LiveCD

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A Live CD or Live DVD, more generically Live Distro, sometimes being called a Live CD or Standalone CD, is an operating system stored on removable media, traditionally a CD or DVD (hence their names), which can be run directly on a computer.

Usually a Live CD comes with a couple of applications. Some Live CDs include a tool that allows you to install them to your hard drive. Another feature is that usually no changes are made to the computer used.

To use a Live CD, you need to obtain one (many of them freely distribute an ISO image that can be downloaded from the Internet and burn to a disc) and configure the computer to boot from the drive, then reboot the computer with the disc in the drive, which will start the Live CD manually.

Features

Most use an operating system based on the Linux kernel, but other systems such as ReactOS, BeOS, FreeBSD, Minix, Solaris, OS/2 or even Microsoft Windows are also used (however, distributing a Live CD of the latter It's totally legal).

One of the biggest drawbacks of this system is the misuse of a large amount of RAM (256 MB is more than enough and there are distributions that work perfectly with 128 MB), a part for regular use and another to work as the virtual disk of the system. At startup, it can be given different parameters to adapt the system to the computer, such as the screen resolution or to activate or deactivate the automatic search for certain hardware.

A Live CD does not require installation, so there is no need to touch your hard drive or follow complicated procedures. In addition, the data, partitions or operating systems on the hard drive are not lost. Even so, some Live CDs have an installer to be able to be installed, being able to know the real performance of the distro, since the transfer speed of the drives (CD/DVD) is much lower than that of hard drives. (vr).

Live CD Linux

Some Linux distributions are Live CDs. The first Linux Live CD was Yggdrasil Linux in 1995, although it was unsuccessful. Later DemoLinux (year 2000) emerged.

The rise of this modality of Linux began around 2003 with the German distribution of Knoppix, based, in turn, on the Debian software distribution. One of the improvements of this method was the cloop compression, this allowed to exceed the 650-700 MB of the CD (the loop driver was used) and manage to introduce up to 2 GB. The Spanish Hispalinux association has popularized its own system, called Metadistros, fundamental in the Linex and Guadalinex distributions.

The Syslinux Project covers bootloaders for floppy disks (Syslinux), network boot (Pxelinux), and bootable CD-ROMs under the name "El Torito", also called Live CD (Isolinux).

The Syslinux utility is most commonly used on most Live CDs as well as floppy disks. On a computer a bootable CD conforms to the specification called El Torito which creates a special file on the disk (probably hidden), in the same way on a floppy disk. The image of this file system is normally compressed with cloop.

They are distributions easy to find, since some computer magazines decide on this type of distribution to reach the Windows user. They usually have an advanced hardware recognition, also the result of the latest kernel versions that they usually have.

In short, Live CD distributions try to bring Linux to users of other operating systems

Live CD List

Based on Apple Macintosh OS

Mac OS folder on a CD or disk
Charlessoft BootCD for Mac OS X

Based on BSD

Main article: Annex BSD Distributions

DragonFlyBSD [1]
FreeSBIE (Based on FreeBSD)
Frenzy in mini-CD (Based on FreeBSD)
NetBSD - official Live CD image. Direct link.
LiveDVD/ LiveUSB-based Future
NetBSD live CD for audits, a beta has not yet been developed
Jibbed Archived on 18 January 2019 at Wayback Machine. netbsd in live CD format
TRUEBSD a livedvd of FREEBSD
MaheshabSD a livecd of FREEBSD
DesktopBSD live CD derived from a freebsd testing version, can run completely from the CD. eye because it installs the lilo if we do not configure it properly
RedBSD a FreeBSD livecd

Linux-based

Main article: Annex: Linux Distributions

Adrenalinux - Version 0.2.2, Mini Live CD produced in Argentina
Learn- Live CD autoconfigurable, includes educational games, produced in Argentina
ArtistX
Asturix
BeatrIX
Càtix - Distribution of free software in Catalan, based on Debian. Produced in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia.
Hundreds Live CD
Canaima (Linux distribution) distribution of GNU Made in Venezuela for formal and educational purposes and can be found at https://web.archive.org/web/20121130100717/http://canaima.softwarelibre.gob.ve/
Damn Small Linux - Small Knoppix Modification for Card Size CD. Excellent version as the same runs from CD and can be installed in a pendrive. Run on old machines such as 486
Debian-live Debian in live CD version.Link direct
DNALinux - Based on Slax for Molecular Biology made in Argentina
Elive
Famelix - Based on Knoppix but with appearance to XP
Flonix
Gentoo
Geubuntu, based in Ubuntu, has as a desktop environment a mixture of GNOME and Enlightenment.
GoblinX
GOS (breakable link available on the Internet Archive; see history, first version and last). More Info
Gnix - Basada en Guadalinex
Gnoppix
Guadalinex, a Gnobian distribution
GnuLinEx
ICABIAN, based on Debian
GnuStep
kademar Linux (formerly K-DEMar), based on Debian, Catalan, Spanish and English and for domestic and small business use. Very user-oriented. Great ease of use. Three versions, CD, DVD and an old computer version.
Black Jarro - Live CD created in Mexico, previously based on Slackware and Debian. Now based on the source code of the programs.
Kaella
Kanotix
Knoppix - The "original" CD based on Debian and its variants (such as the Gnobian version called Gnoppix).
Linspire Live - Version live from Linspire.
Linuxinf - (in live mode) Chileno, Created by Students at Ucinf University (Main Page Archived on February 20, 2009 at Wayback Machine.) in Chile, and Freely distributed among Students since 2004. with Software designed for students of Engineering, Architecture and Human Sciences.
Linux Mint - Linux distribution with two variants; Ubuntu-based distributions and Debian-based distributions. In total it has up to four different desktop environments (depending on the Live DVD you choose from).
LliureX a GNU/Linux distribution created by the Valencian Generality, aimed at the Education System.
LNX-BBC - (Linux Bootable Business Card), Mini-Live CD.
Mandriva One - Mandriva Company product. (before known as Mandrake Move)
κMAX - MAdrid linuX - Linux distribution of the Community of Madrid Education Council
MEPIS - For a Debian installation (compatible with APT).
MochueliToon - Live CD that provides a digital workstation with creative production tools for digital paintings, drawings, dynamic presentations, video games, animations and music.
Molinux - Live CD of the Castile-La Mancha Board.
Morphix - Based on Knoppix, modular design, designed to be highly modified.
Musix GNU+Linux - 100% Free. Designed for musicians, sound technicians and users in general.
NimbleX - 199MB Live CD based on Slackware
Ominiverdi Live CD - Free GIS live CD by ominiverdi.org
PCLinuxOS - Direct Representative of The Live CD Project
ROCK Linux - Live CD for PowerPC
SabayonLinux - Live DVD (full version), Live CD (mini version), based on Gentoo Linux.
SLAX - mini-Live CD derived from Slackware
OpenSuSE
SystemRescueCd
Trisquel GNU/Linux - Based on Debian.
TumiX - Developed and oriented to Peru.
Tuquito.
TurpialMaracaibo
Ubuntu popular distribution based on Debian.
Super Ubuntu
Ututo of Argentine origin. In its first version, recorded massively in October 2000. ISBN 987-9381-06-8
Planktum - Based in Slax and oriented to use by the community of Latino immigrants in the "first world".
Puppy Linux -Distribution live CD, has a remarkable nature: unlike traditional Live CDs, you don't need the CD-ROM that contains it to work. Puppy Linux runs completely on RAM. Due to its small size (56 to 128 Mb), it can fit on USB or Flash devices and Zip or LS Superdisk disks, although it can also be started from CD or directly from a network. Puppy Linux can run on hardware as limited as a 200 MHz PC with 128 Mb of RAM.
Uninortix - Live CD Distribution, created for the University of the North (Barranquilla, Colombia) in order to promote the use of the GNU/Linux operating system within the academic community of that institution.
Nurix - Live CD Distribution Based on Kanoppix for a quick and simple initiation of Nur University students into the world of free software (Santa Cruz-Bolivia).
ZENWALK - Based on slackware, of French origin, with environment in xfce download link: zenwalk, Zenwalk Live is based on Linux Live Script as well as Slax.
SIDUX - An interesting derivative from a Debian testing distribution, so we get a system configured with many programs that works even on the newest pcs.
Promo-Ubuntu - Modified distribution of Ubuntu 10.10 made by the Utfsm - Chile IT promotion team for middle-aged students interested in studying IT Civil Engineering

Based on Microsoft Windows

Hiren's boot CD Based on MS-DOS and Windows XP with multiple computer management and maintenance tools; the latest version is 15.2.
BartPE (Windows 2000/XP/2003)
911 Rescue CD (Windows NT/2000/XP/2003)
Ultimate Boot CD for Windows (Windows XP) - Increase BartPE performance
Avast Bart CD
VistaPE the only one based on Windows Vista
Gparted windows 95/98/ME/XP/SEVEN

DOS-based

FreeDOS - The official publication "Full CD" version 1.0 includes a portion like Live CD
Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) Ultimate Boot CD for DOS - Similar to Hiren's BootCD containing multiple maintenance and diagnostic tools

Others

Neutrino QNX Real-time operating system owner of QNX company also available as live CD
BeOS for Live-mode operation for Intel CD, 1998
Haiku OS written from scratch and oriented to be compatible with BeOS software (Still developing).
Zeta 1.2.1 based on BeOS
Plan 9 from Bell Labs had a "virtual address" that included web browser and compilers, over 1992. Today, an ISO is created every day. The last one can be downloaded from: https://web.archive.org/web/20050616011502/http://www.cs.bell-labs.com/plan9dist/download.html
Sky
Live CD News
Nexenta, Belenix and SchilliX Based on OpenSolaris
eComStation Demo CD Live CD Demo of eComStation 1.2, OS/2 Warp 4.52 version licensed by IBM to Serenity Systems International.
AmayaOS Operative system only LiveCD.
Following the philosophy of the Live CDs, there have also been versions of portable applications that do not need to be installed on the computer and can be executed from a USB stick