mintstick

mintstick-cli { --format DEVICE | --write IMAGE_FILE DEVICE } [OPTIONS]
mintstick (launches GUI without arguments)

--version
    Displays the program's version number and exits.

-h, --help
    Shows a help message with command-line options and exits.

-i IMAGE_FILE, --iso IMAGE_FILE
    Specifies the path to the ISO image file to be written to the USB device. This option is mandatory when using --write.

-d DEVICE, --device DEVICE
    Specifies the path to the target USB device (e.g., /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc). This option is mandatory for both --format and --write operations. Extreme caution is advised to ensure the correct device is selected.

-w, --write
    Instructs mintstick-cli to write the specified ISO image (via --iso) to the target USB device (via --device). This will erase all existing data on the device.

-f, --format
    Instructs mintstick-cli to format the specified USB device (via --device). This will erase all existing data on the device.

-s SIZE, --size SIZE
    Used with --format to specify the size of the partition to create, in gigabytes (e.g., 8GB). If omitted, the entire device will be formatted.

-l LABEL, --label LABEL
    Used with --format to set the volume label for the new partition.

-t FILESYSTEM, --filesystem FILESYSTEM
    Used with --format to specify the filesystem type (e.g., fat32, ext4). The default is fat32 if not specified.

-y, --yes
    Assumes 'yes' to all prompts, allowing non-interactive operation. Use with extreme caution as it bypasses critical confirmation messages.

-v, --verbose
    Enables verbose output, providing more detailed information about the operation progress.

mintstick is a versatile utility from the Linux Mint project, designed to simplify the management of USB drives. It provides both a graphical user interface (GUI) and a command-line interface (CLI) to perform two primary functions: creating bootable USB drives from ISO images and formatting USB drives.

The command-line tool, specifically `mintstick-cli`, offers a powerful way to automate or script these operations. It abstracts the complexities of underlying disk utilities like `dd`, `mkfs`, and `parted`, providing a safer and more user-friendly experience for common USB manipulation tasks.

Data Loss Warning: Both writing an ISO and formatting a device will irrevocably erase all data on the target USB drive. Always double-check the specified device path (e.g., /dev/sdb) before executing the command to prevent accidental data loss on system drives or other important storage devices.

Root Privileges: mintstick-cli requires root privileges to operate on disk devices. It must be run using sudo or as the root user.

Device Unmounting: While mintstick-cli attempts to unmount the device, ensure it is not in use or mounted before starting operations to prevent errors.

When invoked without any command-line arguments (i.e., just mintstick), the application typically launches its graphical user interface (GUI). This provides an intuitive visual way to perform the same USB image writing and formatting tasks, complete with progress bars and interactive device selection.

mintstick's primary purpose is to abstract the complexity of low-level disk operations. While tools like dd are powerful, they are prone to critical errors if used incorrectly. mintstick provides a safer and more guided approach, especially for users who are less familiar with disk partitioning and filesystem creation.

mintstick is an application developed specifically for the Linux Mint operating system. It was created to provide a user-friendly and robust solution for common USB drive tasks, moving beyond the more complex and potentially dangerous native Linux command-line tools for everyday users. Its development is ongoing within the Linux Mint project, integrating closely with the desktop environment and offering a simplified experience for creating bootable media for Linux Mint installations and other operating systems.

dd(1), fdisk(8), parted(8), mkfs(8)