I wonder if Ventoy could be used on a partition on an internal drive. Preferably a secondary drive. Now, that would be good.
I don't believe Ventoy can currently prepare a non-USB storage element for use. A Ventoy prepared USB storage element mounts just fine within the System... if you're willing to use exFAT formatting for the balance of the partition which is what Ventoy prepares for its ISOs. Ventoy, for its purposes, will only follow properly named folders and files (according to its specs) when doing its ISO searching and listing. Ventoy won't show anything that's not properly named. In FOLDER TREE MODE (F3) it will follow properly named folders to get to an ISO that may be buried down a bit in the folder tree. It won't show anything else in the Ventoy lists it produces. You can put anything you'd like on the main Ventoy partition and it will work just fine under any Windows System that understands exFAT formatting (all modern Systems do, I believe). Ventoy itself won't see any of that stuff if it's named wrong or there's no ISO at any depth in the tree. So, if you'd like, you can have a fully normal exFAT partition and a special, properly named Ventoy folder (Ventoy works fine ) on that partition that follows the Ventoy naming rules and create any ISO tree structure you'd like for your ISOs at any depth in the tree. I've played with Ventoy named folders at a depth of at least five and put ISOs everywhere. Ventoy only shows the Ventoy folder and any Ventoy named path to any ISO that exists in the tree. It works very well. That'll at least let you use a lot of a large partition space for other file storage. Just remember, exFAT doesn't support a lot of the file properties supported under NTFS, but probably none that you really need or are interested in. On that newly built 500gB HDD mentioned above, I have a complete Ventoy folder tree of the ISOs I use plus a folder full of standard software installers I use from time to time. The installers are used (and run) under the standard Windows operating System and the Ventoy prepared folder is used only by Ventoy (and me when I'm populating/depopulating the ISO groups... ISO updates, etc.). So far so good!
Have you got that in a USB caddy? I guess you can use any USB external drive. But I wonder what the restriction is for getting it to work on an internal drive.
At the moment it's in a USB3 dock but will be in an unused USB3 caddy shortly. I'm sure any USC connected storage device will work just fine, regardless of size... although the usefulness of super large drives may be limited due to exFAT formatting. (see EDIT below) The USB BOOTing structure is a bit different than internal drives, I believe... the Dev may get to it eventually. The Dev is busy at making it as compatible as possible to usable ISOs. Boot to DOS ISOs definitely don't work. EDIT: exFAT max filesize = 16 exbibytes, max partition size = 128 petibytes
I stand corrected... BOOTing is BOOTing as long as you follow all the rules that apply. I only tested it in Legacy-MBR mode but when I prepared my HDD, via USB, to be a VENTOY device, then installed it as an internal HDD... all BOOTed just fine when either selecting the device itself for BOOTing or putting it first in my BOOT order. So yes, it looks like it can be prepared and used as an internal drive... it's just up to the Devs to decide whether this is a function they'd like to support. A lot of folks who do this stuff shy away from internal drive preparation due to the risk of making a possible typo or wrong selection and blowing the internal drive away . I don't think it's been brought up in their Forums as of yet... that may be a good place for the request if you feel its needs are important.
If you want VENTOY to directly prepare an internally (non-USB) connected drive for its purposes. I don't envision a need for this in any application I may have.
Turns out exFAT is the DEFAULT (for best interSystem operation <Win, Linux, MacOS, etc.>) but that partition may be changed (in format) to anything desired (in case you want all the bells & whistles of NTFS, etc.).
Ventoy v1.0.21 Released (September 12, 2020) Website Download (GitHub) Changelog Spoiler: Changes v1.0.21 ]1.0.21 Experimental support for booting VHD(x) file (ventoy_vhdboot.img needed). Notes Add Ventoy LiveCD package(Not ISO version of Ventoy, just used to install Ventoy). Notes Add auto memdisk plugin. Notes Change F5 Debug to F5 Tools and add a menu to set resolution Optimization for F4 Search and boot Windows Optimization for boot atrix and archlinux series distros Fix a bug when boot Debian series distros with preseed configuration. issue #456 Ventoy2Disk.exe doesn't check partition active flag anymore New iso support Memtest86+ mt531b.iso (Memdisk mode) (Legacy) atzlinux-10.5.1-amd64-DVD-1.iso (Legacy + UEFI) See ventoy.net/en/doc_news.html for detail.
Ventoy v1.0.22 Released (September 27, 2020) Website Download (GitHub) Changelog Spoiler: Changes v1.0.22 1.0.22 Add Linux vDisk boot plugin (install linux distro into a vhd/vdi/raw file and boot with Ventoy). Notes Change the check policy when Ventoy is running on a partition which is not created by Ventoy2Disk Add disk signature to Ventoy os parameter structure Fix bugs in Ventoy2Disk.sh for install Ventoy on NVMe disk Fix a bug with error message null src bitmap in grub_video_bitmap_create_scaled Add VTOY_SORT_CASE_SENSITIVE in global control plugin Optimization for boot Manjaro series distros New iso support mAid_v2020-09-15_11-40_x86_64_forgetful.iso (Legacy + UEFI) See ventoy.net/en/doc_news.html for detail.
Ventoy v1.0.23 Released (October 16, 2020) Website Download (GitHub) Changelog Spoiler: Changes v1.0.23 1.0.23 Make VTOY_DEFAULT_IMAGE avaliable in both ListView mode and TreeView mode Add VTOY_TREE_VIEW_MENU_STYLE option in global control plugin Change the default resolution to 1024x768 Pass ventoy runtime parameter to OS by ACPI table Fix issue #521 (blackarch 2020.06.01 boot fail) Fix issue #516 (archlinux 2020.10.01 boot fail in UEFI mode) Fix issue #512 (file with name .iso) Fix Parabola EFI booting (PR #508) Fix a bug when booting VentoyLiveCD iso New iso support blackarch-linux-live-2020.06.01-x86_64.iso (Legacy + UEFI) archlinux-2020.10.01-x86_64.iso (Legacy + UEFI) GeckoLinux_STATIC_Mate.x86_64-152.200726.0.iso (Legacy + UEFI) fossapup64-9.5.iso (Legacy + UEFI) See ventoy.net/en/doc_news.html for detail.
Ventoy v1.0.27 Released (October 31, 2020) Website Download (GitHub) Changelog Spoiler: Changes v1.0.27 1.0.27 New Boot Conf Replace Plugin to dynamically modify the boot options in configuration file. Notes Add an menu to enter Text Mode in F5 Tools ==> Screen Display Mode Fix issue #555 (treeview mode VTOY_DEFAULT_IMAGE ineffective in special case) vtoyboot-1.0.4 release Notes New ISO support 2020-02-12-rpd-x86-buster.iso (Legacy + UEFI) FreeBSD-12.1-RELEASE-amd64-bootonly.iso (Legacy + UEFI) FreeBSD-12.2-RELEASE-i386-bootonly.iso (Legacy)
As new builds are released (so frequently) is it okay to simply install it over a Ventoy (prior-version) UFD?
When you run VENTOY and select a previous VENTOY provisioned UFD/HDD, it will show you what version is installed and ask if you want to INSTALL or UPDATE. Install will blow away your current configuration (all DATA and partitions), UPDATE is non-destructive as far as your ISO DATA partition is concerned (it will tell you that before it does the update) and will update the VENTOY code partition only leaving all your loaded ISOs alone.
It works great but has some quirks which are being worked out. The basic System works fine, but if you use the Dev's Graphics User Interface ("display_mode": "GUI"), it looks nice but causes some issues with certain ISOs. When I switched his interface to the Dev's Command Line Interface ("display_mode": "CLI" in his Ventoy.json file under Themes), all works very well. I think their working on the issue at the moment. CLI works just fine (DOS-like interface using <arrow> keys for navigation). I've also used E2B for multi-BOOTing but VENTOY actually works very well with less issues than E2B for certain ISOs. I've only run into a few ISOs that don't run inder VENTOY, XP's the main OS issue I've encountered... most other ISOs I use work just fine (Macrium REFLECT, Image For Windows, Image For Linux, EaseUS ToDo Backup, Minitool Partition Wizard <Linux & WinPE>, ESET Sys Rescue, Parted Magic, Sergei Strelec's Utility build, Windows 7 & 10 Installation ISOs, A few LINUX Installation ISOs and almost everything else I've tested personally). I've also used a feature which allows you to create the VENTOY FAT Partition and a smaller DATA (for ISOs) partition followed by a larger DATA partition for general use. I've done this when I created a large (500gB) Ventoy HDD instead of a UFD. I've used it as a VENTOY provisioned BOOTable USB disk with a DATA area for backup images as well. The 3rd DATA partition is not really necessary as you may use the VENTOY provisioned partition #1 not only for ISOs but anything else you wish at the folder level for storage purposes... I just like tidier setups, that's all.
Thanks for this @TheRollbackFrog Got these lines in such ventoy.json file and changed just that line you mentioned above to CLI: Code: "theme": { "file": "/ventoy/theme/theme.txt", "display_mode": "CLI", "ventoy_left": "5%", "ventoy_top": "95%", "ventoy_color": "#0000ff" It didn't work. Full GUI is still showing up. I already had v1.0.27 installed in my external HDD with lots of isos. Some customized Windows isos don't boot btw. I think this is the issue your talking about. Then I modified that line then click on Update from v1.0.27 to v1.0.27, same version. Didn't work. Is this the issue you're seeing too? https://youtu.be/34Q3Dv9E9vw
You have to copy the entire Ventoy folder (the one in the Plugin folder), containing the .JSON file mentioned above to the ROOT of your ISO partition. Then all should work... The graphics issue dealing with the GUI interface deals with graphics synchronization of some of the ISOs (scattered pixels) when started under the GUI method. Under the CLI method those sync problems don't exist.
Thanks @TheRollbackFrog I found out I can switch from gui to text mode manually by pressing F5 Tools. Does this have the same effect?
@Mr.X - Just retested the graphics issue and YES, the link you provided above in Post #46 is exactly how the old graphics sync problem is now manifesting itself (no more pixel scrambling, just an undisplayed BLACK screen as shown). If you use the standard offered ventoy.json file from the "plugin" folder and copy it to the ROOT of your ISO partition, the basic System works fine other than the ongoing graphics issue while in the basic Ventoy graphics GUI. If you use the following selection screen to get to TEXT mode, then move back to your ISO selection (while in TEXT mode), all ISOs should work just fine except the ones that just won't work at all... basically no graphics GUI issue. F5: Tools/Screen Display Mode/Force Text Mode When trying to EDIT the JSON file to change the DEFAULT startup mode (GUI > CLI), Ventoy comes up correctly in the TEXT mode and will operate as expected as far as ISO selections are concerned but other F<n> options now have different issues like syntax errors and file format errors and the like. I tried saving the JSON file in lots of TEXT formats (UTF-8, Unicode, Unicode BIG ENDIAN) and other issues occur. I'm looking for a pure text editor which saves files in pure text (ASCII) to see if the saving format is the main issue here AND I'll be in touch with the Devs to see if they can figure what's going on . Basically, a slightly modified JSON file (GUI > CLI) works fine as far as your ISO selection is concerned... just don't expect more at this point. I'll keep in touch...
