How To Install and Run UNetbootin

UNetbootin is a versatile, open-source tool that allows you to create bootable USB drives for a variety of Linux distributions. It’s particularly useful if you want to try out a new Linux distribution, or if you need to perform system repairs. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of installing and running UNetbootin on Ubuntu.

Installing UNetbootin

There are three main methods to install UNetbootin: using PPA, direct installation, and running the downloaded file.

Installing UNetbootin using PPA

This method is recommended for older versions of Ubuntu or if you encounter issues with the standard repositories. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the terminal. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Run the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gezakovacs/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unetbootin

The sudo command allows you to run commands with administrative privileges. The add-apt-repository command adds the specified PPA to your system’s software sources, enabling you to install packages that aren’t available in the standard Ubuntu repositories. The apt-get update command updates your system’s package list, and apt-get install unetbootin installs UNetbootin.

If you’re using Ubuntu 18.04 or later, replace ppa:gezakovacs/ppa with ppa:n-muench/programs-ppa.

Direct Installation

For Ubuntu versions earlier than 18.04, you can directly install UNetbootin using the following command:

sudo apt-get install unetbootin

This method is quick and easy, but it may not work for Ubuntu 18.04 and later due to deprecated dependencies.

Running the Downloaded File

If you downloaded UNetbootin from the official site, you can make it executable and run it without installation. Here’s how:

1. Right-click on the downloaded file, select “Properties,” go to the “Permissions” tab, and tick the “Allow executing file as program” option.
2. Alternatively, you can use the terminal to navigate to the file’s directory and run the following commands:

chmod +x unetbootin-linux-585
./unetbootin-linux-585

The chmod +x command makes the file executable, and the ./unetbootin-linux-585 command runs the file.

Running UNetbootin

Once you have UNetbootin installed, you can use it to create bootable USB drives. Here’s how:

1. Open UNetbootin. You can do this by searching for it in your system’s application menu.
2. You’ll see two options: “Distribution” and “Diskimage”. If you want UNetbootin to download a Linux distribution for you, select “Distribution” and choose your preferred distribution and version. If you have an ISO file you want to use, select “Diskimage” and browse for the file.
3. Select your USB drive in the “Drive” dropdown menu.
4. Click “OK” to start the process.

UNetbootin will format your USB drive and install the Linux distribution or ISO file. Once the process is complete, you can boot from the USB drive to use or install the Linux distribution.

Conclusion

UNetbootin is a powerful tool for creating bootable USB drives for Linux distributions. Whether you’re trying out a new distribution, performing system repairs, or installing Linux on a new machine, UNetbootin makes the process simple and straightforward. With this guide, you should be able to install and run UNetbootin with ease.