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Free Image Format ConversionA bootable USB is a USB drive utilized to start up a laptop or computer for installing an operating system. Unlike Windows, Linux distributions require third-party software to create such a bootable USB. It's particularly advantageous for modern PCs that don't have legacy DVD drives. Moreover, installation DVDs were quite fragile and could easily get scratched, or in extreme cases, break under pressure. This article will introduce you to Linux bootable USB creation tools. Keep scrolling!
What Is a Bootable USB and Why Do You Need It
A bootable USB is a device that contains all the necessary data and files to run an operating system. When inserted into a computer, it allows the machine to boot from the USB drive and execute the operating system stored on it.
The foremost advantage of using a bootable USB drive lies in its convenience. A USB drive is notably lighter and more portable compared to a laptop or desktop computer. Furthermore, it can be utilized on any computer, irrespective of whether it already has an operating system installed.
A bootable USB drive also offers the advantage of significantly speeding up the process of setting up a new computer compared to installing an operating system from the beginning. Furthermore, using the bootable USB drive will spare you from having to repeat the installation process if you ever need to reinstall your operating system.
Top 5 Best Linux Bootable USB Tools
Here is a list of 5 Linux boot USB creators. You can select one based on your requirements to assist you in creating a Linux bootable USB. Let's delve into the details:
Number 1. Rufus
Rufus is a highly favored open-source utility that simplifies the process of creating bootable USB drives. It boasts a compact design and user-friendly interface, enabling you to swiftly craft your bootable USB stick. Moreover, upon clicking the .exe file, the Rufus window promptly appears, eliminating the need for a separate installation process.
You can select the USB drive onto which you wish to burn the ISO image, along with the chosen ISO file. Additionally, you can set the Cluster size, File system, Target system (BIOS or UEFI), Partition scheme (MBR or GPT), and the Target system. Compared to the Windows USB creation tool, this process is relatively faster.
Key features:
- Portable.
- Entirely free and open-source.
- Used for generating checksums.
- Used for creating a bootable disk.
- Used for detecting bad blocks on the USB drive.
Note: It only allows you to create a bootable USB drive for Linux on a Windows computer.
Top 2. Etcher
Etcher is a free and open-source cross-platform tool that enables you to easily and securely create bootable USB drives and SD cards using an ISO image. It features a straightforward user interface that seamlessly selects your bootable medium. Etcher is compatible with the most widely used 64-bit and 32-bit Linux distributions, macOS Yosemite and later versions, as well as Windows 7 and newer releases.
Key features:
- Swift flashing procedure.
- Verifying drives prior to flashing.
- User-friendly interface.
- Support for various platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Automatic detection of USB drive or SD card to prevent overwriting HDD on the computer.
Top 3. USBImager
USBImager is a straightforward, cross-platform graphical user interface (GUI) application designed for major Linux distributions such as Ubuntu/Debian, Arch/Manjaro, as well as ARM-based devices like the Raspberry Pi. It enables users to write compressed disk images to USB drives and create backups. Notably, it is user-friendly, performs post-flashing verification, and offers a native interface.
Key features:
- A compact memory usage.
- Completely GDPR-compliant and free from intrusive advertisements.
- Multilingual with a native interface on all platforms.
- Read raw disk images such as .iso, .dd, .img, and .bin files.
- Read compressed images, including .xz, .bz2, and .zst formats.
- Read tarball archives like .zip files.
- Copy images to microcontrollers via the serial connection.
Top 4. Ventoy
Ventoy is yet another free and open-source software that enables you to transform an ISO image directly into a bootable USB flash drive. Its speed and reliability enable you to create multiple bootable USB drives simultaneously. Without needing to format the USB device, you can copy as many image files as desired, and Ventoy will aid you in selecting the desired image.
Ventoy supports a broad range of boot menu options, encompassing Legacy BIOS, x86_64 UEFI, IA32 UEFI, and ARM64 UEFI. Additionally, it is compatible with Linux, Windows, and VMware hypervisors.
Key features:
- Support for x86_64 UEFI, x86 Legacy BIOS, and ARM64 UEFI systems.
- Support for both MBR and GPT partition formats.
- Support for UEFI secure boot functionality.
- Ability to boot from a USB drive using either UEFI or EFI with the GRUB2 bootloader option.
- Boot an ISO image directly without requiring a system restart.
Top 5. MultiSystem
MultiSystem is an outstanding Linux application designed for creating multi-boot USB devices. It can be utilized within any Linux distribution to craft a Custom Multiboot USB, which incorporates your choice of bootable live ISO images, employing Grub2 as a replacement for the older Grub Legacy. To create a personalized Multiboot USB Flash Drive (UFD) with your preferred bootable Linux distributions, you can run MultiSystem directly on Ubuntu Linux.
主要特点：
- Open source and free.
- Create multiple OS boots.
- Linux-based.
- Multi-image handling.
Bonus Tip: How to Create a Bootable USB Drive in Windows
There are various methods to create a bootable USB on Windows computers. One way is to create it using an ISO file. Alternatively, you can utilize the computer's system files to make a bootable USB. However, it's essential to clone your system before transferring it to a USB drive. For this purpose, you can use a tool called "Todo Backup."
Todo Backup Home is a practical backup and recovery solution for Windows 10/8/7. It enables you to automatically back up your computer's files, system, disks, applications, and more. Additionally, it allows you to create a WinPE bootable disk. The software also offers various backup options to safeguard your data, including full, incremental, and differential backups. You can use it to create a hard drive image and even make an SD card image. Most notably, it comes with a generous 250GB of free cloud storage.
Here's how to use this tool to create a bootable USB on a Windows computer: 1. Download the tool: First, download the appropriate tool for creating a bootable USB drive. One popular option is Rufus, which can be downloaded from its official website (https://rufus.ie/). 2. Insert the USB drive: Plug in the USB drive that you want to make bootable into your Windows computer's USB port. 3. Open the tool: Once the download is complete, launch Rufus or any other bootable media creation tool you have chosen. 4. Select the USB drive: In the Rufus window, ensure that the USB drive is correctly identified under "Device." If not, select the correct drive from the drop-down menu. 5. Choose the bootable image: Click on the "Select" or "ISO Image" button next to "Boot selection" to choose the ISO file of the operating system you want to install (e.g., Windows, Linux). Navigate to the location where the ISO file is saved and open it. 6. Configure settings (optional): You may choose to customize other settings such as partition scheme, file system, and volume label. For most cases, the default settings should work fine. 7. Start the process: Click on "Start" or "Begin" to begin formatting the USB drive and creating the bootable media. A warning message will appear, reminding you that all data on the USB drive will be erased. Confirm your choice to proceed. 8. Wait for completion: The tool will now write the bootable image to the USB drive. This process may take a few minutes depending on the size of the ISO file and the speed of your USB drive. 9. Eject the USB drive: Once the process is complete, safely eject the USB drive by clicking on the "Eject" button or using the appropriate method in Windows. 10. Boot from the USB drive: Now, insert the USB drive into the computer you wish to install the operating system on. Change the boot order in your computer's BIOS settings to prioritize booting from USB. Save the changes and restart your computer. It should boot from the USB drive, allowing you to proceed with the installation process.
Preparation:
- Check the amount of disk space used on the system C drive. Afterwards, prepare a qualified USB drive with a capacity greater than the used space on the system drive.
- Ensure that the USB drive is empty, as the system cloning process will completely overwrite its data.
- Connect the USB drive to your computer and verify that it is detected.
遵循整体流程来创建一个可移植的Windows USB驱动器并从中启动：
Step 1. On the main page, locate and click on "Tools", then select "System Clone".
Step 2. The boot and system partition will be selected automatically. You just need to choose the target disk and click "Next"
*System clone does not support cloning an MBR disk to a GPT disk or vice versa. Please ensure that the partition style of the source disk and the target disk are identical.
Step 3. Click on "Advanced Options", and select "Create a portable Windows USB drive".
Step 4. Click "Proceed". Todo Backup will start to create the portable USB.
Step 5. How to boot from the portable USB drive. To boot from the portable USB drive, follow these steps: 1. **Ensure the USB drive is inserted:** Plug in the portable USB drive into your computer's USB port. 2. **Change Boot Order in BIOS/UEFI:** - Restart your computer and press the designated key (usually F2, F10, F12, or Del) to enter the BIOS or UEFI settings during the startup process. The key varies depending on the computer manufacturer. - In the BIOS/UEFI menu, navigate to the "Boot" or "Startup" section. - Find the "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" settings and move the "USB Drive" or "Removable Devices" to the top of the list. 3. **Save and Exit:** - Save the changes you made and exit the BIOS/UEFI settings. This will usually prompt your computer to restart with the new boot order. 4. **Boot from USB:** - Your computer should now attempt to boot from the portable USB drive. If it doesn't, you might need to enter the boot menu again during the next restart and select the USB drive manually. 5. **Wait for the Operating System Loader:** - Once the computer boots from the USB drive, the operating system installation process or live environment should start loading. 6. **Follow On-screen Instructions:** - Follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with installing the operating system or using the portable environment. Remember to carefully remove the USB drive after the process is complete to prevent accidental damage or data loss.
- Connect your portable USB drive to the computer
- Restart the computer and press "Del/F2/F12/F10" to enter BIOS
- In the BIOS, under the "Boot" tab, change the boot order to prioritize booting from the portable USB
- Save the changes and exit. Your system will then boot from the USB drive
Final Thoughts
If you're looking to create a bootable USB from Linux, you've come to the right place. Here's a list of Linux bootable USB creator tools that you can use to make a Linux bootable USB drive. All these Linux bootable USB software options are readily available for major Linux distributions, and their installation process is simple and straightforward. With such a wide selection, you can try out these tools and determine which one suits your needs best.
If you wish to create a bootable USB drive for a Windows computer, you can utilize the bootable USB drive creator tool - Todo Backup Home to assist you. This backup utility also enables you to backup your browser's history. For instance, it supports backing up the Firefox browsing history. Give it a try!
Frequently Asked Questions
< strong > 1. Can all USB drives be made bootable? < /strong >
Yes, you can make any USB flash drive bootable. However, the computer's BIOS needs to support booting from them. Essentially, this means that理论上，你可以使用这种方法使一张纸质卡片启动 - 但前提是要依赖BIOS能够与扫描仪通信，并能加载输出设备。但实际上，BIOS通常并不支持从纸张这样的媒介启动，所以这个想法在实际操作中并不可行。
2. Should I use UEFI or legacy mode to boot from USB?
In general, it's recommended to install Windows using the newer UEFI mode instead of the older BIOS option, as it offers better security features. However, if your network only supports BIOS, you will need to boot into legacy BIOS mode.