Software Alternatives & Startups

Disk2vhd VS mkusb

Compare Disk2vhd VS mkusb and see what are their differences

Disk2vhd

Creates VHD (Virtual Hard Disk - Microsoft's Virtual Machine disk format) versions from...

Rating
0 reviews
mkusb

(Straight up rufus for Linux users ) The mkusb tool was developed to make it simpler and safer to create boot drives with the method to flash or clone an iso image or a compressed image file. It is using dd under the hood.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Disk2vhd seems to be a lot more popular than mkusb. While we know about 55 links to Disk2vhd, we've tracked only 1 mention of mkusb.

social mentions
55 vs 1
Cyber Security popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
24 vs 53

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

D
Disk2vhd
mkusb
Website learn.microsoft.com github.com
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

D
Disk2vhd 5 features
mkusb 5 features
  • Convenience
    Disk2vhd provides a simple and straightforward way to convert physical disks to virtual hard disks. This ease of use can save time and effort during the virtualization process.
  • Integration with Windows
    As a tool from Microsoft Sysinternals, Disk2vhd integrates well with Windows environments, ensuring compatibility and stability for Windows users.
  • Support for live systems
    Disk2vhd can create a VHD from a live system without requiring a reboot, which minimizes downtime and disruption for users or applications.
  • Compact VHDs
    Disk2vhd includes an option to create VHDs from only the used portions of a disk, resulting in smaller and more efficient virtual hard disks.
  • No installation required
    The tool is portable and does not require installation, making it easy to run Disk2vhd on any system directly without modifying the registry or installing additional software.

Possible disadvantages

  • Lack of advanced features
    Disk2vhd offers basic conversion functionality and lacks advanced features that may be required for complex virtualization scenarios, such as support for non-Windows systems or advanced configuration options.
  • Performance limitations
    Due to its simplicity, Disk2vhd might not perform as efficiently as more comprehensive virtualization tools, especially when dealing with large or heavily fragmented disks.
  • File size limitations
    Disk2vhd creates a virtual hard disk in VHD format, which has a size limitation of 2 TB per file, potentially restricting its use for larger disk conversions.
  • Limited platform support
    Disk2vhd is primarily designed for Windows environments and may not be suitable for use with other operating systems, limiting its versatility in heterogeneous IT environments.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    mkusb provides an easy-to-understand graphical user interface, making it accessible for users who may not be comfortable with command-line tools.
  • Versatility
    The tool supports a wide range of Linux distributions, offering users the ability to create bootable USB drives for various purposes, such as installing an OS or creating a live boot environment.
  • Persistence Feature
    mkusb allows users to set up persistent storage on the USB drive, which means that changes and files can be saved across reboots.
  • Safety Mechanisms
    The tool implements safety checks to prevent accidental data loss by ensuring users have the opportunity to confirm their actions before any changes to the drive are made.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    mkusb is compatible with various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, which makes it a versatile tool for users regardless of their primary OS.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While mkusb offers all the necessary features for average users, it may lack some advanced features that more experienced users might require.
  • Performance
    The speed of creating bootable USB drives with mkusb may not be as fast as some other dedicated command-line tools, potentially making it a less efficient choice for users who need to create multiple drives quickly.
  • Dependency on External Libraries
    mkusb relies on certain external libraries and tools, which may cause compatibility issues or require additional installations on some systems.
  • Resource Intensive
    The graphical nature of mkusb can make it slightly more resource-intensive compared to command-line only alternatives, which might be a consideration for users with older hardware.
  • Less Frequent Updates
    The tool might not receive updates as frequently as some other more community-active projects, potentially leading to slower integration of new features or bug fixes.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

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Disk2vhd 2 videos + Add
mkusb 3 videos + Add

Disk2VHD and QNAP NAS - Turn your Local PC into a VM

More videos

  • - SysInternals disk2vhd - Crear discos VHD desde máquinas físicas

Make a persistent Linux usb drive with mkusb

More videos

  • - mkusb, a tutorial on how to burn isos to usbs in less than 5
  • - How to install mkusb on Linux Mint 20.2

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
D
Disk2vhd
mkusb
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Disk2vhd and mkusb. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

D
Disk2vhd 55 mentions
mkusb 1 mention
  • Imaging mounted disk volumes under duress (2021)
    I know TheFineArticle is in Linux land but for Windows people with this issue you might look at Sysinternals Disk2vhd.[0] It can be run from the online OS itself and it can store the resulting vhd on the same disk it is imaging (with... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Can I virtualize my CURRENT Windows10 install from Linux?
    I've had good luck with Sysinternals Disk2VHD. I've run it from live installs of Windows, saved the resultant VHD to another drive, then spun it up in Virtualbox. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What free software do you use to create a system image?
    A really quick and easy way to back up a a drive is to use the SysInternals Disk2VHD tool: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/disk2vhd. Source: over 3 years ago

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  • Ubuntu's version of mksub on Arch?
    Hello everyone, I have previously used mkusb and mkusb-dus on Ubuntu to make live USB sticks for various distros. However, I can't find that version available for Arch. I've found the githubversion on the AUR, but the github version... Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to Disk2vhd and mkusb

When comparing Disk2vhd and mkusb, you can also consider the following products.