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MultiBoot Project

Introduction

"MultiBoot" is a personal project born from my curiosity to explore alternative operating systems like Tails and Kali Linux. The goal is to create a bootable USB drive with multiple operating systems, usable on two different devices:

  • MacBook with an ARM64 chip (ARM architecture).
  • PC with Windows 11 (x86_64 architecture).

The USB drive contains:

  • Kali Linux ARM: for Macs with ARM64 chips.
  • Kali Linux x86_64: for Macs with Intel chips and the PC with Windows.
  • Tails x86_64: for Macs with Intel chips and the PC with Windows.

I used Ventoy to manage the multiboot setup, a tool that allows copying multiple ISO files onto a USB drive and selecting which one to boot from a menu at startup. This README documents the process, challenges encountered, and results. Thanks to the compatibility of Kali Linux and Tails with both architectures (ARM64 for newer Macs and x86_64 for Intel-based Macs), the project covers 100% of macOS devices.

Tools and Requirements

  • Hardware:
    • 64GB USB drive (USB 3.0 recommended for speed).
    • MacBook with an ARM64 chip.
    • PC with Windows 11.
  • Software:
    • Ventoy (latest version downloaded from ventoy.net).
    • ISO files:
      • kali-linux-2024.x-arm64.iso (for ARM64).
      • kali-linux-2024.x-installer-amd64.iso (for x86_64).
      • tails-amd64-6.x.iso (for x86_64).

Steps

1. Preparing the USB Drive with Ventoy

  1. Downloading Ventoy:
    • Downloaded ventoy-1.x.x-windows.zip from ventoy.net on the PC with Windows.
    • Extracted the contents into a folder.
  2. Installing Ventoy:
    • Connected the 64GB USB drive to the PC with Windows.
    • Opened Ventoy2Disk.exe and selected the USB drive.
    • In the options:
      • Chose GPT (GUID Partition Table) for UEFI compatibility.
      • Enabled Secure Boot to support modern systems.
    • Clicked "Install" and confirmed the formatting of the USB drive.
    • Result: Two partitions created (a small one for booting, a larger one for ISOs).

2. Downloading the ISO Files

  • Kali Linux ARM:
    • Downloaded from kali.org/get-kali, "Kali ARM" section.
    • File: kali-linux-2024.x-arm64.iso.
    • Renamed to kali-linux-arm64.iso.
  • Kali Linux x86_64:
    • Downloaded from kali.org/get-kali, "Installer" version.
    • File: kali-linux-2024.x-installer-amd64.iso.
    • Renamed to kali-linux-x86_64.iso.
  • Tails x86_64:
    • Downloaded from tails.net/install, ISO version (not IMG).
    • File: tails-amd64-6.x.iso.
    • Renamed to tails-x86_64.iso.

Note: Initially, I downloaded Tails as an .img file, but I switched to the ISO for better compatibility with Ventoy.

3. Copying the ISO Files to the USB Drive

  1. Issue with macOS:
    • I copied the ISO files from the USB drive connected to the MacBook.
    • On Windows, I noticed hidden 4KB files (e.g., ._kali-linux-arm64.iso) created by macOS as metadata.
  2. Solution:
    • On the PC with Windows, revealed hidden files in File Explorer (View > Show hidden files).
    • Manually deleted the ._filename.iso files.
    • Verified that only the original ISO files remained.
  3. Final Copy:
    • Copied the three files to the main partition of the USB drive:
      • kali-linux-arm64.iso
      • kali-linux-x86_64.iso
      • tails-x86_64.iso

4. Testing on Devices

On the PC with Windows 11

  1. Connected the USB drive.
  2. Restarted the PC and pressed F12, F2, or DEL (depending on the model) to access the boot menu.
  3. Selected the USB drive ("Ventoy").
  4. In the Ventoy menu:
    • Booted kali-linux-x86_64.iso: works in Live mode.
    • Booted tails-x86_64.iso: starts successfully.
    • Ignored kali-linux-arm64.iso (not compatible with x86_64).

On the MacBook with an ARM64 Chip

  1. Connected the USB drive.
  2. Restarted the Mac while holding down the Power button or Option (Alt) key to access the boot menu.
  3. Selected the USB drive ("EFI Boot").
  4. In the Ventoy menu:
    • Booted kali-linux-arm64.iso: should work (to be tested).
    • Ignored kali-linux-x86_64.iso and tails-x86_64.iso (compatible only with Intel-based Macs).

Note: On Macs with Intel chips, kali-linux-x86_64.iso and tails-x86_64.iso would be bootable, ensuring full coverage for macOS devices.

Expected Results

  • PC with Windows:
    • Kali Linux x86_64: functional.
    • Tails: functional.
  • MacBook with ARM64:
    • Kali Linux ARM: functional (to be confirmed).
    • Kali Linux x86_64 and Tails: not compatible (only for Intel-based Macs).
  • Mac with Intel:
    • Kali Linux x86_64: functional.
    • Tails: functional.

Issues and Solutions

  1. Hidden 4KB Files:
    • Cause: Copying files from macOS to an exFAT USB drive.
    • Solution: Manually deleted from Windows.
    • Prevention: Copy files directly from the PC with Windows in the future.
  2. Secure Boot:
    • If Kali or Tails fail to boot on the PC with Windows, disable Secure Boot in the BIOS.
  3. Compatibility with MacBook ARM64:
    • If the USB drive doesn’t appear, reduce the security level in Settings > Startup Disk.

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