Versions
If you installed from PPA or from phillw.net or from a tarball
Desktop files
Starting with version 12, mkusb is a set of tools. You may prefer to start from a desktop file,
mkusb.desktop
guidus.desktop
Run mkusb from the menu or dash
If you have installed mkusb from the PPA, it will be in the system path, $PATH, and you can run it from the menu or dash (or link mkusb.desktop to your desktop).
Separate versions for graphical mode and text mode
mkusb has separate versions for
GUI mode: mkusb-dus and mkusb-11
text mode: mkusb-nox and mkusb-bas
This avoids some complicated logic and makes the code smaller. Maybe 90% of you will prefer the GUI version, but the text version is good for servers and for users who do not want eye-candy. The improved recognition of systems and devices is back-ported from the versions 8 and 9 to mkusb-nox. See this pdf manual. (Alternate link).
mkusb select tool
If you prefer to use command lines in a text screen or terminal window, there is a small shellscript that helps you select one of these tools, mkusb-select, and a symbolic link, mkusb, that points to mkusb-select. You can also start those tools directly.
dus |
guidus, mkusb-dus, mkusb version 12, 'Do USB Stuff' |
mkusb-11 |
Classic interface, mkusb version 11 |
mkusb-nox |
original text mode version of mkusb |
mkusb-bas |
basic text mode for old/basic linux |
Command line syntax
You can use the following commands with an option and with a source file as parameter. You may find it more convenient than to use the graphical interface via {dash or a menu} a desktop file.
mkusb [-option] [source file or device] |
symbolic link to mkusb-select |
dus [-option] [source file or device] |
mkusb version 12 |
guidus [-option] [source file or device] |
interface between desktop file and dus |
mkusb-dus [-option] [source file or device] |
symbolic link to guidus |
There are more details in the linux manual
man mkusb
and at the following links,
to the quick start manual version 11 ../mkUSB-quick-start-manual-11.pdf
to the quick start manual version 12 alias dus ../mkUSB-quick-start-manual-12.pdf
If you have mkusb version 12 and want to use the classic user interface, you should replace 'mkusb' by 'mkusb-11' in the command line.
mkusb-bas if no other version works
Please try mkusb-bas if no other version works.
There are some commands in mkusb and mkusb-nox, which are not available in old or very small linux distros, for example Wary Puppy. A simple version based on version 7.4 is made for such cases - mkusb-bas. See this pdf manual. (Alternate link).
GUI details
Details about installation and other aspects of using mkusb via GUI are described at ../gui
Advanced usage
Start mkusb from a terminal window
You can also start mkusb from a terminal window or text screen. You need superuser privileges and you can add the source file (iso-file or img.xz-file) as a parameter.
mkusb
or if you want to use the new user interface dus (alias mkusb version 12) directly
dus
or
dus file.iso
Notice that you need quotes, when you specify the path to the source file as a command line parameter and use spaces and some special characters.
dus "path with spaces/filename with (special) characters.iso"
or if you want to use the classic user interface mkusb-11 (alias mkusb version 11) directly
sudo -H mkusb-11
or
sudo -H mkusb-11 file.iso
or when you want to create a persistent live drive (add the option p)
sudo -H mkusb-11 file.iso p
sudo -H mkusb-11 "path with spaces/filename with (special) characters.iso"
otherwise you need no quotes
sudo -H mkusb-11 path/file.iso sudo mkusb-nox path/file.iso
man mkusb
You can also read the linux manual page
man mkusb
If you downloaded the file mkusb-nox - run mkusb-nox from a terminal window or a text screen
It is easiest to change directory to where the iso file is located and run it with
./mkusb-nox file.iso
or when path is necessary
sudo path1/mkusb-nox path2/file.iso
If you downloaded the file mkusb-bas - run mkusb-bas from a terminal window or a text screen
It is easiest to change directory to where the iso file is located and run it with
./mkusb-bas file.iso
or when path is necessary
sudo path1/mkusb-bas path2/file.iso
Usage and version
The usage and version output texts look like this. Use quotes to allow for spaces, parentheses and some other special characters in the file names, but the most reliable file names have only standard characters and no spaces.
mkusb -h
mkusb -v
mkusb-dus -h
$ mkusb-dus -h mkusb-dus - Do USB Stuff mkusb-dus needs superuser permissions (sudo) for some tasks, in order to prepare and write to the target, a block device. dus 12.0.7 live system or temporary superuser permissions Usage: ---- Make USB or memory card install drive from ISO or image file --- dus dus file.iso dus "quote file name (1) with special characters.iso" dus file.img dus file.img.gz dus file.img.xz dus file.tar # if an mkusb tarfile for Windows ---- Clone a device (typically a CD drive or USB drive) ------------- dus /dev/sr0 # example of CD drive ---- Wipe or restore a USB drive or memory card --------------------- dus ---- Options -------------------------------------------------------- dus -d [file.iso] # dialog (text mode menus) dus -t [file.iso] # plain text mode interface dus -h # usage text dus -v # version Press Enter to finish mkusb-dus
mkusb-11 -h
$ mkusb-11 -h --------------------------------------------------------------------------- start [mkusb 11.2.1] @ 2017-03-17 08:37:46 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Usage: # New: parameter p for persistent # Usage: # New: wipe menu with several new options # ---- Make a USB install device from ISO or image file -------- sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.iso # install a live only system sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.iso p # install a persistent live system sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 "quote file name (1) with special characters.iso" sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.img sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.img.gz sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.img.xz ---- Install from 'file.img.xz', show all mass storage devices sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 file.img.xz all ---- Clone a device (typically a CD drive or USB drive) ------ sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 /dev/sr0 # example of CD drive ---- Wipe menu with several alternatives --------------------- sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 wipe ---- Press the Enter key to get the next page ---- Wipe the USB device (may take long time) ---------------- sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 wipe-whole-device ---- Wipe the first megabyte (MibiByte) sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 wipe-1 # show only USB devices sudo -H /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 wipe-1 all # show all mass storage devices ---- Help and Version ---------------------------------------- /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 -h /usr/sbin/mkusb-11 -v
mkusb-nox -h or mkusb-nox
$ mkusb-nox -h Usage: ---- Make a USB install device from ISO or image file --------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.iso sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox "quote file name (1) with special characters.iso" sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.img sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.img.gz sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.img.xz sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.tar # if an mkusb tarfile for Windows ---- Install from 'file.img.xz', show all mass storage devices sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox file.img.xz all ---- Clone a device (typically a CD drive or USB drive) ------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox /dev/sr0 # example of CD drive ---- Wipe the USB device (may take long time) ----------------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox wipe-whole-device ---- Wipe the first megabyte (MibiByte), show only USB devices ------ sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox wipe-1 ---- Wipe the first megabyte, show all mass storage devices --------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox wipe-1 all ---- Restore to a storage device with FAT32 file system ------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox restore ---- Help and Version ----------------------------------------------- /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox -h /usr/sbin/mkusb-nox -v
mkusb-bas
$ mkusb-bas Usage: ---- Make a USB install device from 'file.iso' --------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas file.iso ---- Make a USB install device from 'file.img' --------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas file.img ---- Make a USB install device from 'file.img.gz' ------------ sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas file.img.gz ---- Make a USB install device from 'file.img.xz' ------------ sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas file.img.xz ---- Install from 'file.img.xz', show all mass storage devices sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas file.img.xz all ---- Wipe the USB device (may take long time) ---------------- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas wipe-whole-device ---- Wipe the first megabyte (MibiByte), show only USB devices sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas wipe-1 ---- Wipe the first megabyte, show all mass storage devices -- sudo /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas wipe-1 all ---- Version ------------------------------------------------- /usr/sbin/mkusb-bas -v
mkusb -v
$ mkusb -v mkusb-dus: dus 12.0.7 mkusb-11: mkusb 11.2.1 mkusb-nox: mkusb-nox 11.1.9 mkusb-bas: mkusb version 7.4.2