Convert ISO to .img using hdiutil under Mac OS (via Installation/FromUSBStick for Ubuntu)
Linked on Mar 25 at 4:35
These instructions to install Ubuntu on a USB stick include the following on how to convert ISO to .img on a Mac:
“Convert the .iso file to .img using the convert option of hdiutil (e.g., hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o ~/path/to/target.img ~/path/to/kubuntu.iso) Note: OS X tends to put the .dmg ending on the output file automatically.”
When inputting this into terminal comes up with convert failed: no such file or directory, tried various combinations still does not work. does the ‘path to target’ need to be different to ‘path to kubuntu’?
Yes, those should be different paths. I hope it goes without saying that the path to the ISO should exist, the path to the output IMG should not.
Example please?
Reffering to comment #2.
dont put the tilde in the path name…ex. ~/pathname, is wrong, just put the name without the tilde…..ex /pathname
That’s it jake, thank you very much! It works like you said. So do not try to convert to .img file in the same folder of the source .iso file and do not put “~” before the path name.
Actually, don’t type the path at all: in Terminal, once you’ve typed the start, just drag the file to the Terminal, the path will be copied into the Terminal where the cursor was.
I did this, but got a .dmg file instead of a .img file… help please?
You need to specify “Rdxx” as the format, otherwise you will get an DMG file.
Example:
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o dban-2.2.6_i586.img dban-2.2.6_i586.iso
to bad that the files can’t get over 2GB.
anyone another solution??
This was incredibly helpful. Glad this blog exists.
This worked for me..
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o /Users/Name/ubuntu-10.04.2-desktop-i386.img /Users/Name/Desktop/ubuntu-10.04.2-desktop-i386.iso
Use UDRW instead of Rdxx… for example:
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o dban-2.2.6_i586.img dban-2.2.6_i586.iso
that should work :)
JUST Worked for me on a file that was 2.01 gig
Thank you so much
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o /path/ubuntu2.img path/ubuntu.iso
Preparando creación de imagen…
…………………………………………………………………….
Finalizando creación de imagen…
Añadiendo recursos…
…………………………………………………………………….
Tiempo transcurrido: 59.027s
(2 tareas, cargas 100)
Tamaño del archivo: 729067520 bytes, Suma: CRC $05211022
Sectores procesados: 1423960, 1423960 copiados
Velocidad: 11.8Mbytes/s
created: /path/ubuntu2.img
John Doe’s advice worked perfectly for me! Thanks! :)
I’m wanting to convert an ISO to an IMG to create a bootable SD card ubuntu, I’ve been looking ALL OVER and so far everywhere I go seems to be missing a step that maybe everyone but me knows/assumes ;-)
When I do what seems to be suggested:
hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o /Users/parasamagate/Desktop /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/linux/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.iso
I get back:
Usage: hdiutil convert -format -o [options]
hdiutil convert -help
I try variations on this and sometimes get file no found, I tried reversing it and putting the ISO first and the desk-top (as target spot) second, I tried with and without the tilda ~, I tried with and without specifying .img on the end of the target, I tried using a folder instead of desktop as target… getting frustrated here.
I’m using macbook air (version mid 2011 … 4,2) with os 10.7.2
can anyone tell me what I’m missing?
P.S., I also tried RDxx and got the same response
I also tried both
hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.img /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/linux/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.iso
and
hdiutil convert -format RDxx -o /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.img /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/linux/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.iso
nothing happens =(
Why is it necessary to conveert to an img file first? Why not just dd the iso image? What’s the purpose of converting to img first? Nobody seems to explain why this is necessary. Any comments?
Thomas you used hdiutil convert -format RDxx -o /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.img /Users/parasamagate/Desktop/linux/ubuntu-10.04-desktop-powerpc.iso I did the same mistake Its Rdxx small d. This was the only command that worked on OSX 10.5 G4 mirror door to make a immage
Travis this is for the purpose of having ubuntu on a flash drive that you can boot on a mac
thats my guess
nice Tom Witko, it works with small d. Thanks!
Thanks for all the help, it has taken me hours and I’m still not quite there yet. I have managed to finally create the .img file in OS X Snow Leopard, however, after executing the sudo command I get an error message saying “The disk you inserted was not readable by this computer”. I have been sat here for hours and, as far as I can tell, am doing nothing different to the instructions above. Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.
Hi guys, I have the same trouble as thomas. I wrote
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o /Users/Jing/Documents/ubuntu-12.04-desktop-i386.img /Users/Jing/Downloads/ubuntu-12.04-desktop-i386.iso
but got
convert failed – not recognized.
what have I done wrong?
All you have to do is type in “hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o” and then drag in the folder for export and then hit spacebar, then drag in the iso file and hit enter.
Good luck!
This does the job. Thanks!
hdiutil convert -format Rdxx -o /Users/Name/Desktop/ubuntu-12.04-desktop-i386.img /Users/Name/Downloads/ubuntu-12.04-desktop-i386.iso
Thanks to Anonymous – that worked like a charm.
Applying anonymous’ solution above, after dragging the droping the destination folder into terminal, add a trailing forward slash ‘/’ before hitting spacebar…on OSx Mountain Lion
im trying: hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o /Users/lani/Downloads/ubuntu-12.10-desktop-i386\ \(1\).img /Users/lani/Downloads/ubuntu-12.10-desktop-i386\ \(1\).iso
and other variations and terminal keeps telling me that convert failed- no such file or directory. help?