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Introduction of dus-iso2usb

The first versions of the dus-iso2usb shellscript worked only in text mode. Later on it was integrated into mkusb: called by dus and menus and dialogue windows are graphical using zenity or text based using dialog or even very basic text, if neither zenity nor dialog is available.

Made for Ubuntu and community flavours

Please notice that dus-iso2usb works with iso files of Ubuntu and the Ubuntu community flavours, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Kylin, Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Studio and Xubuntu. You cannot expect it to work with other Linux distros. Instead you should

Main function

The main function of dus-iso2usb is to

This makes a system that can boot via grub into an iso file both in UEFI mode and BIOS mode (alias CSM alias legacy mode), 'grub-n-iso'. The following link describes how to do it manually.

help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/iso2usb/isoboot

help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2/ISOBoot

$ dus-iso2usb -h
Usage:
sudo -H dus-iso2usb <source> <target> <part-tbl> <grub-ver> <persistent or live-only> [boot-flag]
Example:
sudo -H dus-iso2usb lubuntu-22.04-desktop-amd64.iso /dev/sdc gpt grub-2.0.6 persistent
param 1: source file
param 2: target drive
param 3: partition table: gpt or msdos
param 4: grub version: grub-2.0.6 or grub-2.0.4
param 5: persistent or live-only
param 6: boot-flag [or blank] (for HP from ~ 2010)
Help:
 -h
Version:
 -v
Available drives 
NAME      SIZE TRAN   MODEL
sda     238,5G sata   SanDisk SD6SB1M2
sdb       3,7T sata   WDC WD4002FYYZ-0
sdc      55,9G usb    ITY3            
nvme0n1 232,9G nvme   KINGSTON SA2000M8250G
$ 

Main purpose

The main purpose is to make a USB boot drive that

An [optional] parameter, boot-flag, can be added as parameter #6. It can be useful for some old HP computers (made around 2010), but also for some other computers. Some computers will not like it and the default setting is not to put a boot-flag onto the live and persistent live system.

With some computers and USB pendrives booting works with a boot-flag both in UEFI mode and BIOS mode (alias CSM alias legacy mode). Other computers are more picky about the settings. It was surprising that one USB pendrive was not bootable anywhere with a boot-flag on this system, while other pendrives as well as SSDs connected via an Asmedia USB3 to SATA adapter booted happily.

So if it is difficult to boot your computer from a cloned USB pendrive or memory card, please test various settings with

User friendliness: Other settings are fixed when msdos and/or boot-flag is selected, which avoids loops in [B][FONT=Courier New]dus[/FONT][/B] because of combinations of settings that are not compatible.

dus-iso2usb is integrated into dus

dus-iso2usb is called via the menu system, both to make live (live-only) systems and to make persistent live systems.

Screenshots

The standard method for a live drive is cloning, but when necessary, select iso2usb:

select_method-tool_live-only.png

The classic dus-persistent method is well debugged and tweaked to work is most cases, but when there are problems, select iso2usb:

select_method-tool_persistent.png

Select settings here. New computers should work with the defaults, but try other settings to make a working USB system for older computers:

settings_for_dus-iso2usb.png


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mkusb/dus-iso2usb (last edited 2022-09-01 16:19:27 by nio-wiklund)