List of live CDs

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (May 2021)

A

. 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

• Inquisitor – Linux kernel-based hardware diagnostics, stress testing and benchmarking live CD
• Parted Magic – Entirely based on the 2.6 or newer Linux kernels
• 68k or PowerPC
  Macintosh computers
• SystemRescueCD
  – A Linux kernel-based CD with tools for Windows and Linux repairs

BSD-based

FreeBSD based

• DesktopBSD – as of 1.6RC1^{[citation needed]} FreeBSD and FreeSBIE based
• FreeBSD – has supported use of a "fixit" CD for diagnostics since 1996
• FreeNAS
  – m0n0wall-based
• FreeSBIE (discontinued) – FreeBSD-based
• GhostBSD – FreeBSD based with gnome GUI, installable to HDD
• NomadBSD
• Debian GNU/kFreeBSD
  -based
• m0n0wall (discontinued) – FreeBSD-based
• TrueOS – FreeBSD-based
• pfSense – m0n0wall-based

Other BSDs

• DragonFly BSD

Linux kernel-based

Arch Linux based

• Artix – LXQt preconfigured and OpenRC-oriented live CD and distribution
• Archie – live CD version of Arch Linux
  .
• Antergos (discontinued, succeeded by endeavourOS)
• Chakra
• Manjaro – primarily free software operating system for personal computers aimed at ease of use.
• Parabola GNU/Linux-libre - distro endorsed by the Free Software Foundation^[1][2]
• SystemRescue

Debian-based

These are directly based on Debian:

• antiX – A light-weight edition based on Debian
• Debian Live
  – Official live CD version of Debian
• Devuan - A fork of the Debian Linux distribution that uses sysvinit, runit or OpenRC instead of systemd.
• 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
• HandyLinux – A French/English Linux distribution derived from Debian designed for inexperienced computer users
• Instant WebKiosk – Live, browser only operating system for use in web kiosks and digital signage deployments
• Kali Linux – The most advanced penetration testing distribution
• Knoppix – The "original" Debian-based live CD
• MX Linux – Live based on Debian stable
• Tails
  – An Amnesic OS based on anonymity and Tor
• Slax – (formerly based on Slackware) modular and very easy to remaster
• Webconverger – Kiosk software that boots live in order to turn PC into temporary Web kiosk

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

, which is based on Debian:

• 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]
• Ubuntu and designed to facilitate the repacking of computers donated to Emmaüs
  Communities.
• gNewSense – Supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME
• 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
• Ubuntu and MythTV
• OpenGEU – Installable live CD
• PC/OS
  – An Ubuntu derivative whose interface was made to look like BeOS. a 64 bit version was released in May 2009. In 2010 PC/OS moved to a more unified look to its parent distribution and a GNOME version was released on March 3, 2010.
• Pinguy
  – An Ubuntu-based distribution designed to look and feel simple. Pinguy is designed with the intent of integrating new users to Linux.
• Puredyne – Live CD/DVD/USB for media artists and designers, based on Ubuntu and Debian Live
• Qimo 4 Kids – A fun distro for kids that comes with educational games
• Trisquel – Supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME
• TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library – Family of installable live CD appliances optimized for ease of use in server-type usage scenarios
• Ubuntu and Lubuntu
  – Bootable live CDs

Other Debian-based

• AVLinux – AVLinux is a Linux for multimedia content creators.^[4]
• 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 first live CDs
• Dreamlinux – Installable live CD to hard drives or flash media * This distribution has ceased support *
• gnuLinEx – Includes GNOME
• Kanotix – Installable live CD
• MEPIS – Installable live CD

Gentoo-based

• Gentoo LiveGUI USB image
• Bitdefender Rescue CD
• Calculate Linux
• FireballISO – VMware virtual machine that generates a customized security-hardened IPv4 and IPv6 firewall live CD.
• Incognito – includes anonymity and security tools such as
  Tor
  by default
• Kaspersky Rescue Disk
• Pentoo
• SabayonLinux
• Ututo
• VidaLinux

Mandriva-based

• DemoLinux (version 1)
• Mageia – installable live CD
• Mandriva Linux – installable live CD; GNOME and KDE editions available

openSUSE-based

• openSuSE – official Novell/SuSE-GmbH version – installable live CD; GNOME and KDE
  versions available

Red Hat Linux/Fedora-based

• Berry Linux
• CentOS – installable live CD
• Fedora – installable live CD, with GNOME or KDE
• MATE, or Xfce
• Network Security Toolkit – installable live disc, with GNOME or Fluxbox

Slackware-based

• AUSTRUMI
  – 50 MB Mini distro
• BioSLAX – a bioinformatics live CD with over 300 bioinformatics applications
• NimbleX – under 200 MB
• Porteus – under 300 MB
• Salix
• Slackware-live ( CD / USB images with latest update from slackware-current )
• gaming
  focused (currently based on Vector Linux)
• Vector Linux
  (Standard and SOHO Editions)
• Zenwalk

Other

• Acronis Rescue Media – to make disk images from hard disk drives
• CHAOS – small (6 MB) and designed for creating ad hoc computer clusters
• SE Linux
• 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.
• Granular – installable live CD based on PCLinuxOS, featuring KDE and Enlightenment
• 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
• LinuxConsole – a lightweight distro on installable live CD (or USB) for old computers with a focus on youth and casual users.
• Linux From Scratch Live CD (live CD inactive) – used as a starting point for a Linux From Scratch installation
• Fltk
  , for desktop computing
• paldo – independently developed, rolling release distribution on installable live CD
• PCLinuxOS – installable live CD for desktop computing use
• Puppy Linux – installable live CD, very small
• SliTaz – installable live CD, one of the smallest available with good feature set
• Tinfoil Hat Linux – security-focused, designed to fit on a single floppy disk
• Fltk, and Flwm
  , begins at 10 MB
• XBMC Media Center

OS X-based

• DasBoot by SubRosaSoft.com
• OSx86 (x86
  only)

Windows-based

Microsoft representatives have described third-party efforts at producing Windows-based live CDs as "improperly licensed" uses of Windows, unless used solely to rescue a properly licensed installation. However,

• BartPE – allows creation of a bootable CD from Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 installation files
• WinBuilder – allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows 2000 and later
• Windows Preinstallation Environment

OpenSolaris-based

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

• BeleniX – full live CD and live USB distribution (moving to Illumos?)
• OpenSolaris – the former official distribution supported by Sun Microsystems based on ONNV and some closed source parts

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 following products are based upon Illumos:

• Nexenta OS – combines the GNU userland with the OpenSolaris kernel.
• OpenIndiana – since OpenIndiana 151a based on Illumos

Other operating systems

• AmigaOS 4 – Installable live CD
• Arch Hurd – A live CD of Arch Linux with the GNU Hurd as its kernel
• 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
• FreeDOS – the official "Full CD" 1.0 release includes a live CD portion
• Haiku – Haiku is a free and open source operating system compatible with BeOS running on Intel x86 platforms instead of PowerPC.
• Minix
• MorphOS – Installable live CD
• OpenVMS – Installable live CD
• OS/2 Ecomstation Demo
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs – Has a live CD, which is also its install CD (and the installer is a shell script).
• QNX
• ReactOS
• SkyOS
• Syllable Desktop

Live USBs

This list is for operating systems distributions that are specifically designed to boot off a (writable) USB flash drive, often called a

. (This does not include operating system distributions with a simplified "installer" designed to boot from a USB drive, but the full OS is intended to be installed on a hard drive).

• Tin Hat Linux
• Tails ("The Amnesic Incognito Live System")
• SystemRescue
• Sugar
• SliTaz
• Slax
• RUNT Linux
• Puredyne
• Puppy Linux
• Porteus
• Parted Magic
• Parsix
• NimbleX
• Lightweight Portable Security
• Knoppix
• Kanotix
• Grml
• Finnix
• Feather Linux
• Damn Small Linux

In addition, many other operating systems can be made to run from a USB flash drive, possibly using one of the

.

See also

• List of Linux distributions that run from RAM
• List of portable software
• List of tools to create Live USB systems
• Windows To Go

References

External links

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