How To Install Ventoy on Fedora 41

Ventoy has revolutionized the way Linux users manage bootable USB drives. This innovative open-source tool allows you to store multiple ISO files on a single USB device without reformatting between uses—something traditional tools simply can’t do. For Fedora 41 users, Ventoy offers an efficient way to test various Linux distributions, create recovery media, or maintain a library of installation files all on one convenient device.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about installing and using Ventoy on Fedora 41, from basic setup to advanced features. Whether you’re a Linux beginner or an experienced system administrator, this step-by-step tutorial will help you harness the full potential of this powerful tool.

What is Ventoy and Why Use It?

Ventoy is an open-source utility that creates a special bootable environment on USB drives, allowing them to boot directly from ISO files. Unlike traditional tools such as Rufus, Etcher, or Fedora Media Writer that require reformatting the entire drive for each new operating system, Ventoy lets you simply copy ISO files to the USB and boot from them without any conversion process.

Key Advantages of Ventoy:

• Boot multiple operating systems (Linux, Windows, etc.) from a single USB drive
• No reformatting needed between adding new ISOs—just copy and boot
• Direct ISO booting without extraction or conversion
• Support for both UEFI and Legacy BIOS boot modes
• Secure Boot compatibility with proper configuration
• Persistent storage options for supported Linux distributions

When compared to other bootable USB creation tools, Ventoy stands out for its versatility and efficiency. Traditional tools create single-purpose drives that require complete reformatting for each new operating system, whereas Ventoy maintains a persistent environment where you can add, remove, or update ISO files at will.

For Fedora 41 users, Ventoy provides a perfect way to test other distributions while maintaining your primary system, create comprehensive recovery tools, or maintain installation media for multiple systems on a single physical device.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before installing Ventoy on Fedora 41, ensure you have the following:

System Requirements:

• A computer running Fedora 41 (Workstation or Server)
• Administrator (root) access or sudo privileges
• Approximately 100MB of free disk space for the Ventoy software

Hardware Requirements:

• USB drive with at least 8GB capacity (16GB or larger recommended for multiple ISOs)
• USB 3.0 or higher drive recommended for better performance
• Reliable brand with good read/write speeds

Important Warning: The Ventoy installation process will erase all data on your target USB drive. Back up any important files before proceeding, as data recovery afterward will be difficult or impossible.

Internet Connection:
An internet connection is recommended for downloading the latest version of Ventoy, though not strictly required if you’ve pre-downloaded the package.

Downloading Ventoy

To begin the installation process, you’ll need to download the official Ventoy package:

1. Visit the official Ventoy website or GitHub repository.
2. Download the Linux version (typically a .tar.gz file)
3. Select the latest stable release for maximum compatibility with Fedora 41

For security-conscious users, verify the downloaded file’s integrity:

sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS

The verification ensures your download hasn’t been corrupted or tampered with. Save the package to an easily accessible location on your Fedora system, such as the Downloads folder.

At just under 20MB, the Ventoy package downloads quickly even on modest connections, making it accessible to users with limited bandwidth.

Installation Methods Overview

Ventoy offers three primary installation methods, each suited to different needs and experience levels:

• GUI Method: Ideal for beginners, this graphical approach provides a visual interface that clearly displays available drives and configuration options.
• CLI Method: Preferred by experienced Linux users, the command-line installation offers more control and is suitable for scripting or remote installation.
• Ventoy LiveCD Method: An alternative approach for situations where installing from within Fedora 41 isn’t feasible, such as when working on systems where you lack administrative privileges.

Choose the method that best matches your comfort level with Linux commands and specific requirements. The following sections cover both GUI and command-line methods in detail.

GUI Installation Method

The graphical interface provides the most user-friendly approach to installing Ventoy on Fedora 41:

Extracting and Preparing

1. Navigate to your download location in the Fedora file manager
2. Right-click the downloaded .tar.gz file and select “Extract Here”
3. A new folder named “ventoy-x.x.xx” (where x.x.xx is the version number) will appear

For better organization, consider creating a dedicated directory:

mkdir -p ~/Documents/Ventoy
cp -r ~/Downloads/ventoy-* ~/Documents/Ventoy/

Launching Ventoy GUI

To start the Ventoy graphical interface:

1. Navigate to the extracted Ventoy directory
2. Locate the file named “VentoyGUI.x86_64“
3. Make it executable by right-clicking, selecting Properties, and checking “Allow executing file as program”
4. Double-click to launch, or run via terminal:

cd ~/Documents/Ventoy/ventoy-*
sudo ./VentoyGUI.x86_64

You’ll be prompted for your password, as Ventoy requires administrator privileges to modify USB devices.

Device Selection and Installation

The Ventoy GUI will display all connected USB drives:

1. Carefully review the list of detected devices, noting each drive’s name (/dev/sdX), size, and model
2. Select your target USB drive by clicking on it
3. CRITICAL: Double-check that you’ve selected the correct drive—choosing your system drive by mistake could damage your operating system

Before proceeding, consider these configuration options:

• Partition Style: GPT is recommended for modern systems and UEFI boot
• Secure Boot Support: Enable if your computer uses Secure Boot
• Preserve Partition: Advanced option to maintain certain existing partitions

When ready to install:

1. Click the “Install” button
2. Review the confirmation dialog carefully—this is your last chance to abort
3. Confirm to proceed with installation
4. Wait for the “Installation successful” message (typically less than a minute)

After installation completes, close the interface and check your file manager. You should see a new drive labeled “Ventoy” mounted. This is where you’ll copy ISO files in later steps.

Command-Line Installation Method

For Linux enthusiasts who prefer terminal operations, the command-line method offers more control and efficiency:

Terminal Setup

1. Open Terminal from your Applications menu
2. Navigate to the extracted Ventoy directory:

cd ~/Downloads/ventoy-*

Identifying Your USB Device

Before installation, identify your USB drive:

lsblk

This command displays all storage devices connected to your system. Look for your USB drive, noting its device name (e.g., /dev/sdb). Make certain you identify the correct device, as selecting the wrong one could lead to data loss.

Installation Commands

The basic syntax for installing Ventoy via command line is:

sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -i /dev/sdX

Replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB device (not a partition like /dev/sdb1).

For modern systems using UEFI, add the -g option for GPT partition style:

sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -i -g /dev/sdX

Additional useful options include:

• -u: Update existing Ventoy installation (preserves data partition)
• -s: Securely wipe the device before installation
• -L: Specify a custom volume label

When you execute the command, you’ll see real-time progress information in the terminal. A successful installation ends with the message “Ventoy has been successfully installed”.

Verification

To verify the installation:

lsblk -f

This command displays all block devices with their file systems. Your USB drive should show two partitions: a small system partition and a larger data partition labeled “Ventoy”.

The command-line method is particularly useful for scripting installations or when working with remote systems via SSH.

Adding Fedora 41 ISO to Ventoy

Once Ventoy is installed on your USB drive, adding bootable operating systems is remarkably simple:

Obtaining Fedora 41 ISO

1. Download the official Fedora 41 ISO from getfedora.org
2. Choose the appropriate variant (Workstation, Server, or a spin)
3. Verify the ISO’s integrity with the checksum file:

sha256sum -c *-CHECKSUM

Transferring ISO to Ventoy

1. Insert your Ventoy USB drive
2. Fedora should automatically mount the data partition
3. Copy the ISO file using any of these methods:

File Manager Method:

• Simply drag and drop the ISO file to the Ventoy partition
• Alternatively, right-click the ISO, select Copy, navigate to Ventoy, and select Paste

Terminal Method:

cp ~/Downloads/Fedora-Workstation-Live-x86_64-41.iso /run/media/$USER/Ventoy/

Terminal with Progress (recommended for large files):

rsync -ah --progress ~/Downloads/Fedora-Workstation-Live-x86_64-41.iso /run/media/$USER/Ventoy/

That’s it! No conversion, extraction, or formatting is needed. The file is immediately bootable through Ventoy.

Organizing Multiple ISOs

For users planning to store multiple operating systems:

• Create folders for different distribution families (e.g., /Fedora, /Ubuntu)
• Organize by purpose (installation media, recovery tools, etc.)
• Include README.txt files with notes about special boot parameters

A well-organized Ventoy drive makes selection much easier at boot time. Most modern distributions require 2-4GB each, so a 32GB drive can hold approximately 8-10 different operating systems comfortably.

Booting from Ventoy USB

With your Ventoy drive prepared and ISO files copied, it’s time to boot from it:

Accessing Boot Menu

1. Insert the USB drive before powering on your computer
2. During startup, press the boot menu key:
   • F12 on most Dell, Lenovo, and Asus computers
   • F10 on HP systems
   • F2 or ESC on other manufacturers
3. Select your USB drive from the boot device list

If you’re having trouble accessing the boot menu, you may need to:

• Disable Fast Boot in your BIOS/UEFI settings
• Temporarily disable Secure Boot (if Ventoy wasn’t configured with Secure Boot support)
• Change boot priority in BIOS settings

Navigating Ventoy Menu

Once booted, you’ll see the Ventoy interface displaying all ISO files on your drive:

1. Use arrow keys to navigate the list
2. Press Enter to select an ISO
3. For ISOs in folders, navigate into directories with Enter and back with ESC
4. Select your Fedora 41 ISO to begin booting

Boot Options

For custom boot parameters:

1. Highlight the Fedora 41 ISO
2. Press F1 to access additional options
3. Add parameters like:
   • nomodeset for graphics compatibility issues
   • inst.resolution=1024x768 to specify screen resolution
   • inst.text for text-based installation

These parameters can help troubleshoot hardware compatibility issues or customize the installation process.

Troubleshooting Boot Problems

If you encounter issues booting from Ventoy:

• USB not detected: Try different USB ports or check BIOS settings
• Blank screen during boot: Add the nomodeset parameter
• ISO fails to boot: Verify file integrity and Ventoy compatibility
• Slow boot times: Use a faster USB drive or USB 3.0 ports

Once Fedora 41 boots from Ventoy, the experience is identical to booting from standard Fedora installation media. You can choose between trying the live environment or proceeding with installation.

Installing Fedora 41 from Ventoy

Installing Fedora from a Ventoy-booted ISO follows the standard installation process:

Starting Installation

1. After booting the Fedora 41 ISO, choose between:
   • “Try Fedora” to explore the live environment first
   • “Install to Hard Drive” to proceed directly to installation

The live environment is recommended for first-time users or when testing compatibility with new hardware.

Installation Process

The Fedora installation wizard will guide you through:

1. Language and keyboard selection
2. Network configuration
3. Installation destination (select your internal drive, not the Ventoy USB)
4. Partitioning options
5. User account creation
6. Software selection (if applicable)

For dual-boot setups, choose manual partitioning and create:

• A 500MB EFI System Partition (for UEFI systems)
• At least 20GB for the root (/) partition
• A home partition (/home) sized according to your needs
• A swap partition equal to your RAM for hibernation support

Completing Installation

After installation completes:

1. Restart your computer (you may need to remove the Ventoy USB to boot from the internal drive)
2. Complete the initial setup wizard
3. Update your new system:

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

To return to Ventoy later, simply leave the USB drive connected during restart or reinsert it and select it from your boot menu.

Advanced Ventoy Features

Ventoy offers several advanced features for power users:

• Theme Customization:
  Create a /ventoy/theme directory on the Ventoy partition and add custom backgrounds, fonts, and layouts to personalize the boot experience.
• Plugin System:
  Extend functionality by placing plugins in the /ventoy/plugins directory. Available plugins include password protection, boot menu filtering, and auto-boot functionality.
• Persistent Storage:
  For supported Linux distributions, create persistent installations that save changes between reboots by configuring a special persistence partition.
• Password Protection:
  Secure your bootable media by creating a password configuration file in /ventoy/ventoy.json, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive boot options.
• Auto-Boot Configuration:
  Configure Ventoy to automatically boot specific ISOs after a timeout period, perfect for kiosks or recovery systems.

These advanced features make Ventoy not just a boot tool but a comprehensive solution for managing multiple operating systems in diverse environments.

Updating Ventoy

To update your Ventoy installation when new versions are released:

1. Download the latest version from the official website
2. Extract the archive
3. Connect your Ventoy USB drive
4. Open terminal and run the update command:

sudo sh Ventoy2Disk.sh -u /dev/sdX

Replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB device.

This update process modifies only the Ventoy system partition, preserving all your ISO files on the data partition. After updating, boot from the USB to verify the new version appears in the boot menu and test a few ISOs to ensure compatibility.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with Ventoy’s reliability, issues can occur. Here are solutions to common problems:

USB Drive Not Detected:

• Try different USB ports (directly connected to computer, not through a hub)
• Check if the drive appears in lsblk output
• Examine system logs with dmesg | tail after connecting

Permission Errors:

• Ensure you’re using sudo with installation commands
• Verify your user account has administrator privileges

Installation Failures:

• For “device busy” errors, unmount all partitions before installation
• Check for physical write-protection switches on older USB drives
• Verify the drive doesn’t have hardware issues with:

sudo badblocks -v /dev/sdX

ISOs Not Appearing in Boot Menu:

• Verify files were copied completely
• Check for filename special characters that might cause issues
• Ensure the ISO format is compatible with Ventoy

Fedora-Specific Boot Issues:

• For graphics problems, try booting with nomodeset
• For networking issues, some wireless adapters may need additional drivers
• If installation hangs, try disabling certain hardware temporarily in BIOS

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Ventoy. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the Ventoy bootable USB drive on Fedora 41 system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the Ventoy website.