Creating a Linux Live USB with persistent storage using Ventoy

ventoy-live-usb-persistence.md

Creating a Linux Live USB with Persistent Storage (Linux/macOS)

Creating a Linux live USB with persistent storage is very easy on Windows using tools like Rufus. But what about Linux or macOS?

This guide walks you through multiple methods to achieve the same result using Ventoy.

Overview

You have two main approaches:

• Universal method (Linux and macOS) - Uses a second USB and Ventoy LiveCD
• Linux-only method - Direct install with Ventoy (only one USB needed)

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Prerequisites (Universal Method)

This method is more flexible and works on both Linux and macOS.

You will need:

• 2 USB drives
  • One for the Ventoy installer (LiveCD)
  • One for the actual Ventoy USB
  • WARNING: All data on both drives will be erased! Back up anything important first

Universal Method (Linux and macOS)

0. Download required files

• Ventoy LiveCD: https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html
• Raspberry Pi Imager: https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/

1. Install Raspberry Pi Imager

macOS:

• Open the .dmg file
• Drag the app into Applications
• Launch it from there

Linux:

cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x imager_latest_amd64.AppImage
./imager_latest_amd64.AppImage

• If prompted with "insufficient permissions", click Install Authorization and enter your password

2. Flash Ventoy LiveCD

1. Open Raspberry Pi Imager
2. Click OS → Use custom
3. Select the Ventoy LiveCD ISO
4. Select your installer USB (NOT the target USB)
5. Click WRITE and confirm

3. Boot into Ventoy LiveCD

1. Reboot your system
2. Boot from the installer USB
3. Ventoy will launch from the LiveCD environment
4. Select your target USB
5. Click Install and confirm

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Linux-Only Method (Simpler)

If you're on Linux, you can skip the LiveCD entirely.

Steps

1. Download Ventoy for Linux
2. Extract the archive
3. Open a terminal in the extracted folder:

cd ~/Downloads/ventoy-*/ventoy-*

4. Run the GUI:

./VentoyGUI.x86_64

5. Select your USB drive
6. Click Install → confirm

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Adding a Linux ISO + Persistent Storage

Now that Ventoy is installed, you can make your live USB persistent.

1. Add a Linux ISO

Download a distro (example: Linux Mint) - https://linuxmint.com

Then simply copy the ISO file into the Ventoy USB.

At this point, it's already bootable, but not persistent yet

2. Download Backend Image File

Download images.zip and extract it: https://github.com/ventoy/backend/releases

3. Choose the Correct Image

For Debian/Ubuntu-based distros, use casper-rw images

• Example: persistence_ext4_4GB_casper-rw.dat.7z

4. Set Up Persistence File

1. Copy the .7z file to your Ventoy USB
2. Extract it there

You now have a 4GB persistence file. But needs configuration to be done first.

Set up JSON configuration

Create a ventoy folder in the USB drive, then create a ventoy.json file inside it: /ventoy/ventoy.json

Add the following configuration:

{
    "persistence": [
        {
            "image": "/linuxmint-22.3-xfce-64bit.iso",
            "backend": "/persistence_ext4_4GB_casper-rw.dat"
        }
    ]
}

Adjust the image and backend paths depending on your ISO and .dat file names.

5. (Optional) Expand Persistence Storage

4GB can be limiting, so you may want to expand it.

1. Download https://www.ventoy.net/download/ExtendPersistentImg.sh
2. Place it in the Ventoy USB
3. Open a Terminal window, cd to your USB drive and run: sudo bash ExtendPersistentImg.sh persistence_ext4_4GB_casper-rw.dat 2048

• 2048 = additional size in MB (2GB)
• Example result: 4GB → 6GB total

Adjust the value as needed (e.g., 4096, 8192, etc.), depending on your USB capacity.

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Final Step: Boot with Persistence

When you boot your Ventoy USB:

1. Select your Linux ISO
2. Select normal or grub boot
3. Select persistence with your .dat file

You now have a persistent Linux live USB

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Notes

• Persistence works best with Debian/Ubuntu-based distros
• Not all Linux ISOs support persistence out of the box
• Keep enough free space on your USB for both ISOs and persistence files
• While the universal method can also be followed on Windows, it is recommended to use Rufus instead since it is much simpler
• This setup and configuration is based on the official Ventoy persistence documentation: https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_persistence.html