aol/trusty-boot-key: Set up a flash drive to "multi-boot" OS images from a menu. - Codeberg.org
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Set up a flash drive to "multi-boot" OS images from a menu.
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Filename<br>Latest commit message<br>Latest commit date
Army of Light
60cb83f596
docs
2026-07-27 18:59:07 -07:00
docs
docs, hotkeys
2026-07-23 11:15:09 -07:00
grub
enh: add get-tools.sh
2026-07-27 13:04:07 -07:00
images
enh: tt icons for themes
2026-07-25 21:39:35 -07:00
themes
enh: tt icons for themes
2026-07-25 21:39:35 -07:00
.gitignore
enh: generate-cfg.sh init.cfg, not hard-coded
2026-07-19 18:52:29 -07:00
_config.sh
fix: default res
2026-07-20 20:24:34 -07:00
_error_checks.sh
merge
2026-07-21 16:45:51 -07:00
_lib.sh
enh: add get-tools.sh
2026-07-27 13:04:07 -07:00
generate-cfg.sh
docs, hotkeys
2026-07-23 11:15:09 -07:00
get-tools.sh
enh: add get-tools.sh
2026-07-27 13:04:07 -07:00
LICENSE
A fresh start.
2026-07-13 22:06:21 -07:00
README.md
docs
2026-07-27 18:59:07 -07:00
setup-drive.sh
enh: add get-tools.sh
2026-07-27 13:04:07 -07:00
update-tbk.sh
enh: add get-tools.sh
2026-07-27 13:04:07 -07:00
README.md
Trusty Boot Key - TBK
"Submitted for your approval, a Trusty Boot Key—with all GPL¹ code…"—Rod Serling
Need a "trusty boot key" to load operating systems?<br>A USB flash-drive for troubleshooting and experimentation?<br>Read on.
Once installed,<br>you'll have a trusty drive,<br>where you can download operating system images (usually in .iso format),<br>bootable utilities (memtest86, EFI shell, etc),<br>and carry them around conveniently on a keychain thumb drive,<br>ready for any situation.<br>All available to load from a nifty menu.<br>No more obliterating the complete drive for each .iso file!
What does it look like?<br>(See Themes section below for customization.)
[1] If you're one of those folks that worries about the GPL—no need.<br>This is an application and does not effect other projects.
Rationale
We were quite impressed with the ease of use of Ventoy,<br>but dismayed by its<br>security posture,<br>especially in light of the not-so recent<br>xz backdoor<br>fiasco.<br>No bad news as of yet,<br>but its hard to imagine a better way to install low-level malware across the<br>globe. :-/
While looking around for a "Safe-Toy" alternative,<br>we found a number of projects attempting to bring comparable ease of use to a<br>GRUB multi-boot system on a similar removable drive.
But the projects were hard to grok.<br>Complicated menus,<br>clunky, redundant code,<br>abandoned/archived repos,<br>and tons of info about BIOS this, MBR, GRUB .96, and 16-bit that…
Huh—what is this, 1996? Haha.<br>(A list of tech hitting limits already during the Clinton Administration.)
Support
UEFI (firmware)
GPT partition table
amd64 architecture
That's it.<br>A.k.a. a modern P.C.
Details<br>To simplify development and docs we've removed everything related to ancient<br>BIOS, MBR, and twenty years since we had one of those in the house.<br>There's still a late 2013 MBP running acceptably here,<br>with UEFI and 64-bit support,<br>currently pushing thirteen years old.
If you're a vintage computing enthusiast on a souped-up 486/DX9,<br>fine—this project isn't for you.<br>Otherwise,<br>there are likely free computers offered thru your local craigstlist meeting the<br>~2010 specs listed above,<br>sometimes even left on a sidewalk or trash-bins in larger cities.<br>If you're willing to spend upwards of perhaps… ~$250?<br>One could probably find something more formidable from the last decade.
ARM, R-V?
While it's possible we could support ARM64 or even RISC-V systems in the future,<br>there are none of those laying around handy at the moment.<br>Oh wait, there is an RPi 4 in a drawer nearby…<br>Unsure how to get started on that however,<br>and there's still a lot to do.
Operating Systems
Everything Linux seems to work,<br>although on older images you may have to write some kernel parameters into a<br>support file.<br>We've done that work for loopback.cfg-compatibles and a few very popular other<br>distros,<br>but will need your help for the more obscure ones.<br>See contributing below.
Windows, BSD?
These aren't able to work from a .iso loopback device.<br>Some folks say that creating a partition and unpacking the .iso there works.
Update: Tried Windows 10 and the installer starts up, although with an error.<br>See the customization section later on.
How does it work?
First, we'll help you create a removable drive with a layout like so:<br>╭───────┬──────────────────╮<br>│ ESP │ Data Zone ---> │<br>╰───────┴──────────────────╯
What you see above is a disk diagram,<br>cut in two (or more) parts.<br>(Well, a unit of storage perhaps—they<br>don't look like frisbees internally any longer.)
We can divide a storage device into sections...