Balena Etcher Won't Install & Run, Any Alternatives?

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 20:20

Trying to create a bootable USB drive of Mate 24.04 has been an extremely frustrating experience! I downloaded Balena Etcher from their website but it fails to install. I read that there are bugs that prevent Etcher from running on any Linux o.s. so I deleted it. Here's a link to a video on YouTube that explains the problem and a workaround https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdRySATUXZQ .

Libfuse2 had already been installed so that wasn't an issue on my pc.

Previously I tried using the Disks utility to create a bootable usb drive but after I selected the USB drive and clicked on the cog icon all of the options were greyed out. I had previously formatted the USB drive to FAT if that makes any difference.

Is there another option to creat a bootable USB that doesn't require a complex workaround?

jymm · 3 August 2024 20:31

Etcher is an app image as far as I know. You do not install it. I'm on my phone right now but I think it is right click- properties-check execute, close that and then click to run etcher.

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 20:32

Thanks, it downloaded as a zip file. When right clicking on properties there is no option to execute. After unzipping it displays a multitude of files that aren't executable.

jymm · 3 August 2024 20:50

I hadn't downloaded Etcher for a while but I see what you mean. Maybes someone else has some more knowledge on it? It is at github as a .deb file, but github confuses me.

This may help you:

You can download it as an .deb file or appimage from here, the .deb file has five dependencies that it will also install.

The .deb file installed but did run but I had to go into the Menu edit to check it, and it did now show up in synaptic. Also gdebi did not give a way to uninstall it. so I would avoid that way, the appimage worked.
Excute:

Open:

ricmarques · 3 August 2024 21:02

Hi, @linuxis4me

If you're having problems using the native "Disks" utility to create a Bootable USB Drive from an ISO file, my suggestion is to install the "Startup Disk Creator" in your Ubuntu MATE 22.04 LTS ("Jammy Jellyfish").

To install the "Startup Disk Creator", please enter the following command:

sudo apt install usb-creator-gtk

After running the previous command, you will find the "Startup Disk Creator" in Ubuntu MATE Menu -> Administration -> Startup Disk Creator:

Here's a screenshot of the "Startup Disk Creator" window (the application opens with the text "Make Startup Disk" in the title bar):

Startup Disk Creator - Make Startup Disk

I hope this helps

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 21:28

Thank you ricmarques. I installed Startup Disk Creator, restarted my computer and received the following error message:

jymm · 3 August 2024 21:29

Software Center/Boutique will remove the .deb file of etcher.

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 21:33

Here's the Disks screen shot of my USB drive:

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 21:34

Thanks jymm for trying to help.

ricmarques · 3 August 2024 21:35

Hi again, @linuxis4me

Hmmm... Try to run the "Startup Disk Creator" from the command line, with "sudo", so it runs with administrator privileges (to see if that makes a difference), by using the following command:

sudo usb-creator-gtk

By the way, I got this idea of starting the Startup Disk Creator from the command line, using "sudo", from the most upvoted answer in the following discussion:

I hope this helps

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 21:44

The GUI window popped up without the iso image file showing as a source. The source field was empty but the USB drive window showed a target. It wouldn't let me drag and drop the iso file into the source window but gave me the following error message:

jim@jim-Latitude-E5530-non-vPro:~$ sudo usb-creator-gtk
[sudo] password for jim:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 375, in motion_cb
context.drag_status(Gdk.DragAction.COPY, time)
AttributeError: 'X11DragContext' object has no attribute 'drag_status'
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 381, in drop_cb
w.drag_get_data(context, target)
TypeError: Gtk.Widget.drag_get_data() takes exactly 4 arguments (3 given)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/usbcreator/frontends/gtk/frontend.py", line 388, in data_received_cb
file = selection.data.strip('\r\n\x00')
AttributeError: 'SelectionData' object has no attribute 'data'
jim@jim-Latitude-E5530-non-vPro:~$

ricmarques · 3 August 2024 21:48

That's weird @linuxis4me I didn't get any error message when running sudo usb-creator-gtk in my Ubuntu MATE 22.04.4 LTS ("Jammy Jellyfish") and the "Startup Disk Creator" opened normally by running that command.

What version of Ubuntu MATE are you using now in that computer where you've installed the "Startup Disk Creator"?

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 21:50

I'm also running 22.04, the same version. If I reformat the USB drive to another file type that isn't compatible with Windows I won't be able to install Ubuntu on a computer that's currently running Windows, isn't that correct?

ricmarques · 3 August 2024 22:03

Hi again, @linuxis4me

You wrote:

Wait... In the "Startup Disk Creator" application window, I believe the idea is NOT to drag and drop the ISO file in to the source window, but it is instead to click on the "Other..." button (just below the "Source disc image (.iso)" section) and then, in the window that opens, navigate to the folder that has the ISO file, click on the name of the ISO file and then click on the "Open" button of that window. That should return you to the main "Startup Disk Creator" window and the name of the ISO file should then appear in the "Source disc image (.iso)" section and you should then be able to continue with the process.

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 22:09

The source field was empty when using Terminal but it displayed the source and destination when using the GUI. I just tried using Terminal again, selected 'other' and found the iso file. It's finally working! The GUI version is wonky but the Terminal version works.

Once again you've saved the day!

linuxis4me · 3 August 2024 22:14

SOLVED by ricmarques