An interesting suggestion Rava. Have to read the Google results later. It's late here.
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While the file is named .iso, it is fundamentally a direct copy of the USB, not a standard ISO 9660 filesystem image.Google wrote:AI Overview
There are two reliable ways to create a bootable ISO file from a Windows 11 USB Recovery Drive using Linux: the terminal-based dd command or the graphical GNOME Disks utility. Both methods create a byte-for-byte image of the USB drive, preserving its bootable properties.
Method 1: Use the dd command (Terminal)
The dd command is a powerful and direct way to clone a storage device. Caution is advised, as selecting the wrong device could overwrite your system's hard drive.
Identify your USB device. Insert the Windows 11 bootable USB drive into your Linux machine. Open a terminal and run the following command to see all connected storage devices:
sh
sudo lsblk -f
Look for your USB device based on its size and label. For example, it might appear as /dev/sdc and have multiple partitions like sdc1, sdc2, etc. You must use the main device name (/dev/sdc), not a partition name.
Unmount the USB partitions. If the USB's partitions are automatically mounted, you must unmount them before proceeding. Replace /dev/sdX with your device's name.
sh
sudo umount /dev/sdX*
Create the ISO file. Execute the dd command to create the image. Replace /dev/sdX with your USB's device name and /path/to/recovery.iso with your desired save location and filename.
sh
sudo dd if=/dev/sdX of=/path/to/recovery.iso bs=4M status=progress
if=/dev/sdX: Specifies the input file, which is your USB device.
of=/path/to/recovery.iso: Specifies the output file, your new ISO image.
bs=4M: Sets the block size to 4 megabytes, which speeds up the cloning process.
status=progress: Shows the progress of the operation.
Wait for the process to complete. Creating the image can take a significant amount of time, depending on the USB's speed and size.
Method 2: Use GNOME Disks (Graphical)
If your Linux distribution uses the GNOME desktop environment, GNOME Disks provides a user-friendly graphical interface for creating a disk image.
Install GNOME Disks (if necessary). On a Debian/Ubuntu-based system, open a terminal and run:
sh
sudo apt install gnome-disk-utility
Launch the Disks utility. Open the application from your system's menu by searching for "Disks."
Select your USB drive. In the left-hand pane of the Disks window, select your Windows 11 bootable USB drive.
Create the disk image. Click the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines or dots) in the top-right corner and select "Create Disk Image...".
Save the ISO file. Choose a location and filename for your new ISO file and click "Start Creating." You will be prompted to enter your password to begin the process.
Important considerations
A raw disk image (IMG) vs. an ISO: The dd and GNOME Disks methods create a raw disk image (.img). While the file is named .iso, it is fundamentally a direct copy of the USB, not a standard ISO 9660 filesystem image. The important factor is that the boot information is copied correctly, and most flashing tools (like Balena Etcher) and virtualization software can use this raw image file just like a standard ISO to create a new bootable drive.
Verification: After the process is complete, you can use a tool like Balena Etcher to flash the new .iso file to another USB drive. Boot a computer from the new USB to verify that the clone was successful and works as expected.
