1

I would like to understand how is flashing an image on device or partition is different from copying same set of files to the device?

Daemon
  • 1,575
  • 1
  • 17
  • 37
  • Would you mind to add some more details, please? Are you talking about mass storage devices, or embedded control? Some words on the different processes would be helpful, too. – the busybee Dec 11 '20 at 11:50

1 Answers1

1

This is different because being able to copying files does require:

  • a partition to be defined on the drive/eMMC/USB key/SD card,
  • a file system to have been created/formatted in one partition.

When you flash an image, you flash all of the partitions, file systems, files in the file system that were existing on the drive/eMMC/USB key/SD card the image was created from.

Bottom line, you cannot copy files on a blank drive/eMMC/USB key/SD card, but you can write an image into it.

Frant
  • 5,382
  • 1
  • 16
  • 22
  • An image doesn't necessarily have to be of an entire physical device, it could be of a single partition or flash bank. But the main idea is about right - an image brings along its detailed organization and internal ordering, while files just get put wherever in the destination the running filesystem code feels is best. – Chris Stratton Dec 14 '20 at 21:45
  • @Chris Stratton: you are perfectly right, thanks for your comment. I just kept the answer concise on purpose given the nature of the (perfectly valid/legitimate) question. – Frant Dec 15 '20 at 14:25