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# liveusb-builder
liveusb-builder is a script suite to create multiboot USB stick for GNU/Linux distributions. It's lightweight with few dependencies, and it's extensible and hackable.
The source code is hosted on both [git.wehack.space](https://git.wehack.space/liveusb-builder/) and GitHub.
## Install
You need these packages on your GNU/Linux system to use liveusb-builder.
- udevil: for mounting iso files
- wget: for downloading
- syslinux (recommended): bootloader for legacy BIOS
- GRUB: bootloader for leagacy BIOS if there's no syslinux, and bootloader for UEFI
For Arch Linux users, just install [liveusb-builder-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/liveusb-builder-git/) from AUR.
## Usage
### The easier way: one FAT32 partition
First mount your USB drive partition. I recommend using udevil so that you can write files without as root.
Then run buildlive script as follows, suppose your USB is /dev/sdb and /dev/sdb1 is mount to /media/sdb1:
```
# install Arch, Mint (x86_64 with MATE Desktop) and Fedora 28 to USB
./buildlive --root=/media/sdb1 --dev=/dev/sdb arch mint/64/mate fedora/28
```
### The more customizable way: using a FAT32 boot partition and an ext2 data partition
Partition your disk as follows to create a 500MB FAT32 boot partition, and an ext2 partition using the remaining space, suppose your USB is /dev/sdb.
```
$ sudo fdisk /dev/sdb
Command (m for help): o
Created a new DOS disklabel with disk identifier 0x24c5dd70.
Command (m for help): n
Partition type
p primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free)
e extended (container for logical partitions)
Select (default p):
Using default response p.
Partition number (1-4, default 1):
First sector (2048-30463999, default 2048):
Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G,T,P} (2048-30463999, default 30463999): +500M
Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux' and of size 500 MiB.
Command (m for help): t
Selected partition 1
Hex code (type L to list all codes): b
Changed type of partition 'Linux' to 'W95 FAT32'.
Command (m for help): a
Selected partition 1
The bootable flag on partition 1 is enabled now.
Command (m for help): n
Partition type
p primary (1 primary, 0 extended, 3 free)
e extended (container for logical partitions)
Select (default p):
Using default response p.
Partition number (2-4, default 2):
First sector (1026048-30463999, default 1026048):
Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G,T,P} (1026048-30463999, default 30463999):
Created a new partition 2 of type 'Linux' and of size 14 GiB.
Command (m for help): w
The partition table has been altered.
Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.
Syncing disks.
```
Format the partitions:
```
sudo mkfs.msdos -F 32 /dev/sdb1
sudo mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdb2
```
Mount them and create the directory, and we need to make the directory ``liveusb-data`` writable by the current user.
```
udevil mount /dev/sdb1 /media/boot
udevil mount /dev/sdb2 /media/root
sudo install -d /media/root/liveusb-data
sudo chown $(whoami) /media/root/liveusb-data/
```
At last, make the Live USB (we install Arch and Fedora 28 in it):
```
$ ./buildlive --boot /media/boot --root /media/root arch fedora/28
```
## Status
The resulting USB stick works on QEMU with PC BIOS (SeaBIOS), UEFI (OVMF), libreboot (i440fx, GRUB txtmode) as firmware.
## Related work
You can search keyword ``multiboot`` on GitHub and find some related projects. Listed below is some related work I know or find.
- [Yumi](https://www.pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/)
- [aguslr/multibootusb](https://github.com/aguslr/multibootusb)
- [MultiBootLiveUSB](https://github.com/moontide/MultiBootLiveUSB)
- [Multiboot USB drive - ArchWiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Multiboot_USB_drive)
- [cbodden/multiboot](https://github.com/cbodden/multiboot)
- [mbusb/multibootusb](https://github.com/mbusb/multibootusb)
|
