Where, is your pen drive? Forgot or is it not working, and unable to get or willing to buy one for whatever reasons? But right now in desperate need of it for fixing a broken desktop and get it back on track with full functionality using Linux, Windows or whatever bootable desktop ISOs, you name it? That you can flash on pendrive using robust bootable media creator softwares like Rufus or Ventoy etc, then connect pendrive to desktop just like that to install them from boot menu, indeed pendrive is such simple handy and saviour tool, but wait if you don’t have it or may be you finding for some way around or alternative to replace it? Then you’re now at right place.
In here, no pen drive? doesn’t matter anymore, as long as there is technology exist, especially the sleeky ones, there is always a leap somewhere, in sense workaround to get whatever you want in whichever way possible, it’s just that you have to spend enough time and effort to make it happen, so don’t worry buddy, listen up, we already have a workaround by utilizing it, you can boot desktop ISOs without pendrive, isn’t that quite awesome? Before I get into details about it, let me ask you a question? Have you ever thought which gadget would replace pen drive for booting desktop ISOs ? It’s none other than Android devices which you may be using almost all the time, but wait here’s the catch, you need rooted Android device.
If you have root on your Android device, with support for magisk modules, that’s not a big deal isn’t it? Just tackle up an old Android device that you can spare, root it and use as pendrive, both new and old Android device will work fine, but I suggest you to use old Android version device, as on them you don’t have to use Magisk module, Here’s why, there are number of apps which let you use and make your Android device detect as mass storage, ah in simple terms as USB drive by desktops, but the most well known popular app namely “Drive Droid” is actually developed for old Android versions and it’s further development and support ended long time ago, so Drive Droid on it’s own has stopped working on newer Android versions, but there is a magisk module that’ll fix and make Drive Droid work again, cool right?
Drive Droid, is more than enough, if you just want a reliable working app, though old but who cares if it works perfectly fine right? It also comes with impressive loaded up GUI, that it’s alternatives at present doesn’t seem to offer at such level, and yeah most importantly you can use Drive Droid without Magisk module as well, like there are few companion root apps to fix Drive Droid and make it work on latest Android versions, but as per my personal testing, I found that those Drive Droid fix companion apps didn’t work on my latest Android version device, so you have to test them yourself, they may work or not, no guarantee, and I guess those Drive Droid fix companion apps working is limited to some Android devices, that’s why If it is possible I recommend better use Magisk module to fix Drive Droid, it’s working pretty fantastic.
In case, you’re someone who got used to CLI, or you may be not interested to use GUI apps for these purposes, instead want a command line based tool, then there we have free and open source magisk module named ISO Drive, build by Nitin Marcel for Android devices, which is inspired by ISODriveUT build by fredldotme for Ubuntu Touch devices, as ISO Drive is CLI, in order to use it, you have to get into terminal app like for instance Termux, and then execute few predefined set of simple commands in root “su” to use Android as USB drive on the go, it’s pretty simple, and definitely best alternative to Drive Droid for CLI users, but do remember both Drive Droid and ISO Drive was last updated few years ago, so if you’re someone who want to use latest ones, then there we have app named “MSD”.
MSD, is also free and open source app, build by Chenxialong, who is renowned magisk module developer, widely known for BCR and many more amazing ones, well Chenxialong’s MSD seems like one of the latest mass storage device app, currently in active development and it was last updated a few weeks ago, the most important aspect about MSD is it’s GUI, so as said earlier if you’re someone who not gonna touch old and outdated apps even if they’re are working fine, instead absolutely want and can only use latest updated apps and at present want one of the best GUI alternative to Drive Droid, then seems like you can get a hi-fi from MSD for sure, so mark it.
However, before you raise expectations and go ahead on MSD, I would like to share key details about MSD to make sure stream is clear, ok? It is true that MSD is latest in mass storage apps, it’s by default has support for Android 11 and newer Android versions, and it also support emulating multiple mass storage devices at same time like matching and mixing CD-ROMS and disk drives, it also doesn’t interfere with ADB, MTP, or any other USB functions, but unlike Drive Droid or ISO Drive, MSD get installed as system app, though as per developer it doesn’t use any permissions and only get regular app privileges through it’s configured SElinux policy, it is not a concern for most folks but Incase you care, I’ve just notified you,
The daemon part of MSD runs as system user with CAP_CHOWN allowed, as per developer it’s responsible for all USB configuration, and for more technical details about MSD, feel free to check it’s GitHub, anyhow MSD also have logs and hidden debug mode that is helpful for you and developer as well, to check, find, report, and resolve matters, at the end no doubt MSD is quite impressive and seems like way better than Drive Droid and ISO Drive, but in my case when doing personal test I found MSD as system app didn’t open and work, while fellow ones working without issues as user apps, so if you face same issue, make sure to inform developer by raising issue on GitHub, it’s user specific for sure, anyway shall we now explore visual interfaces of Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD etc? Ready If yes let’s get started.
Note : Android device kernel must have mass storage feature, if you don’t have that feature in your kernel, mass storage apps will not work, unless you compile your kernel with it or use a custom kernel that has mass storage support, so verify whether your kernel has it or not before you proceed with Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD etc.
• How to download and official support of Droid, ISO Drive, MSD, etc •
– Website [ Drive Droid ]
– GitHub [ ISO Drive ]
– GitHub [ MSD ]
• How to download and official support of Drive Droid fix companion apps •
– GitHub
• How to download and official support of Drive Droid fix magisk module •
– GitHub
• How to use Drive Droid with key features and UI / UX Overview •
• How to use ISO Drive with key features and UI / UX overview •
– Open Termux
– Send “su” command
– Usage : isodrive [ file name ] [ options ]
– arguments : -rw, -cd rom, configfs, – usbgadget
– rw : mounts the file as read and write.
– cd rom : mounts the file as cd rom.
– configfs : force the app to use configfs
– usbgadget : force the app to use sysfs
– if you want to unmount files, just send isodrive without any arguments and get help message.
– after unmount.files, reboot to reset, that’s it.
• How to use MSD with key features and UI / UX Overview •
Atlast, this are just highlighted features of Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD, there may be many hidden features in-build that provides you external benefits to give the ultimate usage experience, anyway if you want some best mass storage usb drive apps to boot desktop ISOs from Android, then this apps are on go fantastic choice.
Overall, Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD has minimal and well organized interface, by default only MSD has dark mode, yet all of them provide user friendly experience, but in any project there is always space for improvement, so let’s wait and see will they get any major UI changes in future to make it even more better as of now, they’re nice.
Moreover, it is definitely worth to mention Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD are few mass storage apps available our there on internet by using you can boot desktop ISOs from Android devices, yes indeed if you’re searching for such apps then Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD have potential to become your new favourite choice.
Finally, this is how you can boot PC, ISOs via Android device using Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD, and replace pen drive, are you an existing user of Drive Droid, ISO Drive, MSD? If yes do say your experience and mention why you like them over any other Android mass storage emulation apps, in our comment section below, see ya 🙂