This tutorial shows you how to install multiple Linux distributions on a usb flash drive. This way, you can enjoy multiple live Linux distributions on a single USB stick.


I like to try out different Linux distributions via usb sticks. It allows me to test the operating system on real hardware, not in a virtualized environment. Plus, I can plug USB into any system (like Windows), do whatever I want, and enjoy the same Linux experience. Also, if my system has a problem, I can use a USB disk to recover!


Creating a single bootable field Linux USB is as simple as downloading an ISO file and burning it to a USB drive. But what if you want to try multiple Linux distributions? You can use multiple usb drives, or you can overwrite the same USB drive to try out other Linux distributions. But neither method is very convenient.


So is there a way to install multiple Linux distributions on a single USB stick? We will see how to do this in this tutorial.


How do I create a bootable USB with multiple Linux distributions


We have a tool that does just that: keep multiple Linux distributions on a single USB stick. All you need to do is select the distribution to install. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to install multiple Linux distributions on a USB flash drive for live sessions.

To make sure you have a usb drive large enough to install multiple Linux distributions on, an 8 GB USB drive should be enough for three or four Linux distributions.


Step 1

MultiBootUSB is a free, open source, cross-platform application that allows you to create usb drives with multiple Linux distributions. It also supports uninstalling any distro at any time so that you can reclaim space on your drive for another distro.

Download the.deb package and double-click to install it.

Download MultiBootUSB

Step 2

The recommended file system is FAT32, so be sure to format usb drives before creating multi-boot usb drives.

Step 3

Download the ISO image of the Linux distribution you want to install.

Step 4

When this is done, start MultiBootUSB.


The home screen asks you to select the usb drive and the Linux distribution image file you plan to put on it.


MultiBootUSB supports persistence of Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian distributions, which means that changes made to the live version of a Linux distribution are saved to USB.


You can select the persistence size by dragging the slider under the MultiBootUSB TAB. Persistence gives you the option to save changes to a USB drive at run time.




Step 5

Click the Install Distribution option and continue with the installation. It will take some time to complete before a successful installation message is displayed.

You can now see the distribution in the installed section. Repeat this process for the other operating systems. This is what I looked like after installing Ubuntu 16.10 and Fedora 24.


Step 6

The next time I boot from USB, I can choose either distribution.


You can add as many distributions as your USB drive allows. To remove a distribution, select it from the list, and then click Uninstall.


The last word


MultiBootUSB is really handy for installing multiple Linux distributions on usb drives. With just a few clicks, I have two work disks for my favorite operating systems, and I can boot them on any system.


via itsfoss.com