Windows wbadmin / disk image equivalent in Linux
Creates a complete raw copy of an entire disk or partition — useful for backups, imaging, and forensics.
wbadmin / disk image
dd
dd
dd
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "wbadmin / disk image" is used to create raw byte-for-byte disk images. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "dd". Creates a complete raw copy of an entire disk or partition — useful for backups, imaging, and forensics. This reference is grouped under System & Storage → Disk & Storage.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows wbadmin / disk image maps to dd for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
Command-specific caution
dd is called 'disk destroyer' by some. Swapping if= and of= overwrites your source. Triple-check device paths before running.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux disks, storage and mounts.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Create raw byte-for-byte disk images
Creates a complete raw copy of an entire disk or partition — useful for backups, imaging, and forensics.
dd if=/dev/sda of=disk.img
Clone disk to image file
dd if=disk.img of=/dev/sdb
Restore image to disk
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sdb
Securely wipe disk with random data
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=~/backup.img bs=4M status=progress
sudo dd if=~/backup.img of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress
sudo dd if=ubuntu.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Clone disk to image:
sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=~/backup.img bs=4M status=progress
# Restore image to new disk:
sudo dd if=~/backup.img of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progress
# Write bootable ISO to USB:
sudo dd if=ubuntu.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M status=progressReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
dd if=/dev/sda of=disk.img | Clone disk to image file |
dd if=disk.img of=/dev/sdb | Restore image to disk |
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sdb | Securely wipe disk with random data |
status=progress | Show live progress (add to any dd command) |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "dd" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | dd |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | dd |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | dd |
Same command on this distribution. |
Important
What to watch out for
Keep learning