List of live CDs

This is a list of live CDs. A live CD or live DVD is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive.

Rescue and repair live CDs

• Arch64 - A x86_64 Live CD that provides a console environment in which you can do a manual or automatic installation and which can be used as a maintenance and rescue system.
• Billix – a multiboot distribution and system administration toolkit with the ability to install any of the included Linux distributions
• BootMed – a Live CD that was made to help those not familiar with Linux, repair or recover their Windows Computer from a Live CD.
• BootMed Plus – a premium Live CD that has built in video documentation as well as scripting to simplify recovery and repair tasks.
• Inquisitor – Linux-based hardware diagnostics, stress testing and benchmarking Live CD
• Parted Magic, entirely based on the 2.6 or newer kernels.
• RIP: (R)ecovery (I)s (P)ossible is a Linux-based CD with partition tool and network tools (Samba), earlier versions were based on the 2.6.17 kernel.
• System Folder of Mac OS on a CD or on a floppy disk – works on any media readable by 68k or PowerPC Macintosh computers.
• 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.

BSD-based

OpenBSD based

• Anonym.OS – an OpenBSD-based disk for secure anonymous web browsing
• BSDanywhere [1]
• jggimi [2] – a set of LiveCDs
• OliveBSD [3]
• MarBSD[4]
• OpenBSD Live-CD Firewall [5]

FreeBSD based

• PC-BSD – FreeBSD-based
• DesktopBSD – as of 1.6RC1 FreeBSD and FreeSBIE based
• FreeBSD – has supported use of a "fixit" CD for diagnostics since 1996
• FreeNAS – m0n0wall-based
• FreeSBIE – FreeBSD-based
• Ging – Debian GNU/kFreeBSD-based
• m0n0wall – FreeBSD-based
• pfSense – m0n0wall-based
• GhostBSD – FreeBSD based with gnome gui, installable to HDD

NetBSD based

• Jibbed – NetBSD-based

Other BSDs

• DragonFly BSD

Linux-based

See also: Comparison of Linux distributions § Live CDs/DVDs/USBs

Arch Linux based

• Archbang – An OpenBox preconfigured Arch Linux Live CD AND distribution

Debian-based

These are directly based on Debian:

• Debian Live – Official live CD version of Debian.
• aptosid based on Debian unstable (Sid), installable Live CD, DVD
• BackTrack – a penetration testing toolkit.
• Finnix – a small system administration Live CD, based on Debian testing, and available for x86 and PowerPC architectures
• grml – installable Live CD for sysadmins and text tool users
• JonDo Live-CD includes anonymity and security tools such as JonDo, I2P and Tor
• Knoppix – the "original" Debian-based Live CD
• Linux Mint – installable Live CD
• PureOS – based on Debian testing, installable Live CD/USB

Knoppix-based

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

Ubuntu-based

These are based at least partially on Ubuntu, which is based on Debian: gNewSense – supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME

• gOS – a series of lightweight operating systems 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
• Mythbuntu – a self-contained media center suite based on Ubuntu and MythTV
• OpenGEU – installable Live CD
• PC/OS – A Ubuntu derivative whose interface was made to look like BeOS.[22] a 64 bit version was released in May 2009.[23] In 2010 PC/OS moved to a more unified look to its parent distribution and a GNOME version was released on March 3, 2010.
• Puredyne – live CD/DVD/USB for media artists and designers, based on Ubuntu and Debian Live.
• [Satanic ISO Images] - live CD with free music and other "Satanic" goodies based on Ubuntu "christian edition"
• Qimo 4 Kids – A fun distro for kids that comes with educational games
• Super OS (formerly Super Ubuntu) – installable Live DVD, can be converted to a Live USB using the built-in cd2usb or usb-creator
• TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library – family of installable Live CD appliances optimized for ease of use in server-type usage scenarios
• Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu – installable Live CDs, also known as the desktop installer
• CGAL LiveCD – live CD containing CGAL with all demos compiled. This enables the user to get an impression of CGAL and create CGAL software without the need to install CGAL.
• elementary OS – installable Live CD
• Commodore OS Vision – An installable live DVD based on 64-bit Ubuntu/Mint aimed at Commodore enthusiasts.

Other

• CrunchBang Linux – installable Live CD, using Openbox as window manager
• Damn Small Linux – very light and small with JWM and fluxbox, installable Live CD
• DemoLinux (versions 2 and 3) – one of the very first Live CDs
• Dreamlinux – installable Live CD to hard drives or flash media
• Freeduc-cd – an educational live CD using Xfce realized with the help of UNESCO
• gnuLinEx – includes GNOME
• GNUstep – works on i386, AMD64, UltraSPARC, and PowerPC
• Kanotix – installable Live CD
• MEPIS – installable Live CD
• Slax – a Slackware derivative, modular and very easy to remaster
• AVLinux – AVLinux is a Linux for multimedia content creators.

Gentoo-based

• FireballISO – VMware virtual machine that generates a customized security-hardened IPv4 and IPv6 firewall Live CD.
• iloog
• Incognito – includes anonymity and security tools such as Tor by default
• Kororaa
• Pentoo
• SabayonLinux
• SystemRescueCD
• VidaLinux
• Ututo

tgz or txz -Slackware-based

• AUSTRUMI – 50 MB Mini distro
• BioSLAX – a bioinformatics live CD with over 300 bioinformatics applications
• NimbleX – under 200 MB
• Porteus (operating system) – under 300 MB
• Salix
• SLAMPP
• STUX
• Vector Linux (Standard and SOHO Editions)
• Zenwalk

rpm-based

Mandriva-based

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

openSUSE-based

• openSuSE – official Novell/SuSE-GmbH version – installable Live CD GNOME and KDE versions available
• Linux MangOeS – Live CD based on e17 and openSuSE
• Smeegol – Live CD with MeeGo based on openSUSE

Red Hat Linux/Fedora-based

• Berry Linux
• CentOS – installable Live CD
• Fedora – installable Live CD, GNOME or KDE
• Network Security Toolkit – installable Live CD/DVD, GNOME or Fluxbox

Other

• Granular – installable Live CD based on PCLinuxOS, featuring KDE and Enlightenment
• PCLinuxOS – installable Live CD for desktop computing use

Other (Linux-based)

• Acronis Rescue Media – to make disk images from hard disk drives
• Archie is a live CD version of Arch Linux.
• CHAOS – small (6 MB) and designed for creating ad hoc computer clusters
• Devil-Linux – for services such as firewall/router (and many others), no graphical interface, can run from CD or USB
• 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.
• Lightweight Portable Security – developed and publicly distributed by the United States Department of Defense’s Software Protection Initiative to serve as a secure end node
• Linux From Scratch Live CD – used as a starting point for a Linux From Scratch installation
• Puppy Linux – installable Live CD, very small
• SliTaz GNU/Linux – installable Live CD, one of the smallest available with good feature set
• Tiny Core Linux – based on Linux 2.6 kernel, BusyBox, Tiny X, Fltk, and Flwm, begins at 10 MB
• XBMC Live – a self-contained media center suite based on Embedded Linux and XBMC Media Center

OpenSolaris-based

Systems based on the former open source "OS/net Nevada" or ONNV open source project by Sun Microsystems.

OpenSolaris-based

• OpenSolaris – the former official distribution supported by Sun Microsystems based on ONNV and some closed source parts
• BeleniX – full LiveCD and LiveUSB distribution (moving to Illumos?)
• MilaX small opensolaris based LiveCD and LiveUSB
• EON a live image NAS solution based on Solaris Express Community Edition (SXCE) OS, codenamed "Nevada".

SchilliX-ON-based

Schillix-ON is a fork of the former OpenSolaris ONNV to base the continued the development of SchilliX upon.

• SchilliX started as the first OpenSolaris Live CD distribution.

Illumos-based

Illumos is a fork of the former OpenSolaris ONNV aiming to further develop the ONNV and replacing the closed source parts while remaining binary compatible. The Openindiana distribution and the products of a few companies are based upon Illumos:

• Nexenta OS – combines the GNU userland with the OpenSolaris kernel.
• OpenIndiana – since OpenIndiana 151a based on Illumos
• SmartOS – Illumos based LiveCD from Joyent
• StormOS – A Nexenta Core based Live CD distribution

GNU-based

• Arch Hurd A live CD of Arch Linux with the GNU Hurd as its kernel.
• Superunprivileged.org Live CD – A live CD based on GNU Hurd.

Mac OS X-based

• BootCD from Charlessoft for Mac OS X up to 10.3 (including PowerPC Macintosh)
• DasBoot by SubRosaSoft.com Inc.
• OSx86 (x86 only)

Microsoft Windows-based

Microsoft representatives have described third-party efforts at producing Windows-based Live CDs 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.

• BartPE (Windows XP/2003) – allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows-install files
  • Reatogo-X-PE – based on BartPE
  • TeutonPE – based on BartPE
  • Ultimate Boot CD for Windows (UBCD4Win) – a BartPE based Live CD with lots of recovery/system tools
• VistaPE – a Live CD version for Windows Vista
• WinBuilder (Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista) – allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows-install files
• Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment
  • Windows PE (Windows 7) – the official tool from Microsoft to create a bootable image based on the Windows 7 kernel. It is part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit 3.0.
  • Windows PE – Free eScan Rescue Disk

DOS-based

• FreeDOS – the official "Full CD" 1.0 release includes a Live CD portion
• Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD)

Other operating systems

• AmigaOS 4 – installable Live CD which also can be used independently from any existing OS installations.
• AROS – offers Live CD for download on the project page
• BeOS – all BeOS discs can be run in Live CD mode, although PowerPC versions need to be kickstarted from Mac OS 8 when run on Apple or clone hardware
• Haiku – Haiku is a free and open source operating system compatible with BeOS running on Intel x86 platforms instead of PowerPC.
• Hiren's BootCD
• Minix
• MorphOS – installable Live CD which can be also used as independent from any existing MorphOS installations.
• OpenVMS – installable Live CD
• OS/2 Ecomstation Demo
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs – Plan 9 has a Live CD, which is also its install CD (and the installer is a shell script).
• QNX
• ReactOS
• SkyOS
• Syllable Desktop Live CD

See also

• List of tools to create Live USB systems
• Windows To Go

External links

• The LiveCD List
• Linux: Distributions: Live CD at Curlie