Hybrid ISO

**gatewayasteroid** · August 8th, 2011

There's a quick and easy method of installing Ubuntu (or any derivative) from a pendrive: isohybrid.
It's a tool which is part of the syslinux package.
just install it, then type

Code:

isohybrid FILENAME.ISO

where FILENAME.ISO is your iso file. The md5 checksum will change, of course.
Then, you can just write your modified iso file to a pendrive:

Code:

sudo su
umount /dev/sdx

where sdX is your pendrive device name. Pay attention!

Code:

dd if=FILENAME.ISO of=/dev/sdX
sync

I wonder why the standard ISOs aren't already patched with this. Or maybe they are and I didn't know it?

Hope this helps

**Basher101** · August 8th, 2011

Thanks for this. Although i use the USB creator for windows from pendrivelinux.com. Havent had a problem yet. I never tried it with wine though...i will do so right away and post the outcome

**jerrrys** · August 8th, 2011

is the syslinux package only part of the usb build if installing from a linux machine? if so, then this would not be an option when loading a usb from a windows machine? or am i wrong?

**gatewayasteroid** · August 8th, 2011

Originally Posted by Basher101

Thanks for this. Although i use the USB creator for windows from pendrivelinux.com. Havent had a problem yet. I never tried it with wine though...i will do so right away and post the outcome

Yes, they all work, unetbootin as well, but this one is quicker (if you already have a linux machine)

**gatewayasteroid** · August 8th, 2011

Originally Posted by jerrrys

is the syslinux package only part of the usb build if installing from a linux machine? if so, then this would not be an option when loading a usb from a windows machine? or am i wrong?

I'm not sure I understood your question, but the syslinux package is part of the standard Ubuntu repository, altough it's not installed by default.

**jerrrys** · August 8th, 2011

i think i got my answer. when installing an .iso to usb, using a machine running only windows, this is not a option. thanks

**oldfred** · August 8th, 2011

Ubuntu will be hybrid.

The daily ISOs for the Ubuntu Oneiric development cycle (and all official Ubuntu CD releases going forward)
for i386 and x86_64 platforms will be now spun as hybrid ISOs.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=Hybrid

But since flash drives are now larger I do not want just one ISO per flash drive. So I use grub2 to loop mount the ISO and can have as many ISO per flash as it will hold.

MultiBoot USB with Grub2 (boot directly from iso files)
Basically you just install grub2, create a folder for the isos and edit a grub.cfg to loop mount the isos.
HOWTO: Booting LiveCD ISOs from USB flash drive with Grub2
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1288604
http://ubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org/sh....php?t=1535864

Or you can use a script to automate it.
This is a script to install many ISOs. Some that will not loopmount by installing a kernel and boot image.
MultiBootUSB - Install and boot multiple Linux from Pendrive / Flash drive / USB disk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1518273
http://sourceforge.net/projects/multibootusb/files/
Another: multiboot055.sh
http://blog.p-mt.net/archives/644
MultiSystem Another LiveUSB Multiboot
http://liveusb.info/dotclear/

**gatewayasteroid** · August 9th, 2011

Originally Posted by oldfred

Ubuntu will be hybrid.

The daily ISOs for the Ubuntu Oneiric development cycle (and all official Ubuntu CD releases going forward)
for i386 and x86_64 platforms will be now spun as hybrid ISOs.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...ghlight=Hybrid

But since flash drives are now larger I do not want just one ISO per flash drive. So I use grub2 to loop mount the ISO and can have as many ISO per flash as it will hold.

MultiBoot USB with Grub2 (boot directly from iso files)
Basically you just install grub2, create a folder for the isos and edit a grub.cfg to loop mount the isos.
HOWTO: Booting LiveCD ISOs from USB flash drive with Grub2
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1288604
http://ubuntu-ky.ubuntuforums.org/sh....php?t=1535864

Or you can use a script to automate it.
This is a script to install many ISOs. Some that will not loopmount by installing a kernel and boot image.
MultiBootUSB - Install and boot multiple Linux from Pendrive / Flash drive / USB disk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1518273
http://sourceforge.net/projects/multibootusb/files/
Another: multiboot055.sh
http://blog.p-mt.net/archives/644
MultiSystem Another LiveUSB Multiboot
http://liveusb.info/dotclear/

Thanks for this. I missed that post

**sikander3786** · August 9th, 2011

Here is some further info regarding the Hybrid Images. Importantly, you can create additional partitions in the free space after writing the image to the USB drive.

http://ubuntu4beginners.blogspot.com...sc-images.html