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From: Paul <nospam@needed.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.advocacy,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Subject: Re: Before Dimdows 10 Goes EOL, I'm Testing Linux To Save My Laptop
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Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2025 13:56:39 -0400
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On Sat, 6/28/2025 6:41 AM, Daniel70 wrote:
> On 28/06/2025 6:04 pm, T wrote:
>> On 6/27/25 3:53 PM, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:
>>> On Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:27:06 -0400, Paul wrote:
>>>
>>>> The topic of a Linux USB preparation will come up, someone will say
>>>> "Oh, just use XYZ", but the thing is, they haven't tested XYZ
>>>> themselves, and there is a bit of disappointment waiting for you.
>>>
>>> I use dd. Yes, I have tested it for myself -- used it in production, in
>>> fact -- many times. Yes, it takes care in use; it’s not nicknamed the
>>> “data destroyer” for nothing ...
>>
>>
>> I have even used dd to zero out flash drive that
>> Windows coughs on.
>>
>> if=/dev/zero
> 
> UMMM! (Trying to learn ...) 'if=' is (usually) the input file which is (usually) to be copied somewhere (of=) .... so wouldn't 'if=/dev/zero' (potentially) ZERO the Hard Drive rather than the USB Drive??

dd.exe --list

NT Block Device Objects
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0              Harddisk0 (Windows) is the same as /dev/sda (Linux), Partition0 == wholedisk
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk0\DR0
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 4000787030016 bytes
....
\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition7              Using this identifier, allows overwrite of /dev/sda7 (Linux)  AKA  S: (Windows)
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume7
  Fixed hard disk media. Block size = 512
  size is 732331769856 bytes

Virtual input devices                        The Windows port ("dd.exe") has these virtual devices
 /dev/zero   (null data)
 /dev/random (pseudo-random data)

Administrator Terminal

   dd.exe   if=/dev/zero    of=\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition0

That just erased your hard drive (well, partially erased, before it crashed).

*******

OK, I just inserted a USB stick. Then I reran the custom Windows option supporting ident.

\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0                          <=== Transfer my hybrid ISO to this [USB stick] namespace
  link to \\?\Device\Harddisk1\DR1
  Removable media other than floppy. Block size = 512    <=== "Removable media"
  size is 8019509248 bytes

\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition1                          <=== This is my "STUFF" NTFS volume 8GB in size
  link to \\?\Device\HarddiskVolume8
  Removable media other than floppy. Block size = 512
  size is 8017412096 bytes

   dd.exe   if=some-linux.iso  of=\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0     # Transferring hybrid ISo to USB stick.

Because of a bug in the chrysocome version of dd, we use "factor" to prepare a block size.

   http://www.chrysocome.net/downloads/dd-0.6beta3.zip

We can use this ISO from the collection, for a worked example

   6343219200 ubuntu-24.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso

$ factor 6343219200
6343219200: 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 5 5 61 677        153600 * 41297
$ exit
$ wsl --shutdown

   dd.exe   if=ubuntu-24.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso    of=\\?\Device\Harddisk1\Partition0  bs=153600 count=41297
            \---------- source ISO -----------/    \----------- USB stick ----------/

  Paul