Ram & Reason: Putting the Fun Back In Computing: The Live CD

        By Rob Rice   February 2006

If you have a CD or DVD writer (burner) and the software to write to disk an ISO image (the file that a Live CD typically comes in), such Roxio’s “Easy CD Creator” or Sonic’s “Record Now!” you can download and create disks that will run a specially crafted operating system without loading it to your hard disk or disturbing any of your files. A Live  CD or as the case may be, a Live  DVD, is a bootable disk that loads the operating system into your system’s memory and runs the necessary operating files from your CD or DVD drive. Some are designed to be run with a rewritable disc so that files can be burned to the disk while you work. Test drive Linux or Free BSD. Recover files, trouble shoot, test hardware, or, just try something different. Live CDs are truly loads of fun, especially since many, if not most, are free!

So you don’t have any software that will burn an ISO image? Many Live CDs will work from a USB flash drive. Heck, “floppyfw” fits on a floppy disk! Floppyfw is a router with the advanced firewall capabilities found in Linux - and it fits on a single floppy disc.

Several websites have a nice long list of currently available images (files) for download. FrozenTech (http://www.frozentech.com/content/Live cd.php) is one of my favorites. The images are anywhere from 2 megabytes up to 3 gigabytes in size. There are many different types and platforms available. Therefore, if you currently use Windows you will want to pick something that is listed as being for a x86 platform. But perhaps the most difficult task is trying to choose from this buffet which goodies to try.

DistroWatch, (http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=cd), has another list which gives nice descriptions of Linux Live CDs.

Some of the more popular Live CDs and DVDs include:

Knoppix and Ubuntu: These are Linux distributions that are loaded with lots of extra software, such as office tools and web browsers.

Helix: A Linux based incident response and forensics program. The later versions will open in Windows.

Ultimate Boot CD: Diagnostic and rescue tools.

avast! BART CD: Bootable Antivirus & Recovery Tools CD.

LLGP and GamesKnoppix: Games and lots of them!

SLAMPP and ATmission: Create a server.

There are dozens of programs for many different uses. Some of the categories include (From the FrozenTech website):

Desktops: provides a working GUI desktop environment with a collection of desktop programs, such as browsers and text editors. Many also include utilities for other purposes, such as home entertainment, but are only listed here because the additional functions are not their primary focus.

OS Replacement: provides an option to transfer the co to the hard drive, or to install an OS in a different form

Education: provides a collection of educational programs, or was created to be used in the educational field

Rescue: provides tools needed for data recovery

Clustering: provides tools for making clusters

Security: contains network security tools

Home Entertainment: geared towards playing video and audio

Gaming: video games!

Medical: contains medical programs

Diagnostics: contains utilities for testing hardware

Firewalls: distributions created to be used as firewalls

Forensics: distributions containing forensic tools

Servers: distributions used for various server functions

So put the fun back into computing and try a Live CD. You’ll be glad you did!

        Rob Rice is a computer specialist working in Anchorage, Alaska. Rob can be contacted at articles@isp.com