dd is a perfect tool for copy a file, converting and formatting according to the operands. It can create exact CD-ROM ISO image.
This is useful for making backup as well as for hard drive installations require a working the use of ISO images.
How do I use dd command to create an ISO image?
Put CD into CDROM
Do not mount CD. Verify if cd is mounted or not with mount command:
# mount
If cd was mouted automatically unmout it with umount command:
# umount /dev/cdrom
OR
# umount /mnt/cdrom
Create CD-ROM ISO image with dd command:
# dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/tmp/cdimg1.iso
Where,
- if=/dev/cdrom: Read from /dev/cdrom (raw format)
- of=/tmp/cdimg1.iso: write to FILE cdimg1.iso i.e. create an ISO image
Now you can use cdimg1.iso for hard disk installation or as a backup copy of cd. Please note that dd command is standard UNIX command and you should able to create backup/iso image under any UNIX like operating system.
See also:
- To verify the ISO images use an md5sum program
- Extracting particular file from Linux ISO (CD image) file after installation
- How do I write CD at Debain Linux command prompt
- Splits directory into multiple with equal size for ISO burning purpose
Want to read Linux tips and tricks, but don't have time to check our blog everyday? Subscribe to our daily email newsletter to make sure you don't miss a single tip/tricks. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here!
- Email this to a friend
- Printable version
- Rss Feed
- Last Updated: May/18/2006
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
This has cemented my love of *nix. I already knew that you could mount disk images using
mount, but the using ofddto make a disk image. That was the best bit. I have the need to make alot of images, for various reasons. And its faster than on windows. (In my experience anyway).You better add some blocksize parameter using bs=$something or it will take quite a while…
This just made my day, thank you. For some reason, Brasero wouldn’t copy the cd, but dd did it without error.
Thank you very much!