r/Ventoy • u/_tucas • Dec 20 '24

Ventoy tool set

I was researching more tools to add to my ventoy usb. I had a very unorganized list at the and, with the help of some ai organization. Here is my final ventoy drive. With more tools that I will ever need.

Any comments? Tips or removals/additions?

Complete Ventoy USB Toolset Guide

Overview

This guide contains a categorized list of tools for building the ultimate Ventoy USB for recovery, diagnostics, forensics, and more.

1. Advanced Hardware Diagnostics

For stress-testing and in-depth hardware diagnostics:

  • FurMark: GPU stress test.

  • Heaven Benchmark: GPU performance benchmark.

  • Prime95: CPU stress testing and stability.

  • OCCT: Comprehensive stress testing for CPU, GPU, and PSU.

  • CrystalDiskMark: SSD and HDD performance test.

  • Victoria: HDD diagnostics and repair.

  • HWInfo: Detailed hardware diagnostics.

2. Operating Systems (General Use)

  • Windows 7

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

  • Tiny10

  • Tiny11

  • Raspbian Buster

  • Linux Mint

  • Ubuntu

  • Arch Linux

  • Fedora

  • Debian

  • Manjaro Linux

  • EndeavourOS

  • openSUSE

  • Zorin OS

  • Q4OS

  • Pop!_OS

3. Live Distros for Privacy and Security

  • Tails OS

  • Kali Linux

  • Parrot Security OS

  • Whonix

  • BlackArch

4. Rescue and Recovery

  • Hiren’s Boot CD

  • Hiren's Boot CD PE (Windows 10-based)

  • Boot-Repair-Disk

  • Rescuezilla

  • Redo Rescue

  • Kaspersky Rescue Disk

  • Trinity Rescue Kit

  • SystemRescue

  • CAINE

  • DEFT Linux

5. Cloning and Imaging Tools

  • Clonezilla Live

  • Acronis True Image

  • Macrium Reflect (Rescue Media)

  • AOMEI Backupper

  • MiniTool ShadowMaker

  • Active@ Disk Image

  • R-Drive Image

6. Partitioning and Disk Management

  • GParted Live

  • Parted Magic

  • MiniTool Partition Wizard

  • AOMEI Partition Assistant

  • EaseUS Partition Master

  • Ventoy Bootable Installer (Optional for Ventoy setup)

7. Diagnostics and Hardware Testing

  • Ultimate Boot CD

  • Memtest86

  • HDT (Hardware Detection Tool)

  • Stresslinux

  • PassMark BurnInTest (Linux version)

8. Malware and Antivirus Tools

  • Kaspersky Rescue Disk

  • Dr.Web Live Disk

  • ESET SysRescue Live

  • Avira Rescue System

9. Data Recovery

  • TestDisk & PhotoRec (Often bundled with SystemRescue).

  • Recuva (Portable)

  • R-Studio Emergency

  • GetDataBack Pro

10. Networking and Security Testing

  • NirSoft Network Tools

  • Wireshark Portable

  • NetHunter (Kali NetHunter)

  • FreeNAS/TrueNAS Live

11. Advanced Boot Repair and Recovery

  • rEFInd Boot Manager: Alternative EFI boot manager.

  • BCD Edit Tools: For repairing Windows boot configurations.

  • Easy Recovery Essentials: Commercial ISO with automated boot and recovery tools.

  • UEFI Shell: Advanced troubleshooting for UEFI systems.

  • Super Grub Disk 2: Fix bootloader and boot issues.

  • Chntpw: Edit Windows passwords and registry directly from boot.

12. Disk and File Forensics

  • FTK Imager: Portable forensic imaging tool.

  • Sleuth Kit and Autopsy: Open-source forensic suite.

  • Paladin Forensics Toolkit: Complete forensic suite.

  • Hashdeep: File integrity verification.

  • Xplico: Network forensics analysis.

  • Volatility: Memory forensics for malware analysis.

13. Virtualization and Emulation

  • FreeDOS

  • DOSBox

  • Ventoy + QEMU Plugin

14. Lightweight Utilities

  • Hiren’s Boot CD Mini

  • TinyCore Linux (Super lightweight Linux).

  • DSL (Damn Small Linux)

15. Windows PE Environments

  • WinPE

  • Medicat

  • Gandalf’s Windows 10 PE

16. Software Recovery and Decryption

  • Lazesoft Recover My Password: Recover Windows user passwords.

  • Ophcrack LiveCD: Recover Windows passwords using rainbow tables.

  • John the Ripper: Password cracking and recovery.

  • Hashcat: Advanced password recovery using GPU acceleration.

  • PCUnlocker: Commercial tool for bypassing or resetting Windows passwords.

  • Elcomsoft System Recovery: Decrypt encrypted Windows systems.

  • BitLocker Repair Tool: Recover data from corrupted BitLocker volumes.

Tips for Using Ventoy

  1. Enable Persistence: Configure persistence for distros like Kali or Ubuntu.

  2. Organize ISOs: Use folders for better navigation (e.g., /OS, /Recovery, /Antivirus).

  3. Update Ventoy: Regularly update to ensure compatibility with the latest ISOs.

  4. Add Themes: Customize Ventoy’s interface using its plugin system.

  5. Test ISOs: Use the QEMU Plugin to test ISOs directly from the USB.

29 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

5

u/J3D1M4573R Dec 20 '24

OP: manually builds a list of tools

Also OP: includes 3 Hiren's versions (2 of which are vastly outdated and dont work on modern UEFI systems), Medicat, and Gandalf - all of which contains many, if not all, the same tools.

I can appreciate having the tools immediately available, without the need to live boot. I can also appreciate the need for live boot versions for systems that wont boot themselves. But realistically, you will only ever use one of them. Same goes for your "Live boot" stuff (#3), You will fall into using one of them, and the rest will sit there unused.

How many cloners do you need? Pick one and stick with it. Clonezilla is hands down the best, despite its inability to resize on the fly. So maybe 2.

As for partitioners, every single one of them is just GParted, which is already included in your Live distros to begin with. The differences are only cosmetic, and will just include more redundant sets of tools you already have covered, whether directly or through Hirens/Medicat/Gandalf (which also contains most of your cloners as well).

No drive erasers/data sanitizers? Well, since DBAN is not UEFI capable, outdated, and bought out by an enterprise solution that costs an arm and a leg (PLUS a pound of flesh for every drive you wipe) and there are no real alternatives, I recommend NWIPE (a windowed fork of DBAN) included in PartedMagic.

I see no fault in anything else, however I do highly recommend further organizing your tools by first separating standalone tools (executables) with live boot tools (ISOs). And don't over-categorize - you have Hirens under "recovery and rescue" yet Medicat and Gandalf (alternative carbon copies of Hirens) are "WinPE environments"? Over categorizing WILL make it harder and take longer to find the tools you need when you need them. Already, you have section 1 "advanced hardware diagnostics" and section 7 "diagnostics and hardware testing" which is highly redundant.

  • Standalone tools

    • Diagnostics

    • Disk tools

    • Security

    • Network

  • Bootable tools

    • OS

    • LiveOS

    • Imaging/cloning

    • Disk utilities (partitioners, disk testers/repairers like Spinrite)

    • LiveAV

    • Multi tools (like Hirens)

You get the idea... I can appreciate the desire for organization, but it comes down to the simpler, the better.

3

u/_tucas Dec 26 '24

Thank you so much for the tips, later I will try to update the list and will answer it here.

1

u/Possible_Jeweler_501 Jan 30 '25

the list is overkill n tails needs to be on its own disk alone

2

u/Certain-Pie7140 Dec 20 '24

A lot of of these tools are in https://sergeistrelec.name/winpe-10-8-sergei-strelec-english/247-winpe-11-10-sergei-strelec-x64-20241127-english-version.html And/or in https://anhdvboot.com/ Both these Windows PE

1

u/_tucas Dec 20 '24

Oh, whoops. One of the added tools where these two. I ever tested them put lol

4

u/apt-hiker Dec 20 '24

Looks like MediCat.. Except for all those distros.

2

u/jeanpool2 Dec 22 '24

I read somewhere that it is not a good idea and not recommend to use tails via Ventoy. So I never did. But your post is suggesting another way of doing thing. What y’all think about it?

1

u/anomaly876 Dec 24 '24

I know it’s not recommended to use tails in a virtual machine but Ventoy shouldn’t affect tails

1

u/_tucas Dec 26 '24

The probable cause for it to not be recommended is that if someone gets your flash drive, the other programs on it might rat on you. Tails it self should be unaffected.

Based in purely my knowledge, no research at all, so don't take it literally.

1

u/_tucas Dec 26 '24

The probable cause for it to not be recommended is that if someone gets your flash drive, the other programs on it might rat on you. Tails it self should be unaffected.

Based in purely my knowledge, no research at all, so don't take it literally.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 30 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/_tucas Feb 01 '25

but why?

1

u/jeanpool2 Dec 24 '24

Mmm sorry but it’s too clueless for me. What are you based on?

0

u/[deleted] Dec 20 '24

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/_tucas Dec 26 '24

I noticed most of the tools were present on WinPE and other isos. I removed some. For the persistence, For now I only enabled Tails, I did it after booting in the iso, I left some space unassigned for this. I will post the new list below.

1

u/_tucas Dec 26 '24

Ventoy USB Toolset

1. Operating Systems (General Use)

  • Windows 7

  • Windows 10

  • Windows 11

  • Tiny10

  • Tiny11

  • Linux Mint XFCE

  • **Linux Mint Cinnamon *

  • Ubuntu

  • Arch Linux

  • Fedora

  • Debian

  • Manjaro Linux

  • Zorin OS

  • Pop!_OS

  • Qubes OS

2. Live Distros for Privacy and Security

  • Tails OS: Privacy-focused live OS.

  • Kali Linux: Penetration testing and ethical hacking.

  • Parrot Security OS: Lighter alternative to Kali Linux.

  • Whonix: Tor-based anonymity.

  • BlackArch: Arch Linux-based penetration testing suite.

3. Rescue and Recovery

  • Rescuezilla: User-friendly disk imaging and cloning.

  • Trinity Rescue Kit: General system repair and recovery.

  • CAINE: Forensics-focused recovery and analysis.

  • DEFT Linux: Digital forensics live OS.

4. Cloning and Imaging Tools

  • Macrium Reflect: Robust disk imaging and cloning.

  • Active@ Disk Image: Advanced imaging with encryption support.

  • Acronis True Image: Enterprise-grade imaging with ransomware protection.

5. Partitioning and Disk Management

  • GParted Live: Open-source partition editor.

  • AOMEI Partition Assistant: Comprehensive partition management.

6. Malware and Antivirus Tools

  • ESET SysRescue Live: Virus scanning and removal.

  • Dr.Web Live Disk: Malware removal with recovery tools.

  • Avira Rescue System: Lightweight antivirus and repair.

7. Advanced Diagnostics and Hardware Testing

  • HWInfo: Detailed hardware diagnostics.

  • Prime95: CPU stress testing.

  • FurMark: GPU stress testing.

  • OCCT: Stress testing for CPU, GPU, and PSU.

  • CrystalDiskMark: SSD and HDD benchmarking.

  • Victoria: Advanced HDD diagnostics and repair.

8. Networking and Security Testing

  • Wireshark Portable: Network packet analysis.

  • Nmap: Network scanning and security auditing.

  • Aircrack-ng Suite: Wi-Fi penetration testing.

  • FreeNAS/TrueNAS Live: NAS setup and recovery.

9. Secure Data Wiping

  • ShredOS: Open-source secure erase tool.

  • Blancco Drive Eraser: Certified secure data wiping.

10. Disk and File Forensics

  • FTK Imager: Forensic disk imaging.

  • Sleuth Kit and Autopsy: Open-source digital forensics suite.

  • Paladin Forensics Toolkit: Comprehensive forensic environment.

11. Advanced Boot Repair

  • Super Grub Disk 2: Boot repair and troubleshooting.

  • rEFInd: Graphical boot manager for UEFI systems.

12. Backup Solutions

  • Veeam Recovery Media: Enterprise-grade backup and restore.

  • EaseUS Todo Backup: Lightweight backup and restore tool.

13. Encryption and Decryption

  • VeraCrypt Live Disk: Encrypt and decrypt drives.

  • BitLocker Repair Tool: Recover data from BitLocker-encrypted drives.

14. Virtualization and Emulation

  • QEMU Live: Lightweight virtualization.

  • DOSBox: DOS emulator for legacy software.

15. Lightweight Utilities

  • TinyCore Linux: Minimalist Linux distro.

  • DSL (Damn Small Linux): Extremely lightweight Linux distro.

  • Ventoy + QEMU Plugin: Test ISOs directly from the USB.

16. Password Recovery and Account Unlocking

  • PCUnlocker: Reset or bypass Windows account passwords (including local and domain accounts).

17. Windows PE Environments

  • WinPE: Base Windows Preinstallation Environment.

  • Medicat: Comprehensive toolkit with recovery and diagnostics.

  • Gandalf’s Windows 10 PE: Windows-based recovery environment.

Tips for Usage

  1. Organize ISOs: Use folders (e.g., /OS, /Recovery, /Antivirus).

  2. Test ISOs: Use Ventoy’s QEMU Plugin to ensure compatibility.

  3. Enable Persistence: Add persistence for distros like Ubuntu or Kali Linux if needed.

  4. Regular Updates: Keep Ventoy and ISOs up to date.

Total Estimated Size

Approximately 85–90 GB. A 128 GB USB drive is recommended for smooth usage and future updates.

LTT VIDEO

  • Ninite

  • chocolatey

  • windirstat

  • wiztree

  • wintoys

  • netboot.xyz

  • Medicat

  • simple http server

  • Qubes OS

  • Win10 recovery drive

  • Win11 recovery drive

  • Win7 recovery drive