Hey there! Today, I want to share with you my personal experience and step-by-step guide on how to install Balena Etcher on Linux. Balena Etcher is a powerful tool for creating bootable USB and SD cards, which comes in handy when you want to install an operating system or flash firmware.
What is Balena Etcher?
Balena Etcher is a free and open-source utility that allows you to easily and safely create bootable USB and SD cards from disk images. It is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it a versatile tool for all operating systems.
Step 1: Download Balena Etcher
The first step is to download Balena Etcher. You can visit their official website here to download the Linux version. Balena Etcher provides both a graphical version and a command-line version, so choose the one that suits your preference.
Step 2: Install Balena Etcher
Once the download is complete, navigate to the directory where the downloaded file is located. If you downloaded the graphical version, you will usually find a file with the .AppImage extension. If you downloaded the command-line version, you will find a file with the .tar.gz extension.
If you downloaded the graphical version:
$ chmod +x balena-etcher*.AppImage
$ ./balena-etcher*.AppImage
If you downloaded the command-line version:
$ tar -xf balena-etcher*.tar.gz
$ cd balena-etcher*
$ sudo ./balena-etcher
Step 3: Etch an Image
Now that Balena Etcher is installed, it’s time to etch an image onto your USB or SD card. Launch Balena Etcher and you will be greeted with a simple and intuitive user interface.
Click on the “Select Image” button and browse your computer to find the disk image you want to flash onto your USB or SD card.
Next, click on the “Select Drive” button and choose the USB or SD card that you want to use for flashing the image.
Double-check that you have selected the correct image and drive, as this process will erase all data on the selected drive. Once you are sure, click on the “Flash!” button to start the flashing process.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully installed Balena Etcher on your Linux system and learned how to create bootable USB and SD cards with ease. Balena Etcher is a user-friendly tool that simplifies the process of flashing disk images, making it ideal for both beginners and advanced users.
I hope this guide has been helpful to you. Happy flashing!