usage.md

User Guide

This guide explains how to use SmartBoot to create bootable USB drives.

Quick Start

1. Launch SmartBoot

   • Windows: Run smartboot or python main.py
   • Linux/macOS: Run python main.py

2. Select USB Device

   • Choose your USB drive from the device dropdown
   • Click "Refresh" if your device doesn't appear

3. Select ISO Image

   • Click "Browse" to select your ISO file
   • SmartBoot will auto-detect the ISO type

4. Configure Options

   • Choose partition scheme (MBR/GPT)
   • Select boot type (BIOS/UEFI/Dual/FreeDOS)
   • Pick filesystem (FAT32/NTFS/exFAT/etc.)
   • Enable "Quick Format" for faster formatting

5. Create Bootable USB

   • Click "Start" to begin
   • Wait for the process to complete
   • Safely remove the USB drive

Detailed Usage

Device Selection

The device dropdown shows all detected USB drives with:

• Device name/model
• Capacity
• Current filesystem
• Drive letter (Windows) or mount point (Linux/macOS)

Important: Select the correct device - all data on the selected drive will be erased!

ISO Selection

Supported ISO types:

• Windows - Windows 7/8/10/11 installation media
• Linux - Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Arch, etc.
• FreeDOS - FreeDOS bootable media
• Generic - Other bootable ISOs

SmartBoot automatically detects the ISO type based on:

• Filename patterns
• ISO contents (when possible)
• File size

Partition Scheme

• MBR (Master Boot Record)

  • Legacy BIOS boot
  • Maximum 2TB partition size
  • Maximum 4 primary partitions
  • Best for older systems

• GPT (GUID Partition Table)

  • UEFI boot
  • Supports drives > 2TB
  • Unlimited partitions
  • Required for Secure Boot

Boot Type

• BIOS - Traditional boot mode

  • Works with MBR partition scheme
  • Compatible with older systems
  • Most common option

• UEFI - Modern boot mode

  • Works with GPT partition scheme
  • Required for Secure Boot
  • Faster boot times
  • Best for modern systems

• Dual (BIOS + UEFI)

  • Creates bootable media for both modes
  • Larger file size
  • Maximum compatibility
  • Recommended for universal boot drives

• FreeDOS - DOS-based boot

  • For legacy DOS applications
  • BIOS boot only
  • Special use cases

Filesystem

• FAT32

  • Maximum file size: 4GB
  • Best compatibility
  • Required for UEFI boot
  • Recommended for most ISOs

• NTFS

  • No file size limit
  • Windows-only
  • Not UEFI bootable
  • Best for large Windows ISOs

• exFAT

  • Large file support
  • Cross-platform
  • Limited boot support
  • Not recommended for boot media

• ext2/3/4

  • Linux filesystems
  • Linux boot only
  • Advanced users

Advanced Options

Direct Write Mode

• Writes ISO directly to USB (dd-like)
• Faster for large ISOs
• May not work with all ISOs
• Recommended for Linux ISOs

ISO Type Override

• Manually specify ISO type
• Use if auto-detection fails
• Advanced users only

Progress Indicators

SmartBoot shows progress for:

• Disk formatting
• ISO extraction/copying
• Boot sector writing
• Overall completion

Common Use Cases

Creating Windows Installation USB

1. Download Windows ISO from Microsoft
2. Select USB drive (8GB+ recommended)
3. Select Windows ISO
4. Configure:
   • Partition: GPT (for UEFI) or MBR (for BIOS)
   • Boot: UEFI or Dual
   • Filesystem: FAT32 (required for UEFI)
5. Start the process

Creating Linux Live USB

1. Download Linux distribution ISO
2. Select USB drive (4GB+ recommended)
3. Select Linux ISO
4. Configure:
   • Partition: MBR or GPT
   • Boot: BIOS or Dual
   • Filesystem: FAT32
5. Start the process

Creating Multi-Boot USB

1. Use a larger USB drive (16GB+)
2. Create first bootable ISO
3. After completion, add additional ISOs manually
4. Use a boot manager like GRUB or Syslinux

Troubleshooting

USB Not Detected

• Try a different USB port
• Run as Administrator/root
• Check if drive is mounted elsewhere
• Try unplugging and reconnecting

ISO Not Recognized

• Verify ISO file is not corrupted
• Check file extension is .iso
• Try manually selecting ISO type
• Ensure ISO is bootable

Boot Sector Write Fails

• Run as Administrator/root
• Try different boot type
• Use direct write mode
• Check USB drive for errors

Creation Fails Mid-Process

• Ensure USB drive is not in use
• Close other applications
• Try a different USB drive
• Check available disk space

USB Won't Boot

• Verify boot mode matches system (BIOS/UEFI)
• Check boot order in BIOS/UEFI
• Try different USB port
• Recreate with different options
• Test on another computer

Tips and Best Practices

• Use a high-quality USB drive
• Backup important data before starting
• Use FAT32 for maximum compatibility
• Enable "Quick Format" for faster creation
• Test the bootable USB before relying on it
• Keep a copy of important ISOs locally
• Use Dual boot mode for universal compatibility

Security Considerations

• Only download ISOs from trusted sources
• Verify ISO checksums when possible
• Don't use untrusted USB drives
• Scan ISOs for malware before use
• Keep SmartBoot updated

Performance Tips

• Use USB 3.0+ drives for faster writes
• Close unnecessary applications during creation
• Use direct write mode for large ISOs
• Enable quick format when possible
• Use a fast USB port (USB 3.0+)

Advanced Usage

Command Line Interface

SmartBoot can be run from command line with parameters (future feature):

python main.py --device /dev/sdb --iso /path/to/image.iso --partition gpt --boot uefi

Batch Processing

Create multiple bootable drives sequentially (future feature).

Custom Boot Configurations

Advanced users can customize boot configurations (future feature).

Getting Help

• Check the FAQ for common questions
• Report issues on GitHub
• Join community discussions
• Check logs for error details

Next Steps

• Read the Installation Guide
• Check the FAQ
• Contribute to the project (see Contributing)