Using dd Command with Windows 10 Using Cygwin

Using dd Command with Windows 10 Using Cygwin

The dd command is a powerful tool commonly used in Unix-like operating systems for disk-related operations. While Windows 10 does not have a built-in dd command, you can leverage the capabilities of Cygwin to use dd in a Windows environment. Cygwin provides a collection of GNU and Open Source tools that simulate a Linux-like environment on Windows. In this article, we will guide you through the process of using dd with Windows 10 using Cygwin.

Step 1: Install Cygwin

Begin by downloading and installing Cygwin on your Windows 10 machine. Visit the official Cygwin website and download the setup executable. During the installation process, ensure that you select the necessary packages, including the "dd" package from the "Utils" category.

Step 2: Launch Cygwin Terminal

Once Cygwin is installed, launch the Cygwin Terminal by searching for "Cygwin" in the Windows Start menu or by double-clicking the "Cygwin64 Terminal" shortcut on your desktop. This will open a command prompt window that emulates a Unix-like environment.

Step 3: Identify the Disk

Before using the dd command, you need to determine the correct disk identifier (e.g., /dev/sdc). Cygwin provides a command that displays the available disk partitions. In the Cygwin Terminal, enter the following command:

cat /proc/partitions

This command will output a list of partitions and their corresponding identifiers. Look for the appropriate disk identifier that matches your target disk.

Step 4: Execute the dd Command
With the disk identifier at hand, you can now construct and execute the dd command. The syntax for the dd command is as follows:

dd if=input_file of=output_file bs=block_size conv=conversion status=status_option

In your example, you provided the following command:

dd if=/dev/sdc of=/cygdrive/d/Master/ISO/Openwrt/openwrt-b860h-k6-compact.bin bs=4M conv=sparse status=progress

Replace "/dev/sdc" with the appropriate disk identifier you obtained in Step 3. This identifies the input file, and "/cygdrive/d/Master/ISO/Openwrt/openwrt-b860h-k6-compact.bin" specifies the output file. The "bs=4M" option sets the block size to 4 megabytes, "conv=sparse" enables sparse conversion, and "status=progress" displays the progress of the operation.

Execute the dd command in the Cygwin Terminal, and it will start copying data from the input file (disk) to the output file. You can monitor the progress through the real-time updates provided by the "status=progress" option.

Conclusion

By installing Cygwin and utilizing the dd command, you can perform disk-related operations on Windows 10. With the steps outlined in this article, you can now use the dd command with Windows 10 using Cygwin. Whether you need to copy data, create disk images, or perform other disk-related tasks, dd combined with Cygwin offers a flexible and powerful solution within a Windows environment.