List of live CDs

This is a list of Live Distros, which is a generic term for an operating system distribution that is executed upon boot, without installation on a hard drive. Typically, it is stored on a bootable medium, such as a CD-ROM (Live CD), DVD (Live DVD), Floppy (Live floppy), and USB flash drive (Live USB), among others.

The term "live" derives from the fact that these distributions are a complete, runnable—i.e., "live"—instance of the operating system residing on the distribution medium, rather than the typical case of a collection of packages that must first be installed on the target machine before using the OS.

Rescue and Repair Live Distros

• Hiren's Boot CD - DOS-based computer rescue CD (partition, filesystem, and Windows tools).
• Inquisitor - Linux-based hardware diagnostics, stress testing and benchmarking Live CD.
• RIP: (R)ecovery (I)s (P)ossible is a Linux-based CD with partition tool and network tools (Samba), based on the 2.6.17 kernel.
• SystemRescueCD is a Linux-based CD with tools for Windows and Linux repairs, based on the 2.6 kernel.
• Trinity Rescue Kit - Mandriva Linux-based CD for use on a Windows or Linux based system.
• Ultimate Boot CD - Linux/freeDOS-based computer rescue CD (partition, filesystem, and Windows tools).

BSD-derived

• Anonym.OS, an OpenBSD-based disk for secure anonymous web browsing
• DesktopBSD (as of 1.6RC1, based on FreeBSD & FreeSBIE)
• DragonFly BSD
• FreeNAS (based on m0n0wall)
• Frenzy
• FreeSBIE (based on FreeBSD
• Ging - Ging is based on Debian GNU/kFreeBSD
• m0n0wall (based on FreeBSD)
• pfSense (based on m0n0wall)

Linux-based

See also: Comparison of Linux LiveDistros

Debian-based

• DemoLinux (versions 2 and 3) - one of the very first Live CDs
• Finnix: a small system administration Live CD. A PowerPC version is available.
• Freeduc-cd, an educational live CD using Xfce realized with the help of UNESCO
• gnuLinEx: includes GNOME
• Gnoppix: includes GNOME
• GNUstep: works on i386, AMD64, and PowerPC
• Kanotix: installable Live CD.
• Knoppix, the "original" Debian-based LiveDistro.
• MEPIS: installable Live CD.
• sidux, sidux based on Debian unstable (Sid), installable Live CD, DVD.
• Tuquito, created in Argentina
• Damn Small Linux, very light and small with JWM and fluxbox, installable Live CD.
• ULAnux/ULAnix, created in Mérida, Venezuela and available on CD/DVD and USB forms.

Ubuntu-based

These are based at least partially on Ubuntu, which is based on Debian

• Cooperation-iws: an intranet nomad web server, installable on USB media with persistence feature.
• TurnKey Linux: a series of lighweight, installable Live CDs appliances built to serve specific niche roles.
• gNewSense: supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME
• gOS a series of lightweight OS's based on Ubuntu with Ajax based applications and other Web 2.0 applications, geared to beginning users. installable Live CD.
• Linux Mint: installable Live CD.
• openGEU: installable Live CD.
• Ubuntu, installable Live CD.
• Edubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, installable Live CD.
• Super Ubuntu, installable Live DVD

Knoppix-based

A large number of live CDs are based on Knoppix. The list of those is in the Variations section of the Knoppix article.

Gentoo-based

• iloog
• Kororaa
• Pentoo
• SabayonLinux - MiniEditions are full-featured Live CDs
• SystemRescueCd
• VidaLinux
• Ututo

RPM-based

• PCLinuxOS, installable Live CD. for desktop computing use.
• SAM Linux: installable Live CD. based on PCLinuxOS 2007 and Xfce.
• Granular: installable Live CD. based on PCLinuxOS; featuring KDE and Enlightenment.
• openSuSE installable Live CD. Live-DVD

Mandrake/Mandriva-based

• MCNLive, mid-sized (300 MB) and for multimedia
• DemoLinux (version 1)
• Mandriva Linux, installable Live CD. GNOME and KDE editions available

Red Hat Linux/Fedora-based

• Berry Linux
• Fedora installable Live CD. (GNOME or KDE)
• CentOS installable Live CD.
• Network Security Toolkit

Slackware-based

• Austrumi - 50 MB Mini distro
• GoblinX
• MoviX, eMoviX and MoviX² - specifically designed as a standalone multimedia player
• NimbleX - under 200 MB
• SLAX - A Slackware derivative, modular and very easy to remaster
• BackTrack, a penetration testing toolkit
• SLAMPP
• STUX
• Vector Linux (Standard and SOHO Editions)

Other (Linux-based)

• Acronis Rescue Media, to make disk images from Hard Drives
• Archie is a Live CD version of Arch Linux.
• CHAOS, small (6 Megabytes) and designed for creating ad hoc computer clusters
• dyne:bolic, for multimedia production (especially for media activists, artists and creatives).
• EnGarde Secure Linux - A highly-secure Linux based on SE Linux
• FaunOS - a portable, fully integrated Linux distribution based on Arch Linux, which can run from a USB Flash Drive or a DVD.
• GeeXboX - A self-contained media center suite based on Linux and MPlayer
• GoboLinux - an alternative Linux distribution. Its most salient feature is its reorganization of the filesystem hierarchy. Under GoboLinux, each program has its own subdirectory tree.
• Puppy Linux, installable Live CD. very small.
• SliTaz GNU/Linux - Installable Live CD, one of the smallest available with good feature set.
• tomsrtbt - A small distribution available on a single floppy disc (1.44 MB disc reformatted to a larger capacity)

OpenSolaris-based

• BeleniX
• SchilliX is the first OpenSolaris LiveDistro distribution.

GNU-based

• Nexenta OS, a Debian-based GNU/Solaris
• Ging, the first live CD distribution based on Debian GNU/kFreeBSD

Mac OS-based

• OSx86
• BootCD from Charlessoft for Mac OS X
• System Folder of Mac OS on a CD or on a floppy disk

Microsoft Windows-based

• BartPE (Windows XP/2003): Allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows-install files.
• WinBuilder (Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista): Allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows-install files.
• Reatogo-X-PE, based on BartPE
• VistaPE, a Live CD version for Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment
• Ultimate Boot CD for Windows: BartPE-based recovery/rescue CD.

Microsoft representatives have described third-party efforts at producing Windows-based LiveDistros as “improperly licensed” uses of Windows, unless you use it solely to rescue your own, properly licensed Installation. However, Nu2 Productions believes the use of BartPE is legal provided that one Windows license is purchased for each BartPE CD, and the Windows license is used for nothing else.

The Microsoft sanctioned MS Windows Preinstallation Environment product is linked above, but only WinPE version 2.0 is available freely for general use (it is part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit).

Early microcomputer disk operating systems

Several floppy disk operating systems for microcomputers allowed live running from a bootable floppy disk, although this was considered to be the normal way to work rather than a special feature. Some earlier operating systems did not support a hard disk. Amongst others:

• CP/M and CP/M-86
• Apple DOS for Apple II
• MS-DOS itself and most variants and clones.
• OpenDOS
• FreeDOS

Other operating systems

• BeOS - all BeOS discs can be run in LiveDistro mode, although PowerPC versions need to be kickstarted from Mac OS 8
• OS/2 Ecomstation Demo
• Minix
• MorphOS - installable Live CD which can be also used as independent from any existing MorphOS installations.
• AROS - Offers live-CD for download on the project page
• OpenVMS - installable Live CD.
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs - All Plan 9 CDs can run in LiveDistro mode in PC systems.
• QNX
• ReactOS
• SkyOS
• Syllable Live CD
• MenuetOS - live floppy written in assembly for x86 and x86-64
• KolibriOS - a fork of MenuetOS

External links

• FrozenTech‘s Live CD List (more than 200)