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Ways to Create an ISO from a Bootable USB in Linux
Introduction
A bootable USB is a USB drive that has been formatted to contain an operating system, allowing you to boot up a computer using the USB drive rather than the computer's hard drive. Bootable USB drives are useful for a variety of reasons, such as installing a new operating system, running a portable version of a program, or recovering data from a malfunctioning computer.
Creating an ISO from a bootable USB might be necessary if you want to make a backup of your bootable USB or share it with others who don't have a USB drive. An ISO file is a disc image file that contains all the files and data needed to create a CD, DVD, or USB drive. By creating an ISO from a bootable USB, you can save the entire contents of the USB drive in a single file, which can be easily shared or stored.
There are several ways to create an ISO from a bootable USB in Linux, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. In this article, we will explore three popular methods: using the dd command, using the GNOME Disks utility, and using the “mkisofs” command. Let's get started!
Using the dd command
The dd command is a powerful utility for copying and converting files in Linux. It can also be used to create an ISO from a bootable USB. Here's how to do it −
Plug in your bootable USB and open a terminal window.
Type "lsblk" to list all the available drives, including your USB drive. Take note of the device name of your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdb).
Type "sudo dd if=/dev/sdb of=/path/to/image.iso bs=4M" (replacing /dev/sdb with the device name of your USB drive and /path/to/image.iso with the desired location and name of your ISO file). This will copy the entire contents of your USB drive to an ISO file.
Wait for the command to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of your USB drive.
Once the command has finished, you should have a bootable ISO file that you can use to create a new bootable USB or share with others.
Benefits of using the dd command
Fast and efficient
Works with almost any type of bootable USB
Drawbacks of using the dd command
No progress indicator, so you have to wait until the command finishes
Can be dangerous if you specify the wrong device name and overwrite important data
Using the GNOME Disks Utility
The GNOME Disks utility is a graphical tool for managing disks and disk images in Linux. It can also be used to create an ISO from a bootable USB. Here's how to do it −
Plug in your bootable USB and open the GNOME Disks utility.
Select your USB drive from the list on the left.
Click the menu icon (three lines) in the top-right corner and select "Create Disk Image."
Choose the desired location and name for your ISO file, and select "Read-only" if you want to create a read-only ISO.
Click "Create" and wait for the utility to create the ISO file.
Once the ISO file has been created, you can use it to create a new bootable USB or share with others.
Benefits of Using the GNOME Disks Utility
Graphical interface makes it easy to use
Allows you to create a read-only ISO for added security
Using the mkisofs command
.The “mkisofs” command is another command-line utility that can be used to create ISO files in Linux. It is particularly useful for creating ISO files from files and directories, rather than directly from a bootable USB. However, it can also be used to create an ISO from a bootable USB. Here's how to do it −
Plug in your bootable USB and open a terminal window.
Type "lsblk" to list all the available drives, including your USB drive. Take note of the device name of your USB drive (e.g., /dev/sdb).
Type "sudo mkisofs -o /path/to/image.iso /dev/sdb" (replacing /path/to/image.iso with the desired location and name of your ISO file and /dev/sdb with the device name of your USB drive). This will create an ISO file from your bootable USB.
Wait for the command to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of your USB drive.
Once the command has finished, you should have a bootable ISO file that you can use to create a new bootable USB or share with others.
Benefits of using the “mkisofs” command
Can be used to create ISO files from files and directories as well as bootable USBs
Allows for more control over the ISO creation process
Drawbacks of using the “mkisofs” command
Can be more complex than other methods
May require additional software installation
Conclusion
Overall, there are several ways to create an ISO from a bootable USB in Linux, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Using the dd command is fast and efficient, but can be dangerous if you specify the wrong device name. Using the GNOME Disks utility is easy to use and allows you to create a read-only ISO, but may not be as efficient as other methods. Using the “mkisofs” command is more complex, but allows for more control over the ISO creation process. With these methods, you can easily create an ISO from a bootable USB in Linux and share it with others or store it for backup purposes.
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