USB Stick Installs

If you use USB-Sticks as installation media:

Cross-Platform: Ventoy

Ventoy lets you create a multi-ISO bootable USB stick. You install Ventoy once, then simply copy the BlueOnyx ISO (and any other ISOs) onto the drive. No re-flashing is required when you add or update ISOs.

How to Use:

  • Download Ventoy from https://www.ventoy.net/en/download.html
  • Extract the archive
  • Windows: Run Ventoy2Disk.exe
    Linux: Run VentoyGUI.x86_64 (or Ventoy2Disk.sh)
  • Select your USB device carefully
  • Click Install (this erases the USB stick)
  • After installation, copy the BlueOnyx ISO file onto the Ventoy USB drive
    (do not extract the ISO)
  • Safely eject the stick

Booting:

  • Insert the USB stick and boot from it (BIOS/UEFI boot menu)
  • In the Ventoy menu, select the BlueOnyx ISO
  • The BlueOnyx installer boot menu appears

✔ Works on Legacy BIOS and UEFI systems
✔ Supports multiple ISOs on one stick
✔ BlueOnyx ISOs can be updated by simply replacing or adding the new ISO file

⚠️ Important: Installing Ventoy erases the entire USB stick.
⚠️ On first boot with Secure Boot enabled you may need to enroll the Ventoy key (follow the on-screen MOK enrollment prompts once).

EFI / UEFI Notes

BlueOnyx 5210R, 5211R and 5212R ISO images are hybrid ISOs. They contain both traditional BIOS boot code and a UEFI EFI System Partition image, so they boot on systems with or without EFI.

When you boot a modern BlueOnyx ISO (directly or via Ventoy) on an EFI-enabled machine:

  • The firmware loads the UEFI bootloader from the ISO (EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI / shim + GRUB).
  • You get the same BlueOnyx installer menu you see in BIOS mode.
  • No special BIOS settings are required beyond selecting the USB device in the boot menu.
  • Secure Boot is supported by current BlueOnyx ISOs. If your firmware enforces Secure Boot and the first boot fails, either temporarily disable Secure Boot or (with Ventoy) complete the one-time key enrollment that appears on screen.

Windows only: Use Rufus

Rufus is a popular Windows USB creation tool, but requires correct settings for BlueOnyx.

Required Settings:

  • Select your USB device
  • Select the BlueOnyx ISO
  • Boot selection: ISO Image
  • Partition scheme: GPT (recommended for UEFI systems), MBR (legacy BIOS), Target system: UEFI (recommended)

When prompted:

❗ Select "Write in DD Image mode"
⚠️ Do NOT use ISO mode. ISO mode will produce a USB that boots but fails during installation.

Cross-Platform: balenaEtcher

balenaEtcher works on Linux, Windows, and macOS and is beginner-friendly.

How to Use:

  • Select the BlueOnyx ISO
  • Select the USB device
  • Click Flash
    ✔ Etcher automatically uses raw image mode
    ✔ Fully compatible with BlueOnyx ISOs
    ✔ No manual options needed