balenaEtcher is a free and open-source flashing utility tool famous for writing image files such as .iso and .img files and zipped folders onto storage media to create live SD cards and USB flash drives. balenaEtcher has cross-platform support on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows and is developed by balena and licensed under Apache License 2.0.
In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install baelnaEtcher on Fedora 35 and create a Linux distribution boot disk.
Table of Contents
Prerequisites
- Recommended OS: Fedora Linux 35
- User account: A user account with sudo or root access.
Update Operating System
Update your Fedora operating system to make sure all existing packages are up to date:
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh -yThe tutorial will be using the sudo command and assuming you have sudo status.
To verify sudo status on your account:
sudo whoamiExample output showing sudo status:
[joshua@fedora ~]$ sudo whoami
rootTo set up an existing or new sudo account, visit our tutorial on Adding a User to Sudoers on Fedora.
To use the root account, use the following command with the root password to log in.
suInstall Dependency Required
Before installing, run the following command to install or check that the package dnf-plugins-core is installed on your Fedora desktop.
sudo dnf install dnf-plugins-core dnf-utils dnf-plugin-config-manager -yBy default, this should be installed.
The tutorial will utilize the terminal, which can be found in your show applications menu.
Example:
Import the balenaEtcher Repository
The first task is to import the official Etcher repository. For Fedora users, this is relatively easy as there is a bash script that the balena team created that can be downloaded and automates the import.
In your terminal, use the following command to download the bash script.
curl -1sLf \
'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/balena/etcher/setup.rpm.sh' \
| sudo -E bashIf the above commands fail, the curl package is more than likely not installed. To fix this, use the following terminal command.
sudo dnf install curl -yThen repeat the process to download the bash script.
The command will automatically engage the bash command to engage the script and import the repository. If you have missed, the dependencies packages listed at the start of the tutorial, an attempt to install them will be made.
Once complete, you should see instructions at the end of your terminal output.
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Install balenaEtcher on Fedora
Now that the repository is imported, it is time to install the Etcher software. In your terminal, use the following command.
sudo dnf install balena-etcher-electronExample output:
Type Y, then press the ENTER KEY to proceed with the installation.
If you try to launch balenaEtcher and it doesn’t work, reboot your system.
sudo rebootThis will only need to be done one time, and after that, it should work correctly.
Create Installation Image USB with balenaEtcher
With balenaEtcher now installed, the tutorial will quickly show how to create a bootable installation USB image. This is one of the most common uses for this software, as many Linux users would know about distro hopping and the importance of installation images.
The tutorial will create a Fedora alternative installation image.
First, download the .iso installation image. This will be from Fedora Workstation’s download page for the tutorial case.
Next, back in your system, open the balenaEtcher, found in activities > show applications > balenaEtcher.
Example:
The first screen you will come to is pretty self-explanatory. One of the reasons this software is popular is its relatively easy use compared to alternative options.
On your application screen, click on the button “Flash from file.”
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Once you have selected the installation image you want, click on the button “Select target.”
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In the following window, select the USB you want to use as the target for the Etcher application to burn the image.
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To finish off and begin creating the bootable USB installation image disk, click the “Flash” button.
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Once complete and successful, you will see a similar output.
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Congratulations, you have installed balenaEtcher and created your first USB bootable disk with the software.
How to Keep balenaEtcher Updated
The installation method used the DNF package manager to install the software from the repository.
To update balenaEtcher, use the upgrade –refresh command just as you would with any DNF package or system update check.
sudo dnf upgrade --refresh -yHow to Remove (Uninstall) balenaEtcher
To remove balenaEtcher is a relatively straightforward process.
First, in your terminal, use the following command.
sudo dnf remove balena-etcher-electronExample output:
Type Y, then press the ENTER KEY to proceed with the removal.
This will thoroughly remove the application and any dependencies.
Next, if you no longer want the repository on your Fedora system, use the following command.
sudo rm /etc/yum.repos.d/balena-etcher.repoComments and Conclusion
In the tutorial, you have learned how to install the popular balenaEtcher software on Fedora 35.
Overall, besides the ease of use which is very popular amongst the average user, or users migrating from Windows or macOS for the first time to create a Linux USB bootable installation disk, balenaEtcher has some great features such as validated flashing, open-source, and very lightweight.
More advanced users would probably prefer using Rufus that has extended advanced options, but balenaEtcher excels above the rest for the average needs.
