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
- 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.
- 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
Other BSDs
Linux-based
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[1] based on Debian unstable (Sid), installable Live CD, DVD
- 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
- Knoppix – the "original" Debian-based 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 Ubuntu Undead CD - 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[2]
- 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.[3]
- elementary OS – installable Live CD
Other
Gentoo-based
tgz or txz -Slackware-based
rpm-based
Mandriva-based
openSUSE-based
Red Hat Linux/Fedora-based
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 – 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 is a fork of the former OpenSolaris ONNV to base the continued the development of SchilliX upon.
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:
GNU-based
Mac OS X-based
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.[7]
DOS-based
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
- 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
References
External links