https://github.com/thesoftwarewizard/oswriter
A command-line tool for creating bootable USB drives from various operating system images.
https://github.com/thesoftwarewizard/oswriter
linux os usb windows
Last synced: about 1 year ago
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A command-line tool for creating bootable USB drives from various operating system images.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/thesoftwarewizard/oswriter
- Owner: TheSoftwareWizard
- Created: 2025-05-04T16:26:54.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-05-04T21:27:40.000Z (about 1 year ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-04T22:32:00.133Z (about 1 year ago)
- Topics: linux, os, usb, windows
- Language: Shell
- Homepage:
- Size: 31.3 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# OSWriter
A command-line tool for creating bootable USB drives from various operating system images.
## Features
- **Automatic USB detection**: Detects and lists all connected USB drives
- **Multiple OS support**: Create bootable USB drives for:
- Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.)
- Windows
- Custom images
- **Ventoy integration**: Option to install Ventoy for multi-boot USB creation
- **Safety measures**: Multiple safeguards to prevent formatting system disks by mistake
- **Interactive interface**: Clear menus and confirmation prompts
- **Auto-updates**: Check for and install updates easily
- **Path autocompletion**: Tab completion support when entering file paths
- **Wi-Fi management**: Built-in tools for managing network connections (Linux only)
## Requirements
- Linux operating system (tested on Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, Raspberry Pi OS)
- Root privileges (sudo)
- Basic tools: `lsblk`, `dd`, `file`
- Optional tools depending on usage:
- `woeusb` or `woeusb-ng` for Windows ISO support
- `ventoy` for multi-boot support
## Installation
### Quick Installation (Recommended)
For local installation from a cloned repository:
```bash
cd oswriter
sudo ./install.sh
```
After installation, you can run OSWriter by typing:
```bash
sudo oswriter
```
or
```bash
sudo create_bootable_usb
```
### Uninstallation
To remove OSWriter from your system:
```bash
sudo oswriter uninstall
```
or
```bash
sudo ./install.sh uninstall
```
## Usage
When using the installed version:
```bash
sudo oswriter
```
Or if you manually downloaded the script:
```bash
sudo ./create_bootable_usb.sh
```
### Menu Options
1. **Create a bootable USB drive** - The main functionality
2. **Check for updates** - Update OSWriter to the latest version
0. **Exit** - Close the application
### OS Options
1. **Ubuntu/Debian/Other Linux distributions (ISO)** - For Linux-based distributions
2. **Windows (ISO)** - For Windows installation media (requires woeusb or woeusb-ng)
3. **Ventoy (for multiple operating systems)** - Install Ventoy to create multi-boot USB
4. **Custom image (using dd)** - For any other disk image
### Additional Features
- **Tab autocompletion**: Press Tab to autocomplete file paths when selecting an ISO
- **Wi-Fi management**: Tools for connecting to networks (on Linux systems)
- **Automatic updates**: OSWriter checks for updates and can update itself
## Safety Features
OSWriter includes multiple safety checks to protect your system:
- Prevents formatting of NVMe and other system disks
- Detects and warns about large drives
- Confirms removable media status
- Requires explicit confirmation before formatting
- Checks for mounted system partitions
## Warning
**ALL DATA ON THE SELECTED USB DRIVE WILL BE ERASED!**
Always double-check that you've selected the correct drive before confirming.
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
- **"Not enough free space"**: Ensure your USB drive has enough capacity for the ISO
- **WoeUSB errors**: For Windows ISOs, ensure you have woeusb or woeusb-ng installed
- **Permissions issues**: Make sure to run with sudo
### OS-Specific Notes
- **Fedora**: Install woeusb-ng via `sudo dnf install woeusb-ng`
- **Ubuntu/Debian**: Install woeusb-ng via `sudo apt install woeusb-ng`
- **Raspberry Pi**: For Wi-Fi management, ensure Network Manager is enabled in raspi-config
## License
MIT License
## Author
TheSoftwareWizard - [GitHub](https://github.com/TheSoftwareWizard)
## Version History
- **0.4.1** - Added version number and MIT license information
- **0.4.0** - Improved path handling and error detection
- **0.3.0** - Added auto-update capabilities
- **0.2.0** - Added tab autocompletion for file paths
- **0.1.0** - Initial release