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UNetbootin VS Win32 Disk Imager

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

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UNetbootin logo 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.

Win32 Disk Imager logo Win32 Disk Imager

Create and restore image backups of disk drives.
  • UNetbootin Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • Win32 Disk Imager Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-28

UNetbootin features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    UNetbootin is available for Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it accessible to users on different operating systems.
  • Wide Range of Distributions
    It supports a variety of Linux distributions, allowing users to easily create bootable drives for different Linux OSes.
  • Ease of Use
    The interface is user-friendly, allowing even non-technical users to create bootable USB drives with minimal effort.
  • No CD/DVD Required
    UNetbootin eliminates the need for physical media, enabling users to create bootable USB drives directly from ISO files.
  • Persistent Storage
    It supports the creation of persistent storage, allowing users to save changes to the USB drive without losing data on reboot.

Possible disadvantages of UNetbootin

  • Limited Advanced Features
    UNetbootin lacks some advanced options found in other tools, such as creating multiple partitions or supporting non-Linux operating systems.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some users report compatibility issues with certain USB drives or BIOS configurations, affecting the bootability of the created drive.
  • Infrequent Updates
    UNetbootin is not updated as frequently as some alternatives, which may result in it not supporting the latest Linux distributions promptly.
  • No Guaranteed Support
    As a free and open-source tool, there is no guaranteed customer support, relying mostly on community forums for troubleshooting.

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 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

UNetbootin videos

+ Add

How to use UNetBootin

More videos:

  • Review - UNetBootin - Create a Bootable Linux USB Drive [Tutorial]
  • Review - DeepIn 15.8 - Neuerungen & Installation (UNetbootin) & Review | Deepin auf Sony Vaio | 10. Dez.

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 UNetbootin and Win32 Disk Imager)

UNetbootin

Win32 Disk Imager

Utilities
85 85%
Utilities
15% 15
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

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Reviews

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

UNetbootin Reviews

7 Best Rufus Alternatives To Create Bootable USB In 2022
We found UNetbootin to be a fantastic software and mentioned UNetbootin in our “five easy ways to create bootable USB media in Ubuntu” article. The tool is also available on Windows and macOS. It has a pretty simple user interface that gets the job done.
Source: fossbytes.com
10 Best Rufus Alternatives in 2022 (USB Bootable Tools)
The thing that makes UNetbootin unique is its lightning-fast speed. Compared to all other USB bootable tools, the flashing speed with UNetbootin is very fast.
Source: techviral.net
14 Rufus alternatives for Linux, Mac, and windows
UNetBootin is another cross-platform alternative to Rufus. It has the option to choose between downloading the latest iso images or choosing your iso file. UNetBootin has a list of supported Linux distributions available on their website.
Source: www.technewstoday.com
Rufus Alternatives – 8 Best USB Bootable Software For Linux
Just like the Windows USB/DVD tool, UNetBootin is designed to create bootable drives but only for Linux. UNetbootin is the only software in this list that even lets you download the ISO from within the app. A neat little feature called persistent storage. This enables you to save a particular amount of storage on the USB. Basically, you can also flash the USB storage and...
Source: techwiser.com
8 Free USB Bootable Software For Windows
Just like the Windows USB/DVD tool, UNetBootin is designed to create bootable drives but only for Linux. The good thing about UNetBootin is you can either create a bootable media using an ISO file or you can download the Linux distribution within. When creating bootable media for Ubuntu distribution, you can set aside some space to preserve files across reboots. This feature...
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, UNetbootin seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 60 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.

UNetbootin mentions (60)

  • Troubleshooting External Hard Drives on Linux
    Use a tool like Rufus or UNetbootin to create a live USB stick. - Source: dev.to / 12 months ago
  • Kali live kernel panic
    Format your USB drive and then you can retry with your software again, or you can try with a piece of software I know works successfully. https://unetbootin.github.io/. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Best way to get files off corrupted/inaccessible drive?
    Linux on a USB large enough to hold your files. Linux does not care what OS made the file. You mat be able to Boot from the USB. Access the BIOS and try it. UNetbootin can also be used to load various system utilities. Https://unetbootin.github.io/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Install Fedora 38 without any USB or CD.
    I think UNetbootin could create a bootable installer directly from your current drive. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Flashed ISO using dd on mac and this happened…
    This is what you want. Bootcamp is the old way to do it. You want to use This for making a usb. Source: almost 2 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 UNetbootin and Win32 Disk Imager, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

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

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.

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

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