Ventoy has released version 1.1.12, a maintenance update that addresses several long-standing issues affecting UEFI boot behavior, WinPE resolution, and compatibility with Ubuntu 25.04 and Oracle Linux 9.6. While the changelog appears modest, the fixes land squarely on pain points that users have reported repeatedly in community forums.

The update arrives roughly two months after version 1.1.11, which introduced support for persistent Linux distributions and improved ISO file handling. This time, the focus is on reliability rather than new features.

UEFI Display Fix

One of the most significant changes in Ventoy 1.1.12 is a fix for UEFI display corruption. Users booting on certain UEFI firmware—particularly older or vendor-customized implementations—reported garbled text or blank screens during the Ventoy menu display. The issue was traced to how Ventoy initializes the UEFI GOP (Graphics Output Protocol).

In previous versions, Ventoy would attempt to set a preferred resolution that sometimes exceeded the monitor's EDID capabilities, causing the display controller to fall back to an unsupported mode. Version 1.1.12 now queries the firmware for available modes more conservatively and selects a resolution that is guaranteed to be supported. For users running headless servers or systems with integrated GPUs, this change should eliminate the need to blindly press Enter to boot.

WinPE Resolution Handling

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) users have long complained about resolution issues when booting via Ventoy. The tool would often default to 1024x768 or even 800x600, regardless of the monitor's native resolution. This made navigation difficult, especially on high-DPI displays.

Ventoy 1.1.12 addresses this by passing the correct video mode information to WinPE during the boot process. The fix ensures that WinPE starts at the highest resolution supported by both the display and the graphics driver. This is particularly important for IT professionals deploying Windows images on modern laptops with 4K screens.

It is worth noting that this fix applies only to WinPE ISOs booted via Ventoy. Custom WinPE builds with pre-configured resolutions will still behave according to their own settings.

Ubuntu 25.04 Compatibility

Ubuntu 25.04, code-named "Plucky Puffin," introduced changes to its kernel and initramfs that broke compatibility with older versions of Ventoy. Users attempting to boot the beta ISO reported kernel panics or freezes immediately after selecting the Ubuntu entry in the Ventoy menu.

The root cause was a change in how Ubuntu 25.04 handles early microcode loading. Ventoy 1.1.12 updates its boot logic to pass the necessary kernel parameters for the new microcode framework. Users who have been holding back on testing Ubuntu 25.04 should now find it boots without issue.

Oracle Linux 9.6 Support

Oracle Linux 9.6, released in December 2024, introduced a new bootloader configuration that Ventoy failed to parse correctly. The result was a boot failure with an error message about missing kernel files. Ventoy 1.1.12 includes updated parsing logic that correctly identifies the kernel and initramfs paths used by Oracle Linux 9.6's GRUB configuration.

This fix is specific to Oracle Linux; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 and its derivatives are not affected because they use a different boot configuration structure.

Additional Changes

Beyond the headline fixes, Ventoy 1.1.12 includes several under-the-hood improvements. The tool now better handles ISO files with non-standard volume labels, which previously caused the Ventoy boot menu to display garbled text or fail to list the ISO at all.

There is also a fix for systems with Secure Boot enabled. Some users reported that after updating to Ventoy 1.1.11, Secure Boot enrollment would fail on the first boot attempt. The issue was related to how Ventoy's bootloader handles MOK (Machine Owner Key) certificates. Version 1.1.12 retries enrollment if the first attempt fails, significantly improving the success rate.

Community Feedback

Early adopters of Ventoy 1.1.12 have reported mixed results. On the Ventoy GitHub repository, users confirm that the UEFI display fix works on previously problematic systems, including Dell OptiPlex 7080 and HP EliteBook 840 G8 models. However, a small number of users report that the WinPE resolution fix does not work with custom WinPE images that explicitly set a resolution via the winpeshl.ini file. Ventoy's developer has acknowledged this and suggests that users who rely on custom resolution settings should continue using the ventoy.json configuration file to override defaults.

How to Update

Existing Ventoy users can update by downloading the latest release from the official GitHub repository. The update process is straightforward: launch Ventoy2Disk.exe, select the USB drive, and click "Update." Ventoy preserves existing ISO files during the update, so no data loss occurs.

For new installations, version 1.1.12 is available as a clean install. Users are advised to back up any important data on the USB drive before proceeding, as the installation process formats the drive.

Looking Ahead

Ventoy remains one of the most popular tools for creating multi-boot USB drives, and this update reinforces its reliability. While the changelog is short, the fixes address real-world problems that directly affect usability. The UEFI display fix alone will save countless users from the frustration of a blank screen.

As Linux distributions continue to evolve their boot processes, Ventoy will need to keep pace. The Ubuntu 25.04 fix is a reminder that even small changes in upstream projects can break compatibility. Ventoy's developer has been responsive to these issues, and the community can expect continued support as new releases appear.

For Windows users, the WinPE resolution fix is a welcome improvement that makes deployment tasks less painful. Combined with Ventoy's existing support for Windows installation ISOs and its ability to boot VHD/VHDX files, version 1.1.12 solidifies Ventoy's position as a must-have tool for IT professionals and enthusiasts alike.