Is it possible to have 2 Operating Systems booted at the same time. 2nd being live from USB stick?

[aoib578]

Is it possible to have 2 Operating Systems booted at the same time. 2nd being live from USB stick?

Say main OS being Linux, and then you switch to a "Bootable USB Tails" for some tasks, and return to main OS when you want; without having to restart.

Is this technically possible with 1 laptop only? Is there a software, technology or peripheral device allowing this?

This is for work or banking sensitive data, where i want to avoid my activity being monitored on main Linux. Thus usage of virtualization is redundant as if my screens get monitored so does what i do on VMware , for example...

 

[SlowCoder]

I think what you want is a virtual machine.
VirtualBox is cross-platform, and easy for beginners.
QEMU is more advanced with a little learning curve, but overall better performance and compatibility.

 

[aoib578]

I think what you want is a virtual machine.
VirtualBox is cross-platform, and easy for beginners.
QEMU is more advanced with a little learning curve, but overall better performance and compatibility.

@SlowCoder

This is for work or banking sensitive data, where i want to avoid my activity being monitored on main Linux. Thus usage of virtualization is redundant as if my screens get monitored so does what i do on VMware , for example...

 

[Brickwizard]

As far as I am aware, you can only boot one OS at a time,

 

[SlowCoder]

Your questionable reasoning aside ...
If you're concerned about monitoring software on your main OS, then you could boot to a live USB to conduct work "stealthily".

However, it seems you want to do stuff that could bypass safety protocols put in place by your employer, and running an unsanctioned OS could result in worse than a few boring work hours for you. It could also open your company up to potential data safety and legal issues. I'd also bet their firewalls may be set to block and/or log traffic.

 

[KGIII]

Moved to "Getting Started".

 

[bob466]

I would say no...unless it's a VM.

In my Tower I have two SSDs...one has Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.1...the other Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1...If I were to plug in both and boot I'd get a conflict.

 

[SlowCoder]

In my Tower I have two SSDs...one has Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.1...the other Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1...If I were to plug in both and boot I'd get a conflict.

A little off-topic for this thread, but I bet each of your SSDs has a EFI partition with the boot flag set. You can only have 1 partition with boot flag, else UEFI boot gets confused.

 

[Condobloke]

""where i want to avoid my activity being monitored on main Linux.""

Exactly how does that happen ??

 

[bob466]

You can boot to the live ISO and mount your main Drive ie...to use Timeshift.

 

[aoib578]

Your questionable reasoning aside ...
If you're concerned about monitoring software on your main OS, then you could boot to a live USB to conduct work "stealthily".

However, it seems you want to do stuff that could bypass safety protocols put in place by your employer, and running an unsanctioned OS could result in worse than a few boring work hours for you. It could also open your company up to potential data safety and legal issues. I'd also bet their firewalls may be set to block and/or log traffic.

@SlowCoder

The work example was one of a few that came to my mind.
I am self employed.
By monitoring i meant ISP, hackers, etc.

Hibernating and powering on the machine works!
But then i get to bitlocker, and have to reboot again before i am back at main OS.
It's time consuming.

Another solution is a 2nd machine, right?
Can achieve what i want with a PC Stick?
But how to switch between the laptop and the PC Stick with the the same external monitors, mouse and keyboard?
Or i will need duplicate of everything?

If this is the case it's better to get a 2nd laptop.

 

[aoib578]

You can boot to the live ISO and mount your main Drive ie...to use Timeshift.

@bob466

Read my reply to @SlowCoder
Is what you said for real or some good humor?

 

[Old Tom Bombadil]

But how to switch between the laptop and the PC Stick with the the same external monitors, mouse and keyboard? Or i will need duplicate of everything?

While you can't run 2 or more operating systems at the same time on the same computer (except as virtual machines)... you can control multiple computers at the same time with a KVM switch.

 

[aoib578]

While you can't run 2 or more operating systems at the same time on the same computer (except as virtual machines)... you can control multiple computers at the same time with a KVM switch.

@Old Tom Bombadil

With the KVM Switch I should be able to switch between my laptop and a Compute Stick?

 

[f33dm3bits]

@Old Tom Bombadil

With the KVM Switch I should be able to switch between my laptop and a Compute Stick?

No kvm switches are used to switch between two different physicals systems when using one monitor.

 

[Old Tom Bombadil]

With the KVM Switch I should be able to switch between my laptop and a Compute Stick?

Only if your "Compute Stick" is plugged into a 2nd computer. And even then... I can't be sure that the KVM switch will work in that setup instead of a fully installed operating system on the 2nd computer. As @f33dm3bits said, it is for different physical systems.

 

[aoib578]

No kvm switches are used to switch between two different physicals systems when using one monitor.

@f33dm3bits

1 laptop and a mini tower for i.e?

 

[aoib578]

Only if your "Compute Stick" is plugged into a 2nd computer. And even then... I can't be sure that the KVM switch will work in that setup instead of a fully installed operating system on the 2nd computer. As @f33dm3bits said, it is for different physical systems.

@Old Tom Bombadil

1 laptop and a mini tower for i.e?
I am googling but what is the smallest and lightest mini tower in the market? Are you aware?

 

[dos2unix]

I am googling but what is the smallest and lightest mini tower in the market? Are you aware?

Changes daily. Just pick one and go with it. They are all pretty similar.

Robot or human?

 

[SlowCoder]

@SlowCoder

The work example was one of a few that came to my mind.
I am self employed.
By monitoring i meant ISP, hackers, etc.

Fair enough.

It's still sounding like your best solution is a virtual machine setup. When you have a VM, the host (main OS) and client VM do not talk to each other. They just share the same hardware resources. Even the network connection, including the MAC is disperate, with a different IP.

You can set up a firewall and VPN on the VM client, and whatever other tools you want, and it should just work as if it's a separate machine ... because it is.