Step-by-Step Procedure to Boot Multiple Operating Systems From A USB Drive on Your Raspberry Pi Using PINN

Running multiple operating systems on the same machine is a welcomed feature. It carries many advantages. Perhaps, some of you have tried this with your Desktop, Laptop, or Mac Books. However, if you want to try this on your Raspberry Pi for any reason, you have the option to do that. In fact, booting multiple operating systems on your Raspberry Pi is easy as your boot on your other PCs. You can boot Raspberry Pi OS, Kali Linux, Ubuntu, Parrot OS, Debian, Manjaro, MX Linux, and as many as you want on your Pi. We have covered booting Raspberry Pi with multiple operating systems using BerryBoot in a different post. In that, we used an SD card to boot. However, in this post, let’s see how to boot multiple operating systems from a USB drive on your Raspberry Pi using PINN, a boot loader for Raspberry Pi that allows users to easily install, manage and configure operating systems on their devices.

Why Should You Boot Multiple Operating Systems on Your Raspberry Pi?

Different operating systems are developed for different reasons. Some operating systems are good for running programming languages, some are good for running multimedia files, some are good for scientific calculations, and some are designed to play games. Building a dedicated machine for each one of them would need a lot of space, time, resources, and, of-course, money. 

By booting multiple operating systems on Raspberry Pi, you can gain access to a range of features and applications that are not available in any single operating system. You can easily switch between different operating systems quickly and conveniently, allowing you to utilize the unique advantages of each one. For example, you can boot a separate operating system for programming and multimedia purposes, which will save time and increase productivity.

Additionally, running multiple operating systems on Raspberry Pi allows users to access higher levels of security as compared to single OS installations. This is because different OSs have different security features and protocols, providing an extra layer of protection. Lastly, users will also benefit from the flexibility to customize their system according to their needs. By running multiple operating systems on Raspberry Pi, users can easily pick and choose which programs they want to install without having to worry about compatibility issues.

So, the best solution to this problem would be installing multiple operating systems on a single machine. This reduces everything from space, resources, and money too. The same applies to Raspberry Pi too. 

Overall, booting multiple operating systems on Raspberry Pi provides a number of advantages, including increased productivity, higher levels of security, and more customization options. For users who want to take full advantage of their Raspberry Pi, running multiple OSs is the best way to go.

Booting From USB Drive Is Right For You?

There are several advantages and disadvantages to using an SD card and a USB drive. Let’s see what takes the edge for you. You may see using an SD card to boot a Raspberry Pi in most of the tutorials. Even official Raspberry Pi documentation is no exception. But there is a reason for that. SD cards are portable to use. You need not maintain a separate unit for storage. 

It’s been seen that there is a dramatic reduction in performance when flash drives have been used against SD cards. You may ask how the Pi would perform if you use HDDs/SSDs. They have a track record of an impressive performance against SD cards. Well, yes, you may yield better performance if you use hard drives. But, you may need to bear with additional components like a USB cable for the data transfer hard drive itself with a case for protection. 

Additionally, an extra power unit if the power drowns from the Pi is not sufficient to run the hard drive. All these requirements make this option inconvenient. If you are ready to compromise with all these inconveniences, then you will get a stable, durable, and performance-oriented Pi for your project. Both ways are better in their way, and both of them have their own pros and cons in practicality. See this table which tells the difference in a simple way. We feel this table would help you to decide what is right for you.