Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups
Register | Login

Rufus VS Win32 Disk Imager

Compare Rufus VS Win32 Disk Imager and see what are their differences

Unimus
Unimus is a Network Automation and Configuration management (NCM) solution designed for fast deployment network-wide and ease of use. Unimus does not require learning any abstraction or templating languages, and does not require any coding skills. featured
Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

Rufus logo 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.

Win32 Disk Imager logo Win32 Disk Imager

Create and restore image backups of disk drives.
  • Rufus Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-20
  • Win32 Disk Imager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-28

Rufus features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Rufus is a very lightweight application, usually requiring no significant system resources, making it swift and efficient.
  • Inexpensive
    Rufus is a free and open-source application, which makes it accessible for everyone without any financial burden.
  • User-friendly
    The interface is straightforward and easy to use, which makes the process of creating bootable USB drives simple even for less experienced users.
  • Versatile
    Rufus supports a wide range of ISO files and multiple file system options, making it suitable for different types of bootable media.
  • Portable
    It does not require installation and can be run directly from a USB drive, allowing for flexibility and mobility.
  • Speed
    Rufus is known for its speed, often outperforming other similar tools in terms of creating bootable media quickly.

Possible disadvantages of Rufus

  • Windows-only
    Rufus is only available for Windows, which means users on macOS or Linux need to use alternative tools.
  • Limited UI Customization
    While the interface is user-friendly, it offers limited customization options for advanced users looking for more control.
  • No Cloud Support
    Rufus does not support cloud storage or network drives directly, which could be a limitation for some workflows.
  • Lack of Integrated Help
    The application does not provide comprehensive integrated help or guided steps, which might require users to seek external tutorials or documentation.
  • Potential Risk of Data Loss
    As with any tool that formats drives, there is a risk of data loss if the wrong drive is selected by mistake.

Win32 Disk Imager features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    The application features a simple and intuitive interface, making it accessible even for beginners.
  • Portability
    Win32 Disk Imager is a lightweight application and doesn't require installation. It can be run from a portable storage device.
  • Free and Open Source
    The software is available for free and its source code is open to the public, allowing for community contributions and transparency.
  • Reliable Image Writing
    It provides reliable and accurate writing of raw disk image files to removable storage devices.
  • Wide Format Support
    Supports writing and reading to and from various image file formats including .img and .iso.

Possible disadvantages of Win32 Disk Imager

  • Limited Features
    Win32 Disk Imager lacks advanced features found in other disk imaging tools, such as compression and encryption.
  • Platform Limitation
    The software is only available for Windows, excluding users on other operating systems like macOS or Linux.
  • No Native File Extraction
    The application doesn't support extracting files from images; you can only read and write entire images.
  • Potential Data Loss
    As with any disk writing software, there's a risk of data loss if the process is interrupted or if the wrong drive is selected.
  • Outdated Interface
    The user interface looks dated compared to more modern software, which might not appeal to some users.

Analysis of Rufus

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Rufus is a highly regarded tool for creating bootable USB drives.

Why this product is good

  • Rufus is efficient, lightweight, and easy to use. It consistently receives positive reviews for its speed and reliability. It's compatible with a wide range of ISO files and supports both BIOS and UEFI boot modes.

Recommended for

  • Installing operating systems via USB
  • Creating bootable USB drives from ISO images
  • IT professionals needing a reliable bootable USB creator
  • Users who need to flash firmware or low-level utilities

Analysis of Win32 Disk Imager

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Win32 Disk Imager is generally considered a good tool for users who need to create bootable USB drives or transfer disk images to removable media. Its consistent performance and ease of use make it a popular choice among both beginners and experienced users.

Why this product is good

  • Win32 Disk Imager is a widely used tool for writing disk image files to USB drives and SD cards. It is simple to use and serves its purpose effectively. It is particularly valued for its straightforward interface and reliability in creating bootable media.

Recommended for

  • Users who need to create bootable USB drives
  • Individuals looking for a straightforward and easy-to-use interface
  • People who need to backup or restore removable drives
  • Users requiring a lightweight and no-frills disk imaging tool

Rufus videos

+ Add

RUFUS Create USB Drive BOOTABLE the easy way

More videos:

  • Review - Okeechobee Music Festival 2020 Lineup Reaction & Review | Bassnectar, Tipper, Rufus du Sol
  • Review - Seven Spheres by Rufus Opus - Esoteric Book Review
  • Tutorial - How to create bootable vicidial disk using rufus

Win32 Disk Imager videos

+ Add

How To | Create An SD Card Backup Image | Win32 Disk Imager Review | Microsoft Windows

More videos:

  • Review - Burning IMG files to SD Cards with Win32 Disk Imager

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rufus and Win32 Disk Imager)

Rufus

Win32 Disk Imager

Utilities
90 90%
Utilities
10% 10
Cyber Security
0 0%
Cyber Security
100% 100
Bootable USB
100 100%
Bootable USB
0% 0
Backup & Restore
0 0%
Backup & Restore
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Rufus and Win32 Disk Imager. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Rufus and Win32 Disk Imager

Rufus Reviews

7 Best Rufus Alternatives To Create Bootable USB In 2022
One of the first steps of trying out an operating system is installing the image of the same on a USB drive. Rufus is one of the most widely used tools to create bootable USBs, but you might not like it due to its UI or slow on your computer. Hence, in this article, let’s look at some of the best Rufus alternatives to create bootable USBs.
Source: fossbytes.com
10 Best Rufus Alternatives in 2022 (USB Bootable Tools)
So, to make things a little bit easy, you can always use the best Rufus Alternatives. This article will share some of the best Rufus alternatives that can be used to create a bootable media drive. So, let’s explore the list of best Rufus Alternatives for Windows 10 computers.
Source: techviral.net
14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
As you now know, there are a lot of Rufus alternatives out there. Some may work as well as Rufus. Others may break or even fail to create a bootable USB drive. Some applications also provide features that Rufus does not have. Omit, your choice of application should depend on what you are trying to achieve. All the boot tools listed above are free with paid editions in some....
Source: www.technewstoday.com
Rufus Alternatives – 8 Best USB Bootable Software For Linux
Rufus is a popular app to create a USB Bootable flash drive for Windows but unfortunately, it doesn’t exist for Linux. So, I had to go through tons of GitHub repositories and Reddit pages to find the ideal Rufus Alternative. And turn out, you can make a bootable USB drive with the command line, or even use a third-party tool which offers extra features such boot multiple...
Source: techwiser.com
8 Free USB Bootable Software For Windows
When it comes to creating bootable USB drives in Windows, Rufus is the best, free, open-source, and easy-to-use software. Rufus not only lets you create bootable USB for different kinds of operating systems but you can also use it to flash BIOS, firmware, and run low-level utilities. Add to that, Rufus is much faster than the other apps when it comes to creating bootable...
Source: techwiser.com

Win32 Disk Imager Reviews

14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
Win32 Disk Imager is a popular tool targeted at the Windows platform. Version 0.9 of the tool can also flash older legacy systems such as Windows XP and Vista.
Source: www.technewstoday.com
10 Best Rufus Alternatives for Windows, Linux, and macOS - Beebom
Win32 Disk Imager is one of the oldest programs for flashing low-level utilities like Raspbian and ARM-based operating systems on SD cards and USB sticks. In true sense, Win32 Disk Imager is a Rufus alternative because the performance is exceptionally great and the flashing speed is in its own league. And that is not all, the user interface is as simple as it can get. You...
Source: free-software-examples.blogspot.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rufus seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. 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.

Rufus mentions (6)

  • Truly Wiping an HDD for resell?
    For HDDs, you'll want to use a program called DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) to wipe it. It's included in the Ultimate Boot CD, and you can make that a bootable USB instead by using Rufus. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Both usb drives are not working even tho they're formatted in Fat32
    Someone below commented to use rufus. That tool is meant for flashing OS install images, but just using the format section should work fine. I use GParted's livecd, although that might be a bit overkill for a quick format. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Windows 11 Installation Assistant vs ISO file
    I would just download the ISO by itself. You don't really need the "assistant". Just mount the ISO with Rufus. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Uninstalling Windows for Linux
    Maybe download the installers for Fedora & Tumbleweed and boot to the USB Drive you install the .iso file on to 'try' a distro first instead of destroying you current setup for the totally unknown world of linux. Use Rufus to create the bootable USB drive and HashTab to check the .iso files checksum. https://rufus.akeo.ie/. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Data sanitization - DBAN, Powershell or other?
    For HDDs, you'll want to use a program called DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke) to wipe it. It's included in the Ultimate Boot CD, and you can make that a bootable USB instead by using Rufus. Source: about 4 years ago
View more

Win32 Disk Imager mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Win32 Disk Imager yet. Tracking of Win32 Disk Imager recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Rufus and Win32 Disk Imager, you can also consider the following products

Balena Etcher - Flash OS images to SD cards & USB drives, safely and easily.

Clonezilla - Clonezilla is a suite of software that's designed to allow you to back-up and image new hard drives with your data.

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

Macrium Reflect - Macrium Software - the creators of Macrium Reflect backup, imaging and cloning software.

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.

Universal USB Installer - Universal USB Installer aka UUI is a Live Linux Bootable USB Creator that allows you to choose from a selection …

Loading...