Return to the main mkusb page

Screenshots of mkusb version 8 and 9

Search for mkusb in Unity's dash

../pictures/55-search-for-mkusb-in-dash-cropped-small.jpg

Splash

Small splash window, which also checks that the graphical environment and tools work (that zenity can display windows)

../pictures/00-splash-small-with-mkusb-icon-which-also-tests-if-zenity-works.png

the old Welcome and warning

../pictures/79-mkusb-in-xubuntu_welcome-and-warning-cropped-small.png

A gentler Welcome window

../pictures/look-01-welcome.png

Examples of using the desktop file mkusb.desktop in Kubuntu

• The mkusb icon / logo in the top left corner is a clickable symbol of the desktop file

• a small login window, black text on green background, matching the mkusb icon
• a small splash with mkusb icon which also tests if zenity works in the current environment (at the cursor)
• The mkusb console to receive and display output from the processes under the hood

../pictures/39-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_splash-and-console.png

• Classical welcome and warning screen
• and editor window displaying the desktop file. The Exec line is complicated in order to control the the login window and the console. This window is not showing the final version. The end of the command should be

'echo Welcome; sudo -H mkusb'"

instead of

\"echo 'Welcome to mkusb'; sudo -H mkusb\""

because the escaped quotes \" do not work in all environments I tried.

../pictures/40-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_welcome-and-warning.png

• The update iso image is warning with a red screen by zenity - the arrow helps the user find the check box

../pictures/41-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_update-iso-image_check-box.png

• The confirming screen after normal (successful) termination - the process output to the console is visible
• The zenity windows can be moved, if they cover the console)

../pictures/42-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_re-cloned.png

• File selection tool by zenity

../pictures/43-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_select-source-file.png

• The final warning red screen at normal installations and wiping - the arrow helps the user find the check box

../pictures/44-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_select-device_final-warning.png

• The confirming screen after normal (successful) termination - the process output to the console is visible
• The zenity windows can be moved, if they cover the console)

../pictures/45-mkusb.desktop-in-kubuntu_install-iso-file_done.png

Examples of using the desktop file mkusb.desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS

../pictures/46-mkusb.desktop-in-ubuntu_select-device_final-warning.png ../pictures/47-mkusb.desktop-in-ubuntu_installed-iso-file_done.png

How to install mkusb in Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS

Getting the repository Universe

These screenshots show how to install Synaptic or some other program in order to install the repository (alias source) Universe

../pictures/48-software-center-search-for-synaptic.png

../pictures/49-synaptic-highlighted.png

../pictures/50-more-info_use-this-source.png

../pictures/51-install-synaptic_and_you-also--get-the-universe-repository.png

../pictures/52-installed-synaptic.png

../pictures/53-click-all-software_search-for-pv.png

../pictures/54-install-pv-now-or-let-mkusb-do-it.png

All these steps in the graphical desktop environment can be replaced by one single line in a terminal window or text screen

sudo add-apt-repository universe

Installing mkusb

The fastest way to start making USB boot drives is to install the mkusb PPA, install and update the mkusb package like all the other program packages. See this link

https://launchpad.net/~mkusb/+archive/ubuntu/ppa

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa  # and press Enter to accept it
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mkusb

The whole dialogue in a terminal window is shown in the attached pdf file. It will install pv (alongside mkusb), if you have previously installed Synaptic or some other program in order to install the repository (alias source) Universe

../text-screen-dumps/07-installing-mkusb-in-ubuntu-14.04.1.pdf

########## remember that the pdf file is in another subdirectory ##########

Screenshots of mkusb-nox - the updated pure text version

Making a USB drive with Ubuntu mini.iso

The Ubuntu mini.iso can install Ubuntu, Ubuntu Server, or one of the Ubuntu flavours

../pictures/56-mkusb-nox_installs_mini.iso-1.png

Making a USB drive to install Windows

../pictures/56-mkusb-nox_making-Windows-boot-drive-1.png

Screenshots of mkusb version 9

Search for mkusb in Unity's dash

../pictures/55-search-for-mkusb-in-dash.png

Search for mkusb in Mageia Gnome

../pictures/55-search-for-mkusb-in-gnome.png

Installing Lubuntu Utopic - final warning

../pictures/57-mkusb.desktop-in-lubuntu-select-device-final-warning.png

Installing Lubuntu Utopic from Lubuntu Utopic - work done

../pictures/58-mkusb.desktop-in-lubuntu-work-done.png

Running in Knoppix - installed and tested from phillw.net

../pictures/59-mkusb-in-knoppix_installed-and-tested-from-phillw.net.png

Running in Mageia Gnome - installed and tested from phillw.net

../pictures/60-mkusb-legacy_in-mageia-gnome-live_welcome-and-warning.png

../pictures/61-mkusb-legacy_in-mageia-gnome-live_final-warning.png

../pictures/62-mkusb-legacy_in-mageia-gnome-live_work-done.png

The zenity window does not expand the list-box properly in Mageia Gnome

../pictures/63-mkusb-legacy_in-mageia-gnome-installed_awkward-zenity-list.png

Cleaner interface for Mageia in mkusb 9.0.4

../pictures/71-mkusb-mageia_mageia-gnome-installed-welcome-and-warning_installed_from_phillw.net.png

Screenshots of Torios

Installing with the One Button Installer

../pictures/64-torios-installing_select-device.png

../pictures/65-torios-installing_final-warning.png

../pictures/66-torios-installing_installed.png

../pictures/67-torios-installed-quit.png

../pictures/68-torios-system-data.png

Installing with mkusb version 8.5.4

../pictures/69-torios-mkusb-select-source-file.png

../pictures/70-torios-mkusb-final-warning.png

Screenshots of mkusb version 9 - continued

In Xubuntu

../pictures/72-mkusb-in-xubuntu_iso-testing_update-iso-image.png

../pictures/73-mkusb-in-xubuntu_iso-testing_work-done.png

In Debian

../pictures/74-mkusb-in-debian_select-device-final-warning.png

In Bodhi

../pictures/75-mkusb-in-bodhi_welcome-and-warning.jpg

../pictures/76-mkusb-in-bodhi_iso-testing_update-iso-image.jpg

../pictures/77-mkusb-in-bodhi_iso-testing_work-done.jpg

A whole sequence of windows in Xubuntu

Introduction

../pictures/90-mkusb-in-xubuntu_enter-password.png

../pictures/78-mkusb-in-xubuntu_splash.png

../pictures/79-mkusb-in-xubuntu_welcome-and-warning.png

First time

../pictures/80-mkusb-in-xubuntu_starter-menu_no-image-file-selected.png

../pictures/81-mkusb-in-xubuntu_select-source-file.png

../pictures/82-mkusb-in-xubuntu_starter-menu_selected-utopic-desktop-i386.iso.png

../pictures/83-mkusb-in-xubuntu_check-system-in-seleced-file.png

../pictures/84-mkusb-in-xubuntu_select-device_warning-and-overview.png

../pictures/85-mkusb-in-xubuntu_select-device_and-go-ahead.png

../pictures/86-mkusb-in-xubuntu_select-device_final-warning.png

../pictures/87-mkusb-in-xubuntu_work-done.png

Installing again alias iso testing

../pictures/isotest-01-mkusb-in-xubuntu_starter-menu_select-to-install.png

../pictures/isotest-02-mkusb-in-xubuntu_iso-testing_update-iso-image.png

../pictures/isotest-03-mkusb-in-xubuntu_iso-testing_update-done.png

Wiping the first megabyte (actually mibibyte with base 2)

(A new menu with several more alternatives was added in mkusb version 10.2)

../pictures/wipe-01-starter-menu.png

../pictures/wipe-02-final-warning.png

../pictures/wipe-03-work-done.png

Wiping the whole device

sudo -H mkusb wipe-whole-device
...
Please wait for sync (flushing file system buffers to the device)
until 'Done' is written ...
dd: writing `/dev/sdd': No space left on device
3.73GB 0:13:10 [4.83MB/s] [             <=>                             ]
...

../pictures/wipe-04-wipe-whole-device.png

Warning and overview - improved

• Two previous windows are merged to one, which improves the work-flow.
• The text "Please close any other application/software/terminal ..." is improved.
• It must be clear, that this is only a warning and overview, and you should select drive at the next window. So "Select drive in the next window" is written on the OK button (instead of "OK").

../pictures/91-warning-and-overview_improved.png

Zenity version 3.12.1 can use custom icons, which is used for the menu list windows of mkusb. The icon is also displayed on the panel, if it displays icons.

../pictures/92-mkusb-with-window-icon_in-utopic.jpg

../pictures/93-mkusb-icon-in-lubuntu-trusty.png

../pictures/94-mkusb-icon-in-lubuntu-wily.png

Improved look and feel of mkusb 9.2.2 and mkusb 10

The 'look and feel' of mkusb is improved:

• [sudo] password entered via zenity window
• licence text in About
• Improved look and feel:
  • language

    • gentler warning texts, for example: FINAL WARNING --> Final checkpoint

  • text style and colour scheme
    • gentler high-lightning of text
    • inline editing of background colours of the final checkpoints (separate for standard installations and iso-testing)

[sudo] password entered via zenity window

../pictures/look-17-mkusb-console-and-password-window.png

A gentler Welcome window

../pictures/look-01-welcome.png

Legacy used when zenity is not compiled with support for html

../pictures/look-02-welcome_legacy-1.png

Standard background colour of the final checkpoint

../pictures/look-03-final-checkpoint.png

Legacy used when zenity is not compiled with support for html

../pictures/look-04-final-checkpoint_legacy.png

Alternative background colours

../pictures/look-09-final-checkpoint-light-blue.png

../pictures/look-16-final-checkpoint-orange.png

Standard background colour for the final checkpoint of ISO testing

../pictures/look-15-update-iso-image.png

The following screenshots illustrate how to edit the background colours of the final checkpoints.

../pictures/look-11-background-colours_at_help-menu.png

../pictures/look-12-final_check_body_bg.png

../pictures/look-13-iso_check_body_bg.png

../pictures/look-14-testpage-for-background-colour.png

mkusb 10 - live with persistence

zenity is still the graphical user interface. It works like before and looks almost the same. You are able to toggle live only or persistent live, when your input file is an ISO file.

../pictures/persist-01-persistence-selected.png

The background colour was changed to orange, '#de8c20'.

../pictures/persist-02-final-checkpoint-persistent.png

When you have started along the persistent path, some warnings may pop up and finally you are prompted to select the percentage of the remaining drive space for persistence. The rest of the drive space is used for storage compatible with Windows. In this example 67% (approximately 2/3) is selected for persistence.

../pictures/persist-03-percentage-for-persistence.png

Finally, there is a message that the system is installed.

../pictures/persist-04-installed-persistent-live-system.png

Check the 'mkusb console' before you exit from mkusb. Notice that the ext4 'casper-rw' partition for persistence is approximately 2/3 of the [remaining] drive space and the vfat partition 'lub1404232' is approximately 1/3 of that space, while the iso9660 partition is quite small.

../pictures/persist-05-mkusb-console.png

The following picture shows the installed system, the persistent live Lubuntu booted from the USB pendrive. The output from

sudo lsblk -fm
# and
df -h

confirms that it is a persistent live system.

../pictures/persist-06-lubuntu-persistent-live.jpg

After scrolling to the top the console window can look like this (after installing Ubuntu MATE from Lubuntu into a pendrive that contained Xubuntu before)

../pictures/persist-07-work-done_scrolled-view.png

mkusb 10.1 looks cleaner, here illustrated with LXLE

../pictures/08-LXLE-persistent-live_by-mkusb.png

mkusb looks cleaner: The console output is redirected to ~/mkusb.log (and can be viewed 'afterwards').

../pictures/09-LXLE-persistent-live_by-mkusb.jpg

../pictures/10-LXLE-persistent-live_by-mkusb.jpg

../pictures/11-LXLE-persistent-live_by-mkusb.jpg

Wipe menu added in mkusb version 10.2

../pictures/wipe-menu-01_starter-menu_select-wipe-menu.png

../pictures/wipe-menu-02_wipe-menu.png

../pictures/wipe-menu-03_fat32-label.png

../pictures/wipe-menu-04_msdos-n-fat32.png

../pictures/wipe-menu-05_gpt-n-ntfs.png

'mkusb-legacy' because zenity was not compiled with support for html in Ubuntu Wily.

../pictures/wipe-menu-06_general-with-gparted.png

../pictures/wipe-menu-07_gpt-skeleton-for-installing-OS.png

mkusb 10.3 with GPT and NTFS can manage huge partitions ( > 2 TB )

A huge common data partition seen from Windows

../pictures/12-huge-partition-seen-in-windows.png

The partition table seen from Ubuntu Wily (with a 4 TB hard disk drive).

../pictures/13-huge-persistent-live-disk_by-mkusb10.3.png

A big but not huge partition table seen with gparted and a terminal window from Lubuntu Wily

../pictures/14-ntfs-persistent-boot_gpt.png

mkusb 10.4

• modified method to make persistent live drives using
  • either data from the source iso file (the new method)
    • function menuentry_1
    • function select_boot_system
  • or data from usb-pack_efi.tar.gz (the old method) to boot

../pictures/15-select-boot-system.png

It is now possible to select any file-name '*' for the source file, but later on there is a warning and a tip, "There should be an extension, and the extension should be written with lower-case letters, 'File.iso' or 'file.img' or 'File.img.gz' or 'file.img.xz'".

../pictures/17-ismog.png

../pictures/18-star.png

../pictures/19-tip.png

../pictures/20-sdr-qmark.png

mkusb 12

Quick start manual

../pictures/16-mkusb-quick-start-manual-12.png

Quick start manual version 12 alias dus, ../mkUSB-quick-start-manual-12.pdf

Examples

Cloning, live linux, windows / Persistent live

../pictures/persist-12-select-persistent.png

Elementary OS

../pictures/dus-27-elementary-persistent-live-by-mkusb.jpg

Windows can see usbdata of persistent live drive by mkusb

../pictures/dus-28-windows-can-see-usbdata-of-persistent-live-drive-by-mkusb.jpg

Link

See more details about mkusb version 12 alias mkusb-dus at this link, ../12

Return to the main mkusb page