Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Boot Repair Disk VS Balena Etcher

Compare Boot Repair Disk VS Balena Etcher and see what are their differences

Boot Repair Disk logo Boot Repair Disk

A simple tool to recover access to your Operating Systems. * Easy-to-use (repair in 1 click ! )

Balena Etcher logo Balena Etcher

Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives, safely and easily.
  • Boot Repair Disk Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-08
  • Balena Etcher Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-22

Boot Repair Disk features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    Boot Repair Disk has a straightforward and intuitive GUI, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise. This simplicity helps users to easily navigate and perform boot repair tasks without needing extensive knowledge.
  • Wide Compatibility
    The tool supports a variety of operating systems, including different distributions of Linux and Windows, making it versatile and helpful for dual-boot systems.
  • Efficient Boot Problem Resolution
    It effectively addresses and repairs boot issues such as GRUB problems, corrupted system files, and MBR (Master Boot Record) errors, saving users time and effort in troubleshooting.
  • Live CD/USB Availability
    Boot Repair Disk can be used as a live CD or USB, allowing users to repair boot issues without needing to access the operating system on the affected machine.
  • Free and Open Source
    As a free, open-source tool, Boot Repair Disk provides cost-effective boot repair solutions without licensing restrictions for individuals and organizations.

Possible disadvantages of Boot Repair Disk

  • Limited Advanced Options
    While user-friendly, the tool might lack advanced options that experienced users or IT professionals might need for more intricate boot issues or highly customized environments.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    In some instances, Boot Repair Disk might face hardware compatibility issues with certain USB drives or specific PC configurations, possibly requiring additional troubleshooting.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    For some repairs and updates, an internet connection is required, which can be a limitation in environments where network access is unavailable or restricted.
  • Potential Overwrites
    Automatic repairs might potentially overwrite existing boot configurations without proper warning, which can be problematic if users need to maintain specific settings.
  • Not a Full Recovery Solution
    Boot Repair Disk is mainly focused on restoring boot functionality and doesn't offer wider recovery solutions like data recovery in cases of significant data loss.

Balena Etcher features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Balena Etcher offers a clean and intuitive graphical interface that makes it easy for users of all levels to create bootable USB drives or SD cards.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing users to create bootable media regardless of their operating system.
  • High Reliability
    The application performs verification processes to ensure the integrity of the burned image, reducing the likelihood of corrupted media.
  • Wide Image Format Support
    Balena Etcher supports a wide variety of image formats including ISO, IMG, and ZIP files.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Balena Etcher offers transparency, and its source code is available for review and modification by the community.

Possible disadvantages of Balena Etcher

  • No Advanced Settings
    Balena Etcher is designed for simplicity and lacks advanced settings and options that more experienced users might desire.
  • Resource Intensive
    The application can be relatively resource-intensive, consuming more CPU and memory compared to some other lightweight alternatives.
  • Issues with Large Files
    Some users have reported difficulties when trying to flash very large image files, leading to incomplete or failed transfers.
  • No Multiboot Support
    Balena Etcher does not support creating multiboot USB drives, which limits its functionality for users needing multiple bootable environments on a single drive.
  • Internet Connection for Some Features
    Certain features, such as downloading images directly through the app, require an internet connection, which might be inconvenient for users with limited connectivity.

Analysis of Balena Etcher

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Balena Etcher is considered a reliable and efficient tool for creating bootable media, especially given its open-source nature and active community support.

Why this product is good

  • Balena Etcher is popular for its simplicity and effectiveness in creating bootable USB drives and SD cards. It features a clean and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users. The software supports multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, and reduces the risk of accidentally installing the operating system on the wrong drive by displaying a clear preview of selected drives.

Recommended for

    Balena Etcher is recommended for users who need to create bootable drives for installing operating systems or for purposes like system recovery and troubleshooting. It's particularly suitable for those who value a simple, intuitive interface and cross-platform compatibility.

Boot Repair Disk videos

Boot repair disk

Balena Etcher videos

Wish.com 2000MW Laser Etcher Review

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Make Bootable USB in Windows 10 or Bootable SD // Etcher Tutorial
  • Review - Linux App Review / Etcher

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Boot Repair Disk and Balena Etcher)
Backup And Disaster Recovery
Bootable USB
4 4%
96% 96
Preinstallation Environment
Utilities
7 7%
93% 93

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Boot Repair Disk and Balena Etcher

Boot Repair Disk Reviews

Best Bootable USB Programs to Boot and to Repair the PC
The application is only available in ISO format with which to create a bootable CD or bootable USB drive. With this application we can analyze the configuration of the PC and its startup process and carry out some recommended repairs in case of finding a problem. Plus, it includes a worst-case OS uninstall tool. You can download Boot Repair Disk from this link .
Source: itigic.com

Balena Etcher Reviews

7 Best Rufus Alternatives To Create Bootable USB In 2022
So these were some of the best Rufus alternatives that you can try. Suppose you’re still confused about which one to use. In that case, we’d recommend ‘balenaEtcher’ and ‘Ventoy.’ For Linux users, ‘WoeUSB’ for Windows media creation, ‘Ventoy,’ ‘balenaEctcher,’ and ‘Popsicle’ will all do the job.
Source: fossbytes.com
10 Best Rufus Alternatives in 2022 (USB Bootable Tools)
If you are searching for an easy-to-use tool to create bootable USB drives, Etcher might be the best pick. It’s a full-fledged bootable USB tool available for Windows and macOS. The user interface of Etcher is quite simple to use, and it supports all sorts of system images like DMG, ISO, IMG, etc. Etcher is an open-source tool, and it’s entirely free to use.
Source: techviral.net
14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
Now, Balena has a host of other solutions. This includes cloud, balenaOS, balena Engine, and even their flashing hardware called balenaEtcherPro. Balena Etcher is perfect for creating ready-to-go bootable drives. But, It does not provide options for persistence. They still support a wide range of iso images including Windows iso.
Rufus Alternatives – 8 Best USB Bootable Software For Linux
WoeUSB comes in wherein Etcher falls short. It is compatible with Windows ISO and even recommended by Etcher. Similar to Etcher, even WoeUSB doesn’t show you internal drives. It automatically detects the removable USB drives and you just have to select the appropriate one and click on Install. It handles all the complexities by itself. WoeUSB supports Windows from Vista to...
Source: techwiser.com
8 Free USB Bootable Software For Windows
Etcher is the new kid on the block and the easiest to use bootable software in this list. The main reason to build Etcher was to escape the complexity of selecting multiple options and settings with different Operating-system. It just requires few clicks to convert your SD card or USB into a bootable drive. It supports Windows, Linux based OS and even macOS. Etcher also has...
Source: techwiser.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Boot Repair Disk might be a bit more popular than Balena Etcher. We know about 17 links to it since March 2021 and only 15 links to Balena Etcher. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Boot Repair Disk mentions (17)

  • Need help with installing Ubuntu as a dual boot
    From what I understand, the boot EFI partition has become corrupted. In this case The easiest thing to do Is to download ventoy and install it in a flash drive Then put in this ISO, boot it and do the repair Https://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/ If that doesn't work then I should rebuild the efi partition and then restore the bootloader. Source: over 2 years ago
  • I'm trying to boot boot-repair from a usb stick, and it's stuck after: [Begin: Running /scripts/nfs-premount ... done.]. (Please it's been two weeks and I'm battling my pc)
    I flashed the boot repair ISO (64 bit) onto a usb drive using Balena Etcher. It was a normal morning, around 3 am, I had just turned off my pc (Ubuntu 22.04) normally, then the next day, it gave me this error: End kernel panic - not syncing: fatal exception in interrupt. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Does it make any sense to keep recovery partitions after formatting?
    If you altered the MBR but haven't deleted the recovery partition, you can make it bootable again by installing GRUB and os-prober (for example with the Boot-Repair disk). Depending on the type of recovery partition, it either comes up as "Windows Recovery Environment" or just "Windows 7", so don't confuse it with a standard Windows 7 installation. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • how do I enter windows 10 when stuck in Linux grub while booting? (please read the description)
    If you have a system you can download to, you might look at https://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/. Source: about 3 years ago
  • trouble installing deepin
    I had a similar problem when I tried to install neon on a btrfs formatted drive. I'm not familiar with uefi though. You could try the boot repair disc https://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/ . The problem is that some packages normally get deleted after bootloader is installed, which won't happen here. You might need to remove them manually. That says my solution is not perfect and shouldn't be your first... Source: about 3 years ago
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Balena Etcher mentions (15)

  • How long does a dd to memory stick write of the img file take?
    Consider using BalenaEtcher.app It usually transfers at the maximum data rate possible and includes checks so you don't accidentally overwrite the wrong disk. Source: about 2 years ago
  • This is my first time installing linux, can someone tell what this can be?
    Tbh if I were you I would just flash the Debian image to a USB with Rufus or BalenaEtcher and boot from the USB. Just make sure to disable secure boot before doing so, otherwise the USB won't boot. Also you should probably uninstall the Debian loader from Windows. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Best way to create a windows install usb stick on macOS Monterey without using terminal
    You can download the iso and use something like https://balena.io/etcher. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Flexible distro for an absolute noob who wants to learn hands-on
    The live mode only works with an USB. You can set it up with Balena Etcher (http://balena.io/etcher/). Source: about 3 years ago
  • Hey guys, I really need some help. I have no idea what to do.
    Ah on mac, that explains a little bit. So rufus does not exist for mac, but you can use something like balena etcher steps are: 1. Download the iso (keep in downloads folder, not on usb) 2. Open etcher and select the iso and the usb stick (verify it’s the right one) 3. Start etching (will ask for admin password) 4. When it’s finished put usb in your new computer and boot it 5. When the monitor displays a logo... Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Boot Repair Disk and Balena Etcher, you can also consider the following products

Rescatux - Rescatux is a GNU/Linux rescue cd (and eventually also Windows) but it is not like other rescue...

Rufus - Rufus is a piece of software that allows you to transform a portable drive, like a flash drive or other USB drives, into a bootable drive that can be used for a variety of purposes. Read more about Rufus.

Hirens BootCD - Hirens BootCD is a powerful, all-in-one boot disk utility that will help you resolve and make reformatting your computer easily.

UNetbootin - UNetbootin is a utility for creating live bootable USB drives. The name of the software is short for Universal Netboot Installer, and its most prevalent use has been to create bootable versions of Linux distributions on a USB drive.

SystemRescueCd - SystemRescueCd is a Linux system rescue disk available as a bootable CD-ROM or USB stick for...

YUMI - YUMI (Your USB Multiboot Installer), is a tool that allows you to boot multiple ISO files from one USB drive.