Multiple partitions to use the drive for other things

[mortenmoulder]

I'm not sure if this is a Ventoy specific question, but I'm hoping someone with experience can answer.

The thing is I have a robot lawnmower, a 3D printer, and some other hardware, which requires a FAT32 partition with files on it for firmware updates. Just yesterday I formatted my 128GB USB drive as FAT32 and updated my lawnmower.

Ventoy, by default, creates an exFAT partition. No issues there, as all my systems, computers, laptops, phones, etc. can read exFAT. However, if I want to use that USB drive to update stuff like my lawnmower, what would the proper way be then? Can Ventoy read all of the partitions? Should I just create a ~8GB FAT32 partition at the start of the blocks, then create an exFAT partition for the remaining?

Let me know what you think. I essentially want to use my USB drive as an "all in one" stick, that can do everything and anything.

Thanks!

[Steve2926]

https://ventoy.net/en/doc_start.html

Copy Image files
After the installation is complete, the USB drive will be divided into 2 partitions. The 1st partition was formated with exFAT filesystem (You can also reformat it manually with NTFS/FAT32/UDF/XFS/Ext2/3/4 ... See Notes). You just need to copy iso files to this partition. You can place the iso/wim/img/vhd(x) files any where. Ventoy will search all the directories and subdirectories recursively to find all the image files and list them in the boot menu alphabetically. Also you use plugin configuration to tell Ventoy only to search for image files in a fixed directory (and its subdirectories).

Just remember that Windows Format will not format a partition larger than 32GB, so you will have to use a 3rd party app Like EaseUS Home Partition Master.
Also the largest file you can put on a FAT32 partition is 4GB, so some large Windows Install ISOs and Linux ISOs wont fit.

[mortenmoulder]

https://ventoy.net/en/doc_start.html

Just remember that Windows Format will not format a partition larger than 32GB, so you will have to use a 3rd party app Like EaseUS Home Partition Master.
Also the largest file you can put on a FAT32 partition is 4GB, so some large Windows Install ISOs and Linux ISOs wont fit.

Yeah, I read the documentation, and I know Ventoy can do it. Ventoy really isn't the problem here. The problem is, I don't know what the general rule is, when it comes to partitions. What happens if my USB drive has 2 partitions on it, and I plug it into a device like my lawnmower? Which partition does it read? What about my 3D printer? This forum might not be the best to ask, but I'm sure someone else has thought about it before.

[Steve2926]

How other devices access multiple-partition USB drives is entirely up to the manufacturers of those products.
They probably on look at the files on the first partition only - of course, the format of that partition must be one that they support (i.e. FAT/NTFS/exFAT, etc.). So you need to read the manual for each product.
Ventoy is a USB multi-boot manager and loader for computer systems, it is not intended to be compatible with lawnmowers or 3D printers.