dd Utility

dd Utility is actually a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows you to use the dd command-line tool more easily.

The application takes advantage of the possibility of using dd to copy and convert simple files as well as access boot sector data.

Thus, it supports various operations you could not perform with common file copiers, which include writing disk image files (ISO, ZIP, GZIP, XZ and IMG) to memory cards and removable storage. Likewise, the app can help you create bootable USB drives that you can use to install Linux from. Besides, it supports the reverse operation of restoring IMG files from a removable device.

dd Utility has a Spartan interface, typical of those tools intended for technical tasks. However, in this case, it does not mean that it looks too complicated for the common user. In fact, there is a wizard to take you through all the steps of the workflow. At every stage, you get enough information as to the possible choices. For instance, you will have to decide what kind of general operation you would like to start: Backup or Restore. Likewise, it will show a list of available removable drives or let you use compression to reduce the final size of the files.

Fortunately, there is a progress bar that shows the current completion state of the backup or restore process. The time required depend on various factors, like disk size, available hardware and compression level. However, it is a shame that you cannot stop the process once it has started.

All in all, it is good that there is a GUI to save us from using dd from the command line. However, it is fair to point out that dd Utility does not seem to exploit all the potential of dd. Fortunately, the product is opensource and there are no costs implied.