Contents |
Advanced usage
If you installed from PPA
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).
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.
sudo -H mkusb
or
sudo -H mkusb file.iso
or when you want to create a persistent live drive (add the option p)
sudo -H mkusb file.iso p
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.
sudo -H mkusb "path with spaces/filename with (special) characters.iso"
otherwise you need no quotes
sudo -H mkusb 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 - run mkusb from a terminal window
It is easiest to change directory to where the file mkusb is located and run it with
./mkusb
(dot means the current directory, so ./file means a file in the current directory), or use the path
sudo -H path1/mkusb path2/file.iso
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 file mkusb is located and run it with
./mkusb-nox file.iso
or when path is necessary
sudo path1/mkusb-nox path2/file.iso
Usage and version
The usage and version output text looks like this for version 10. 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 -h --------------------------------------------------------------------------- start mkusb @ 2015-09-16 14:58:19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 mkusb sudo -H mkusb file.iso # install a live only system sudo -H mkusb file.iso p # install a persistent live system sudo -H mkusb "quote file name (1) with special characters.iso" sudo -H mkusb file.img sudo -H mkusb file.img.gz sudo -H mkusb file.img.xz ---- Install from 'file.img.xz', show all mass storage devices sudo -H mkusb file.img.xz all ---- Clone a device (typically a CD drive or USB drive) ------ sudo -H mkusb /dev/sr0 # example of CD drive ---- Wipe menu with several alternatives --------------------- sudo -H mkusb wipe ---- Press the Enter key to get the next page ---- Wipe the USB device (may take long time) ---------------- sudo -H mkusb wipe-whole-device ---- Wipe the first megabyte (MibiByte) sudo -H mkusb wipe-1 # show only USB devices sudo -H mkusb wipe-1 all # show all mass storage devices ---- Help and Version ---------------------------------------- mkusb -h mkusb -v $ mkusb -v --------------------------------------------------------------------------- start mkusb @ 2015-09-16 14:58:52 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- mkusb 10.2 $