Convert Ventoy Stick to ISO?

[Schlumpfpirat]

Hey – first off, absolutely LOVE Ventoy and been using it for a year now.

I recently got an IODD Mini, and was curious if it was possible to convert an existing Ventoy USB stick to an ISO. The main reason is, I have a lot of small *.wim files and *.isos on my Ventoy and don't want to scroll through 150 images on the little IODD screen.

I tried using dd, creating a 1:1 image of the stick but no success. Unfortunately I don't know much about how Ventoy works on a technical level and couldn't find any documentation about it, so I cannot really figure out on how I could modify the EFI and BOOT folder contents either. Any pointers on how that can be achieved? Would be much appreciated.


PS: Any way to get BitCoin Donations going?

[longpanda]

Sorry, Ventoy can't work as an ISO image.
I don't know whether IODD can boot a 1:1 image of Ventoy USB disk. I can do a research if I have time.
Have you tried use dd to generate a 1:1 disk image of Ventoy USB and rename it to xxx.RMD  and boot with IODD?

As the bitcoin, this is my address:  19mZDWzZgzkHCi9YX9H3fYCUuCHq3W6wfT

[-=[4lfre1re]=-]

Hi... I have IODD 2531 and Ventoy works fine... Ventoy install into it as USB device...
Regards... ;-)

[Van Flusen]

I have created a Ventoy.vhd on IODD-MINI with the IODD VHD Tool++.

http://en.iodd.kr/wiki/index.php/VHD_Tool%2B%2B

Mounted the Ventoy.vhd and initialized and formatted it in Windows Disk Management.
Then installed Ventoy into the Ventoy.vhd, formatted the first partition to NTFS and inserted ISO's.
It works great. Ventoy.RMD (USB removable drive) or Ventoy.VHD (Fixed Disk HDD)

[Schlumpfpirat]

@Van Fulsen:

Hmm that's a vgood idea. But the Mounted VHD doesn't show up in Ventoy as a selectable Device

edit: nvm, I found the -U switch for Ventoy and it works perfectly fine now, even tho it's mounted as a USB stick instead of a CD-ROM drive, which involves more configuration overhead in the BIOS and is obv. the reason why people use an IODD in the first place in order to easily launch an ISO by simulating a CD-drive, eh

[GCMartin]

Please Correct me if I am wrong, BUT, but there may be a way to convert the bootable Ventoy image to a bootable ISO.

I have not tried it, but, I googled "How to convert a bootable disk to a bootable ISO" and got many hits. Doing so would mean that the hybrid ISO file that would result could be written to CD/DVD and booted from that device (CD/DVD/KVM) on UEFI/BIOS PCs.

But I foresee a problem: Externally, it appears that Ventoy is hard-coded to ENSURE that the catalog of ISO files is in a folder on Partition #1 of its booting device. If that is the case, the ability for to boot a Ventoy ISO may require some minor change to allow it to search other units for a folder of bootable distro's ISO/IMG files.

If that single hurdle could be overcome where Ventoy would look at attached devices for the folder of distro ISOs, then a bootable Ventoy CD/DVD would find them and present them for boot selection.

There are reasons, although personally I cannot think of one at the moment, for Ventoy's hard-code for distro search.

That is the ONLY drawback that I can envision from having Ventoy be a FULL function boot manager utility capable of initially booting from any media (ie. USB/DVD/HDD/SSD/CD/MMC) presenting a Menu of distro ISOs it sees. Today, as we all know, that ability has been invalidated.

I have tested the Ventoy ISO which will create a Ventoy USB. But, it is going in the wrong direction. The original Ventoy looks like it could address both an hybrid ISO and an expanded search giving it a more universal appeal. This expansion would allow greater user Ventoy use on a MS/Apple PC.

I am sure someone will come along and take this idea for their product if Ventoy doesn't do it.

FYI

[Schlumpfpirat]

I have already tried modifying the GRUB bootloader in partition #2, but I think bootable ISOs in general are only allowed to have one partition (might be wrong here)

This would mean that the EFI & BOOT folders would have to be moved to the primary partition and reconfigured in order to boot using an ISO. But couldn't find the appropriate RFC explaining the requirements and what's possible in general.