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TechUnRestricted

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 8, 2023
1
6
WinDiskWriter — free and open-source application for macOS that allows you to create bootable USB drives with Microsoft Windows using a Mac.

WinDiskWriter [Main Screen].png

(WinDiskWriter Main Window)
ㅤㅤㅤㅤ Whether you want to install Windows on your Mac or another device (PC), WinDiskWriter can help you prepare a flash drive with the following versions of Windows (x64):
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows 7
  • Windows 8
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11 ([TPM + Secure Boot] patching is supported)
Support for Windows XP, 32-bit images and Legacy Boot mode is under development.

WinDiskWriter has some unique features that make it stand out from other similar tools. For example, it can:
  • Patch Windows 11 Installer to bypass hardware limitations (TPM chip and Secure Boot requirements). This means you can install Windows 11 on any device that meets the minimum system requirements, regardless of the TPM or Secure Boot status.
  • Extract the UEFI-compatible bootloader from the Windows Vista or 7 installation file. This means you can install Windows Vista or 7 in UEFI mode, which is faster and more secure than Legacy mode.
  • Split a large install.wim file into multiple .swm files to comply with the FAT32 file size limit. This means you can use FAT32 as the file system for your flash drive, which is more compatible than exFAT.
WinDiskWriter [About Screen].png

(WinDiskWriter About Window)

ㅤㅤㅤ WinDiskWriter has a user-friendly graphical interface. You can also run WinDiskWriter as a standalone binary that does not depend on any external dynamic libraries, ensuring its functionality even when executed on its own.
ㅤㅤㅤ WinDiskWriter is compatible with all versions of macOS from Snow Leopard 10.6 to Sonoma 14.0 and supports both x86_64 and ARM64 architectures.
ㅤㅤㅤ WinDiskWriter is still in development, so if you encounter any issues or have any questions, please feel free to create an Issue on GitHub and I will do my best to help you.

ㅤㅤㅤ You can also support me by making a donation if you appreciate my work and want to see more updates.

ㅤㅤㅤ You can find more information and download WinDiskWriter from the GitHub page: https://github.com/TechUnRestricted/windiskwriter
I hope you enjoy using WinDiskWriter and find it useful for your needs. Thank you for your attention and feedback.
 

ReddestDream

macrumors member
Aug 22, 2010
89
2
North Carolina
This is such a great idea! I've been looking for an alternative to Rufus for macOS and/or Linux for years since Unetbootin just has not kept up with modern Windows versions. :/

I've opened feature requests for an option to remove the online account requirement from Windows 11 22H2+ and an option to add ei.cfg to enable edition selection, and the dev has been super-open and friendly about it.

I really hope this takes off as this has been a sorely needed tool. Thanks!
 
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