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While trying to create a bootable Windows USB from Unetbootin, the process hangs on 51%, whilst trying to copy the 461st file.

I've tried giving it time, but after 3 hours of idle, the issue still persists. What is causing this issue, and how can I fix it?

sudodus
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David
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    Try other softwares such as pendrivelinux or linux, if the problem persists then it is a problem with your pendrive. – Raphael Sep 26 '15 at 16:13
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    Just in case this may help others: if the freeze happens when copying a .squashfs file, then it's a known issue — unetbootin is not really frozen in that case, it's just the progress bar that doesn't get updated while large files are being copied, but only once each file is completely copied over (and .squashfs files tend to be particularly large so they take a while to finish copying). – waldyrious Sep 05 '21 at 23:10

2 Answers2

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Assuming you are doing this from a running Ubuntu system (otherwise it would be off-topic):

Open built-in Disks tool – click the menu (right top corner) and select Restore Disk Image.

Choose the Windows 7 iso image, select the USB drive to write it to and start the process.

A.B.
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cl-netbox
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  • I cannot find any Windows iso file, that can be cloned alias 'restored' by Disks to a working USB install drive. Please advice how to find or create such an iso file (via the internet, by cloning from an install DVD or some other way). – sudodus Sep 30 '17 at 04:47
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    @sudodus : I downloaded some Windows ISO files from the Microsoft TechNet Evaluation Center to test the new Windows releases and all I can say is that in my case the Disks tool always created the USB installation media properly ... although this is about two years ago (when I answered this question) ... additionally I want to say that Disks creates all other USB installation media for different operating systems perfectly fine - I am using it as default solution for this task all the time. :) – cl-netbox Sep 30 '17 at 17:07
  • Thanks for the reply! I agree, that Disks can clone, 'restore', all [Ubuntu and Ubuntu community flavour iso files as well as other linux distros that provide] hybrid iso files to USB boot drives :-) I understand that it was possible to clone also Windows iso files to working USB installer drives two years ago. After your reply I no longer think that 'clonable' Windows iso files are available now via some channel, that I have not found. It seems Microsoft has changed the boot layout of the Windows iso files during the two year interval since you answered this question. – sudodus Sep 30 '17 at 17:57
  • What's become of this "Disks" tool? Can't find it in Ubuntu 20.04LTS. – Marnix A. van Ammers May 24 '21 at 17:05
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Extraction methods

Cloning does not work now

Cloning does not work now, at least not with the following Windows iso files, that are/were available via the internet during 2017,

en_windows_7_professional_with_sp1_x64_dvd_u_676939.iso
Win8.1_EnglishInternational_x64.iso
Win10_US_x64.iso

I tested, and a cloned USB pendrive boots neither in BIOS mode nor in UEFI mode.

According to @cl-netbox's accepted answer cloning used to work with Windows iso files, I assume old iso files, but I have no such iso files, so I cannot verify that it works.

sudodus
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