Primary Purpose:
PartBoot is a disk-resident ISO boot manager designed to simplify the process of booting multiple Linux distributions from a single partition. It eliminates the need for dedicated USB drives by utilizing GRUB configuration, allowing users to manage various ISO images efficiently.
Key Features:
Disk-Resident Management: Stores all necessary files on the disk, avoiding external hardware dependency.
GRUB Configuration Automation: Automatically generates GRUB menu entries for easy access to each ISO image.
Multi-ISO Support: Manages multiple ISOs from one partition, reducing clutter and simplifying workflows.
Non-Destructive Operation: Operates without altering existing partitions or firmware boot entries, ensuring system integrity.
Content Extraction and Profiling: Extracts Linux ISO contents and profiles them, facilitating easier management and customization.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for developers, testers, and IT professionals who frequently work with multiple Linux distributions. PartBoot offers streamlined workflows, reduces the need for additional hardware, and ensures non-destructive system changes, making it a valuable tool for those managing complex boot environments. It can be installed via winget, providing a seamless integration into your existing setup.
README
PartBoot
> A disk-resident ISO boot manager for UEFI systems. Boot Linux ISOs from a local partition instead of creating USB drives for each image.
> [!WARNING]
> PartBoot is early-stage software. Test it on a disposable partition first. Do not point it at a partition containing personal data, an installed operating system, or recovery media.
Features
Interactive setup — guided workflow that scans partitions, imports ISOs, extracts boot files, generates a GRUB menu, and stages EFI binaries
Multi-distro support — Ubuntu, Debian, Kali, Arch, Fedora, CachyOS, Omarchy, and other GRUB-compatible live images
GRUB menu generation — automatic boot profiles per ISO with optional diagnostics entry
EFI staging — staged install with --dry-run and --force safeguards
Boot entry management — create, list, remove, and restore UEFI firmware boot entries with BCD backup and rollback
Health checks — built-in doctor command validates the entire installation
JSON output — machine-readable output for scripting and automation
System Requirements
Windows with UEFI firmware
7-Zip (for ISO extraction)
A separate NTFS test partition (16–64 GB recommended)
Secure Boot disabled (or provide your own trusted EFI signing flow)
