mkusb-nox
This text mode quick start manual describes the non-menu No X version. (Alternate link 1, Alternate link 2).
Please notice that mkusb-nox was upgraded to version 22.1.0 during 2022.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa # and press Enter sudo apt update sudo apt install mkusb-nox
See details at #mkusb_version_7.5_-_mkusb-nox
mkusb-bas
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.
This basic mode quick start manual describes the basic version mkusb-bas.
mkusb-bas can be downloaded from phillw.net
wget http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/mkusb/mkusb-bas
See details at #mkusb_version_7.4.x_-_mkusb-bas
mkusb version 7.5 - mkusb-nox
mkusb-nox version 22.1
There is a major upgrade of 'mkusb-nox' in order to make it useful today (2022, after six years of 'sleep'). It is a useful cloning tool when running in text mode. 'mkusb-nox' and also useful when iso-testing because it identifies the target device almost automatically.
Users without a GUI may prefer 'mkusb-nox'. It can clone an iso file or img file to make a live drive in a safe way. It has the original mkusb user interface to help you identify and select the correct target device. 'mkusb-nox' works with USB and other drives seen as '/dev/sdx' and memory cards seen as '/dev/mmcblkn' where 'x' is a letter and 'n' is a digit.
'mkusb-nox' can still be very efficient for iso-testing (repeated cloning of daily updates of iso files to the same target device even when running in a terminal window of a graphical desktop environment).
sudo mkusb-nox file.iso all # 'all' to show all mass storage devices
The text mode quick start manual describes the non-menu No X
Separate versions for graphical mode and text mode
Starting with version 9 there are separate versions for
GUI mode: mkusb
text mode: mkusb-nox
This avoids some complicated logic and makes the code smaller. 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 version 8 and updated to the level of version 9 for mkusb-nox.
Small and flexible
mkusb-nox needs no extra packages (but in some cases can make the user experience nicer, if you let it install pv). It runs in text screens, terminal windows, via ssh and other network connections.
Use 'mkusb-dus' or 'mkusb-plug' to make persistent live drives
'mk-grub-n-iso-s' was developed into 'dus-persistent' but mkusb-nox is still only cloning Linux iso files. It cannot make persistent live drives, but you can use 'mkusb-dus' in text mode and 'mkusb-sedd' (also in text mode) without using its GUI 'mkusb-plug'.
Installation and downloading
The mkusb-nox package is available alongside the mkusb package from ppa:mkusb/ppa. and ppa:mkusb/unstable
It can also be downloaded as a tarball with the single file from http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/mkusb/
Check the tarball with the corresponding md5sum and extract mkusb-nox with
tar -xvf mkusb-nox.tar.xz
Using mkusb-nox
Making a live drive with mkusb-nox version 22.1.0
mkusb-nox makes an empty USB-connected SSD bootable with Lubuntu Kinetic:
mkusb-nox updates a USB-connected SSD bootable with Lubuntu Kinetic, 'iso-testing':
Making a USB drive to install Windows
Please notice that the method in mkusb-nox is deprecated for current versions of Windows (10,11) in 2022.
This method can be used in 32-bit systems, where there are problems with other methods. (It was not possible to extract the content from the Windows iso file directly to a USB pendrive. The files were not copied correctly (with any of the standard copying tools: cp, rsync, dd) in Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (the current Ubuntu version, when this feature was added to mkusb-nox). But it works in a reliable way to extract to a tarfile, and then extract from the tarfile to the USB pendrive.)
In 64-bit systems you should use mkusb-tow via mkusb-dus or via mkusb-plug. That method can manage huge Windows iso files with the file install.wim that expands to more than 4 GiB.
Dialogue with comments
The following dialogue in a terminal window will run mkusb-nox, start by installing pv and then install two iso files into a pendrive (one after another, at the end 'ISO-testing' re-cloning with the daily build.
Running in Arch linux illustrates that mkusb-nox works in many different linux distros. You will find that mkusb-nox can use the pacman installer and suggests to install pv (if it is not installed).
../text-screen-dumps/08-mkusb-nox-dialogue-with-comments.pdf
mkusb version 7.4.x - mkusb-bas
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 mkusb 7.4 is made for such cases - mkusb-bas.
The basic mode quick start manual describes the text only and non-menu version mkusb-bas
It can be downloaded as a single file from http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/mkusb/
Check the corresponding md5sum.
md5sum mkusb-bas
and make it executable
chmod ugo+x mkusb-bas
Then is can be run with superuser permissions (with sudo or as root depending on the linux distro) in the current directory
$ sudo ./mkusb-bas file.iso
or
# ./mkusb-bas file.iso
Alternate links
If the main web page is not available, please try these alternate links to get mkusb-bas.
The basic mode quick start manual: mkUSB-quick-start-manual-bas.pdf
The program itself, the bash shellscript file: mkusb-bas
Download mkusb-bas in two steps: Click on the link above, and at the attachment page: click on the link mkusb-bas, or click on get near the bottom of the attachment page. The version 7.4.2 checks with the following data
$ ls -l mkusb-bas -rwxr-xr-x 1 sudodus sudodus 15576 nov 19 2014 mkusb-bas $ md5sum mkusb-bas 32058d68d0b86910542ace1b37f581ca mkusb-bas
and the version 7.4.3 checks with the following data
$ ls -l mkusb-bas -rwxr-xr-x 1 sudodus sudodus 16245 jun 28 00:30 mkusb-bas $ md5sum mkusb-bas eade5b61e0ca67a2c59365036a4298e1 mkusb-bas
If you downloaded mkusb-bas before, your internet browser may cache the old version. Please check that you get the current version.
TinyCore 5.4
- The file system lacks /dev/disk/by-id, so mkusb and mkusb-nox do not work
- Install
(for example) the web browser icecat to find and download mkusb-bas and some ISO file or other image file
bash and parted for mkusb-bas
Then mkusb-bas works.
Wary Puppy 5.5
The ISO file needs treatment with isohybrid to work when cloned to a USB pendrive. You can download the isohybrid iso file from http://phillw.net/isos/linux-tools/hybrid-isos.
- The file system lacks /dev/disk/by-id and the program lsblk is missing, so mkusb and mkusb-nox do not work
Wary Puppy can install and run mkusb-bas without further tweaks.