How to Store Multiple Bootable Applications or OSes on a Single Disc

As PC users, we’re conditioned to think of software as something you run from within an operating system, and an operating system as a collection of files that you save to a hard drive, and then run at boot. However, you’ve probably run into some software that breaks this mold: “Live” operating systems, which can boot from a CD or USB drive, and applications that can be run directly from a CD, without the use of an OS. These can be some of the most useful tools at a hardcore computer user’s disposal, but it can be hard to keep track of a bunch of different pieces of bootable media.
In this how-to, we’re going to show you how to keep all of your bootable programs and operating systems on a single piece of media, using free software called XBoot.

1. Install XBoot

XBoot installation is simple: Just head to the project homepage at http://bit.ly/fR7zcz and scroll to the bottom of the page to find the download link for the most recent version of the software. Download the .zip file, and extract the executable inside. Even though XBoot is a stand-alone executable file, and doesn’t require installation, extract it to someplace you’ll be able to find later (and don’t just run it from within the zip archive) because later on it will create new files in its home directory.

When you try to run the executable, you may be informed that you don’t have the most recent version of the .NET framework (see above). Unlike a lot of software, XBoot is not packaged with the .NET installer, so you’ll have to track it down yourself. Fortunately, the latest version of the framework can always be found for free at http://bit.ly/eVxEHT.