntu Desktop 20.04, so can follow as per your system:
Download and Extract MultiCD
Start by downloading and updating the MultiCD. Once done, give a right-click on your desktop and select Run a Terminal. Then, insert the following commands for downloading MultiCD from its git repository:
git clone git://github.com/IsaacSchemm/MultiCD.git
Now, create a new folder and add a name that’s easy to memorize. You can now extract the contents of the MultiCD archive to the MultiCD folder.
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Copy Your ISOs to the MultiCD Folder
For this step, you have to select the ISOs you want in your multiboot CD, for which you have to download ISO files individually before moving any further. Then, ensure that the files you use are on MultiCD’s supported ISOs page. Note that you have to rename each ISO before copying it to the MultiCD folder because the MultiCD script expects files to be named in a particular format. And it will fail to work with that format. If you don’t know the specific file names, you can easily find it on the supported ISOs page.
Run MultiCD Creator Script
After getting your ISOs in order and your disc in the drive, you can move further to create your multiboot CD. For this, open a terminal in the MultiCD folder with your ISOs, and insert the following command:
Chmod +x multicd*.sh/multicd.sh
If it doesn’t work, try running the script as root, and then add sudo to each command and enter your password when prompted. You will then find a new folder named as Build appearing on your MultiCD folder along with the multiboot output ISO in the new folder.
Burn MultiCD To Disc
Now, you have to burn the MultiCD ISO to a disc. Whether you are using discs or a USB flash drive, use the following steps to burn the MultiCD:
Open the MultiCD build folder and right-click the ISO file.
Now, select ‘Open with Disk Image Writer’ and choose the Destination, i.e., a USB drive or a CD/DVD.
Then, click on ‘Start Restoring’ and wait for the process to complete.
Once it’s done, your multiboot CD or USB flash drive will be ready.
Create A Multiboot USB With Multisystem
By now, you probably know that a MultiCD is a great way to create a multiboot CD or DVD. Now, it’s time to learn to create a multiboot USB drive using the Multiboot LiveUSB Tool. Follow the steps given below:
Download and Configure MultiSystem
Start by visiting Pendrivelinux and then download the MultiSystem LiveUSB Tool. Use the following steps:
When prompted, Open with Archive Manager and from the top-left corner, select Extract, and take the file to a location of your choice.
Give a right-click to the folder you extracted and select Open in Terminal.
Insert the following command:
./install-depot-multisystem.sh
In case the installation fails and directs you back to the Error: xterm, run sudo apt install xterm. Once this procedure gets completed, try re-installing the MultiSystem. If the installation succeeds, go to Accessories and select MultiSystem. Then, select your USB drive and click on Confirm. Restart your system if the procedure fails to complete.
Now, begin adding the Linux ISOs to MultiSystem to prepare it to create the multiboot USB drive. Note that this is a time-consuming process because you can only add one ISO at a time. You can Drag and Drop the Linux ISOs of your choice to add to your MultiSystem USB drive. Then, the MultiSystem will automatically detect the ISO and add it to the GRUB bootloader list.
You can also visit MultiSystem’s advanced menu from where you can download other Linux Live environments. After completing the download, drag the ISO into the MultiSystem and start using it.
Use these methods to easily combine multiple ISO files into a single file, save physical space, and access comprehensive tools and operating systems.
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