Series

The Boot USB Stick

One stick for every job: Ventoy with Linux and Windows, your own Debian live image with ssh for rescuing machines, and Windows without a Microsoft account.

Maxim stands next to a USB stick half his height; three beams lead from its glowing port to a disc, a terminal and a sign-in window, and the holographic cat peeks into the port

October 27, 2026 · 13 min read · The Boot USB Stick, part 1 Ventoy Multiboot USB: One Stick for Linux and Windows One 32 GB stick with Debian, Ubuntu and Windows: what Ventoy is, which images to carry, checking sha256, updating with a script and what to do on a Mac. System administration
October 27, 2026 · 9 min read · The Boot USB Stick, part 2 Your Own Debian Live Image: Boot It and SSH Straight In A Debian live image that boots from a USB stick and lets you in over ssh with your keys: building with live-build, the live.local name, pitfalls and security. System administration
October 27, 2026 · 4 min read · The Boot USB Stick, part 3 Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account: Enterprise and LTSC Home and Pro demand a Microsoft account, and Microsoft keeps closing tricks like bypassnro. Enterprise and LTSC create a local account by design. Here is how. System administration