mtools ☆
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Description:
Tools for manipulating MSDOS files
Type: Formula  |  Latest Version: 4.0.49@0  |  Tracked Since: Nov 8, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: System utilities
Tags: dos legacy file-transfer utilities filesystem
Install: brew install mtools
About:
mtools is a collection of utilities for accessing MS-DOS filesystems without mounting them. It provides commands to read, write, and manage files on floppy disks and other DOS-formatted media directly from Unix-like systems. This eliminates the need for a virtual machine or dual-booting when exchanging data with legacy DOS systems.
Key Features:
  • Direct access to DOS filesystems without kernel mounting
  • Commands mimicking MS-DOS utilities (e.g., mcopy, mdir, mattrib)
  • Support for various floppy disk formats and drive mappings
  • Configuration-free operation for USB drives and disk images
Use Cases:
  • Transferring files between Linux/macOS and legacy MS-DOS systems
  • Recovering data from old floppy disks or disk images
  • Automating batch processing of DOS-formatted storage media
Alternatives:
  • fuse-ext2 – FUSE-based filesystem driver; requires mounting, more complex setup
  • dosbox – DOS emulator; runs full OS, heavier resource usage
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Nov 8, 2025 12:55am 0 VERSION_BUMP 8b62f5b6
Sep 28, 2024 4:52pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 2ca1c2fe
Sep 28, 2024 3:41pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 25e58e7d
Sep 14, 2024 7:50am 0 VERSION_BUMP cf8cf42e
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