Do you want to install a new operating system on your laptop or PC using a bootable medium? Then a bootable USB is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to install new software. If you’re looking for the best open-source software to create a bootable USB, look no further! Here’s a quick guide on the best open-source tools for creating a bootable USB.
Rufus
Rufus is one of the most popular open-source programs used to create bootable USBs. It can be installed only on Windows systems without any issues.
The software allows users to select from multiple ISO files or discs, choose the output format of their choice, create persistent or non-persistent live drives, and customize settings such as block size and cluster size. The UI is simplified which makes it easy even for novice users to easily set up their own bootable drive.
UNetbootin
UNetbootin is also an open-source program that creates a bootable drive from ISOs. If you need an easy-to-use application for creating bootable USB drives, UNetbootin should be at the top of your list. Not only does it provide a graphical user interface (GUI), but its disk image feature enables users to quickly create bootable flash drives with any Linux distribution in just minutes. Plus, UNetbootin works on both Windows and Linux operating systems, so it’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to keep switching machines just to use it.
YUMI Multiboot Bootloader
If you need a more robust solution that can support multiple operating systems then YUMI Multiboot Bootloader will be your best option for creating a multiboot USB drive.
YUMI Multiboot allows users to create a bootable USB of different operating systems such as Windows 8/7/Vista/XP, Old and newer versions of Linux, Rescue CDs, Partian GParted LiveCD (Autopartition Tools), Partition Managers, and more with ease due its graphical interface friendly setup options.
BalenaEtcher
Last but not least, there’s Etcher – extensively considered one of the best open-source tools available today when it comes to creating bootable drives.
The app has been widely praised for its simplicity, speed, and automation when creating ISO images and writing them onto SD cards and USB drives alike.
Etcher sports an intuitive user interface that makes getting started swift regardless if you’re completely new or simply hate going through confusing setup wizards and fiddling around with overly complicated menus in an outdated application. All in all, if you’re looking at burning ISO images into your removable storage device without breaking much sweat – Just give Etcher a go!