Multi Boot Bootable USB (BartPE, Hiren CD, Windows 7)

2StepSteve

2StepSteve

2StepSteve

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After many hours today, I seem to slowly be coming to the end of my tether! So I have resorted to posting here!

I have a USB memory stick. I want it to be able to include: BartPE, Hiren's Boot CD, Windows XP and Windows 7 on this stick and have it bootable.

None of the above have a problem when I prepare them separately on a USB memory stick, they work flawlessly. However making all these play nicely together on one stick is proving to be quite a challenge. From what I have seen so far this is specifically BartPE, it just does not want to play nicely with others.

I have been exploring different boot loaders.

Firstly I tried Xboot - It ended up somehow ended up corrupting my MBR of my local hard drive, I have no idea why.

Secondly I tried YUMI this was nearly a success. But! BartPE blue screens with 0x0000007B. However, I know for a fact my build of BartPE is solid and working, as I have tested it alone with no boot loader and it boots and works correctly.

Anyone have any experience in using BartPE on a multi boot usb stick?
 
Win XP is the awkward one from the list above

I am looking into making sometihng similar, I've dabbled a bit in the past. Once I find a good way, I'll update this thread (unless someone else does sooner)

The bartPE may be awkward too, unless it's the Vista/7 one
 
I was thinking about switching to the Vista/7 one. However, I was under the impression that this could be a problem for me, as I work with a range of different generation of systems, some with 1GB or less of RAM. I wondered if this might be a problem.

Perhaps I'll experiment with the Vista/7 one.

Ultimately I could just have multiple USB sticks, but it would be great to have all these tools on one stick.
 
When you say you have XP and 7 on there, are they the installation ISOs or do they run as live OSs? If the latter, how do they handle drivers etc?
 
I have the contents of XP and 7 installation ISOs on there which are bootable, meaning I can install XP or 7 on any machine which will allow boot from USB.

I also have BartPE which is a mini version of XP, which runs as a live OS. I have slip streamed various driver packs into the live OS, which means the live OS will boot from nearly any machine with network support. I've added Ghost and GetDataBack and various other useful tools.

There are so many possibilities with different live linux distros.

Maybe I'll write up a guide on all of the steps that I took, it would probably be useful.
 
Thanks for clearing that up. I use Bart PE with DriveImage XML regulary, from a live cd.

Just wasn't sure about XP and 7.
 
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