Although we are lovers of free software and linux, we cannot deny that on occasion many of our users need to create a bootable Windows usb, either to install that operating system on a client, test vulnerabilities in it or simply for temporary use. Regardless of the use you give to a bootable Windows USB, this time we bring you a fairly practical tool that allows us to take an ISO image of Windows and transfer it to a USB, also configuring it to be bootable.
What is WoeUSB?
It is an open source tool developed by slack using shell that allows us to create a Windows installation usb from an ISO image or a DVD. The tool has a gui interface and also the possibility of being administered from the terminal.
The tool is compatible with UEFI and Legacy boot, born as a fork of the abandoned project Winusb for which many will already feel familiar with the application.
With this new development team behind this powerful tool, the aim is to have greater compatibility with current distros and at the same time the incorporation of support for new versions of Windows.
Windows versions with which WoeUSB is compatible
Currently the WoeUSB development team ensures that the tool is compatible with all versions of Windows Vista, Windows 7, Window 8, Windows 10 and Windows PE. It is expected that in the future compatibility with new versions of windows will be added.
How to install WoeUSB
Before installing WoeUSB we must meet some dependencies, they can be installed as shown below:
Dependencies in Ubuntu and derivatives
$ sudo apt-get install devscripts equivs gdebi-core $ cd <WoeUSB source code directory> $mk-build-deps # NOTE: Currently due to Debian Bug # 679101 this command will fail if source path contains spaces. $ sudo gdebi woeusb-build-deps_<version>_all.deb
Dependencies on Fedora and derivatives
$ sudo dnf install wxGTK3-devel
To install WoeUSB we must follow a series of simple steps, they are detailed below:
We clone the github repository
git clone https://github.com/slacka/WoeUSB.git
We configure the version of the application
$ ./setup-development-environment.bash
We compile the tool
# Generic methods
$ ./configure $ make $ sudo make install
Using the tool is very simple, we insert the USB that we want to use, run WoeUSB, choose the ISO image with which you want to create a bootable Windows USB, select the USB and click on install. After a while we will have a USB ready to be used, quickly, safely and desde linux.