Multiboot Operating System Orchestrator

MOSO is a command-line tool for creating multiboot USB drives. It automates partitioning, image writing, verification, and GRUB configuration, with support for Linux distributions, BSD systems, Windows, and more.

Features

• Automatic partitioning, formatting, and device preparation
• GRUB installation and dynamic configuration generation
• Integrity verification via checksums
• Support for Linux, Windows, BSD and other systems
• BIOS and UEFI boot mode support
• Modular architecture for easy extension and customization

Design Principles

Simplicity & Transparency

MOSO is a 100% shell-based tool and does not include any precompiled binaries or executables. It relies on simple, reliable, open-source utilities and straightforward methods for writing and booting installation ISOs. When third-party tools are required, MOSO explicitly prompts the user before using them ensuring full control remains in your hands.

Ease of Use

A single command is enough to create a fully functional multiboot USB drive, with images written, configured, and verified automatically.

Security

By default, MOSO verifies checksums after writing images (unless explicitly disabled). Destructive actions always require user confirmation, unless the --force flag is used.

Modularity & Scalability

MOSO is designed with modularity, reusability, and scalability in mind. This makes it easier to add new systems, extend functionality, and customize behavior without unnecessary complexity.

Installation

git clone https://github.com/nick-redwill/moso
cd moso
chmod +x moso.sh

Usage

./moso.sh [OPTIONS] <device>

Options:
  --iso <system:/path>     ISO to install, repeatable
  --force                  Skip confirmation prompt (not recommended)
  --no-verify              Skip write verification (not recommended)
  --help                   Show help

Examples

# Single system
./moso.sh --iso mint:/path/to/mint.iso /dev/sdb

# Multiple systems
./moso.sh \
  --iso mint:/path/to/linuxmint.iso \
  --iso debian:/path/to/debian.iso \
  --iso windows-10:/path/to/win10.iso \
  /dev/sdb

# Skipping confirmation (for scripting)
./moso.sh --force --iso arch:/path/to/arch.iso /dev/sdb

# Skipping verification
./moso.sh --no-verify --iso ubuntu:/path/to/ubuntu.iso /dev/sdb

Supported ISOs

Family	Version / Distribution	Boot Mode	Status	Notes
GNU/Linux	Debian-based: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, Pop!_OS, Kali Arch-based: Arch Linux, Manjaro, Artix, CachyOS Red Hat-based: Fedora (incl. Silverblue/Kinoite/Bazzite), AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux Independent: Alpine, Void, NixOS, OpenSUSE Leap Live tools: GParted, SystemRescue, Puppy (Void & Debian editions)	BIOS & UEFI	✅ Supported	Uses built-in grub.cfg. Persistence is not supported.
GNU/Linux	Arch-based: EndeavourOS	BIOS & UEFI	✅ Supported	Uses direct kernel/initramfs loading with native parameters (no GRUB).
Windows	Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 11	UEFI only	✅ Supported	Optional BIOS support and Windows 7 planned viawimboot.
BSD	FreeBSD	BIOS & UEFI	✅ Supported	Uses chainloading with the native bootloader.
BSD	NetBSD, OpenBSD	—	❌ Unsupported	No idea how to make it work yet. Contributions or ideas are welcome.
Solaris	Solaris 11	UEFI only	🧪 Untested	Needs more testing. BIOS support uncertain.

Limitations & Caveats ⚠️

• Secure Boot is not supported <br> MOSO uses a standard GRUB setup and does not include signed bootloaders.
• Drives are formatted using GPT <br> Some older systems with limited or no GPT support may fail to boot. MBR support may be considered in the future.
• MOSO performs destructive operations <br> Always double-check the selected device and ensure all important data is backed up before proceeding.
• UEFI support is more reliable than BIOS <br> Some systems (especially Windows) may not boot or function correctly in legacy BIOS mode.
• Persistence is not supported <br> Live systems will not retain changes across reboots.
• ISO compatibility may vary <br> Certain distributions or ISO versions may not work as expected. Please report any issues you encounter.

TODO

• Add support for more OSes (specifically Linux distros)
• Either add a better support for Legacy BIOS mode for certain OSes or remove it completely and stick to UEFI-only
• Add --list flag for listing all available systems
• Add retry logic and special argument for that (--max-retries=<N>)

Contributing & Compatibility Reports

If you’ve successfully tested MOSO with a system that isn’t listed here, feel free to open a PR or share your results.

Found a bug or something not working as expected? Please open an issue and include:

• ISO name and version
• Boot mode (BIOS/UEFI)
• What happened vs what you expected

Even partial reports make improving compatibility much easier.

License

GPL-3.0