Ubuntu 20.04 Burn ISO to DVD from command line

In this tutorial you will learn how to burn ISO image to DVD from command line using Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa Linux desktop/server.

In this tutorial you will learn:

  • How to Burn ISO to DVD from a command line
  • How to install the growisofs ISO burning tool

Ubuntu 20.04 Burn ISO to DVD from command line

Ubuntu 20.04 Burn ISO to DVD from command line

Software Requirements and Conventions Used

Software Requirements and Linux Command Line Conventions
Category Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used
System Installed Ubuntu 20.04 or upgraded Ubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa
Software growisofs
Other Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command.
Conventions # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command
$ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user

Ubuntu 20.04 Burn ISO to DVD from command line step by step instructions

  1. Check your system whether it supports DVD burning. Start by opening a terminal window and execution of the bellow command:
    $ cat /proc/sys/dev/cdrom/info
    
     hardware device which supports DVD write

    Your system should have at least one hardware device which supports DVD write. Check the output and look for Can write DVD-R. The integer 1 means that the DVD write is supported. Also take a note of the drive name supporting the DVD write. In this case the drive name is sr1 hence the full path to the DVD writer is /dev/sr1.

  2. Next, download the ISO image you wish to burn to DVD. As an example, in this tutorial, we will burn downloaded Ubuntu 20.04 ISO image.
  3. Install the ISO to DVD burning toolgrowisofs by using the apt command:
    $ sudo apt install growisofs
    


  4. Insert the blank DVD into your DVD writer. Next, locate the previously downloaded ISO image and use the growisofs to burn it to DVD. Replace the DVD burner block device path /dev/sr1 with the determined in Step 1 and update the full or relative path to your downloaded ISO image:
    $ growisofs -dvd-compat -Z /dev/srX=iso-image.iso
    
    burn iso to dvd command line

    Example of how to burn ISO image to DVD using growisofs from command line.

    Wait for the burning process to complete. All done.

    Wait for the burning process to complete. All done.