Write image to USB with Win32 Disk Imager. This USB Imaging utility uses low level raw read and write functions to DD or directly copy data to or from a device. For example, it can be used to copy an ISO or IMG file to a USB flash drive. It might also be used to create a backup image of a device.
This intuitive utility features a built in file checking option to check for file corruption before writing a file. It is Open Source so you are free to dig in to see how it works, or even modify it. The image writing software is available portably and standalone as a zipped file. So you can bring it with you on a removable device to then run from any available Windows Computer.
Authors Website: Win32 Disk Imager
License: Open Source
Extracted File Size: 43MB
Using Win32 Disk Imager to write Image to USB
In the example below, this ISO Image Writer was used to put a Rescatux Live ISO on a USB flash drive.
- Download the zipped version of Win32 Disk Imager.
- Extract (Unzip) the contents to a folder to your desktop.
- From within that extracted folder, right click the Win32DiskImager.exe file and select (Run as Administrator).
- Then once the program is up and running;
(1.) Browse to and choose your ISO file. You may need to allow *.*
(2.) Choose your destination device.
(3.) Click Write.
- Upon completion, reboot from your USB drive to make sure it works as intended.
In the case above, a Rescatux ISO was written to USB. So the drive should act just like a CD-ROM and boot right into that Live operating environment. Assuming that I reboot my computer and set my BIOS or UEFI boot menu to boot from the USB device.
If you found this tool useful, you might also want to check out the Etcher ISO USB Imaging and Clone App, which works similarly.
