 | |
UNetbootin version 702 on Void Linux
| |
| Original author(s) | Geza Kovacs |
|---|---|
| Initial release | April 2007; 17 years ago (2007-04) |
| Stable release | Release 702[1] / February 4, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-02-04) |
| Repository | |
| Written in | C++ (Qt 4/5) |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Type | Live USB |
| License | GNU GPL version 2 or later[2] |
| Website | unetbootin |
UNetbootin ("Universal Netboot Installer") is a cross-platform utility that can create live USB systems and can load a variety of system utilities or install various Linux distributions and other operating systems without a CD.
This installation mode creates bootable USB flash drives and bootable USB Hard Disk Drives; it is a Live USB creator.[3]
Multiple installs on the same device are not supported.
This installation mode performs a network installation or "frugal install" without a CD, similar to that performed by the Win32-Loader.[4]
UNetbootin's distinguishing features are its support for a great variety of Linux distributions, its portability, its ability to load custom disk image (including ISO image) files, and its support for both Windows and Linux.[5] Unlike Wubi, and similar to the Win32-Loader, when installing to hard disk, UNetbootin installs to a partition, not a disk image, thus creating a dual-boot setup between Linux and Windows.[4][6]
A review in Full Circle in February 2021 stated, "despite the rather dated-looking interface, UNetbootin works perfectly, allowing the writing of almost any Linux or BSD distribution to a USB stick for testing or installation. It is a great example of the Unix philosophy: an application that does one thing and does it well."[7]
