As a request, I'm starting a thread about bootable CD.

There are many different bootable CD or what we call LiveCD. They range from Diagnostic CDs to Live OS CDs to Virus Removal CDs.

So in turn there are many different reasons to use these different LiveCDs

First we will go over Diagnostic CD

The Diagnostic CD that BYOIT recommends is UBCD. There is also Hirens, UBCD4Win, ERD Commandar/MSDaRT (last 2 now made by Mircosoft and you have to have a subscription from them to obtain them legally.)
You would use Diagnostic CD if you are having problems with your computer. Most of the time, it would be if you are having hardware problems.
For Example if your computer does not boot. If you can get your computer to boot to the Diagnostic CD then you can run test on various hardware.
There are also many other things the Diag CD can test depending on the Diag CD. The MSDaRT disks you can repair Windows Start up. Most all of them you can reset account passwords. MSDaRT can also restore to previous state.
Several have a GUI like Hirens or UBCD4Win where you can go in and so some Virus Removal.

Best thing to do is to Burn a Diagnostic CD and look at the different program is contains, so you know what all you can use if for.

Next we will go over Live OS Disk.

This is a LiveCD that has a complete OS on it. Many of the linux distributions have a live OS. One of the most popular is Ubuntu. So from here on out I will reference Ubuntu, even though other Live OS Disks work pretty much the same. You can run Ubuntu straight from the CD. You do not have to install in on your hard drive.
Reasons for using a Live OS CD.
Test out the OS. If you want to test out Ubuntu but you don't want to install it on a computer until you test it then you can use it on the disk.
You can also use it on any computer. Say you like Ubuntu. You install it on your computer. You save files onto a flash drive from Ubuntu. You go to a friend's house. You can use use the Ubuntu disk and have Ubuntu on his computer.
Use if for a Diag CD. If your computer is messing up and you do not have a diag, you can the Live OS CD for some diag. I know Ubuntu has some hardware diag programs you can run.

Last we will go over the Virus Removal CDs.

As the name says it helps you remove a virus. I do not know much about these because normally I use manual techniques to remove viruses and not scanners. But if you look at Adams A Plus List of Downloads I have listed a few of these disks. There are many more you can try.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. If you would like me to add anything please just let me know.

Also see Live CD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks Adam.

In a way you must of read my mind i was just getting ready to post a tread on this I have the beyourown it ultimate boot cd now i know how to get it to check the hardware , Hard drive,Memory and so on Even have got to the desktop to clone a hard drive.So that part i understand. Now what i like to know is there anyway i can access system restore to put the computer back to a different day when it was booting up fine,or how can i make a boot disk from the hard drive windows xp pro.Can either of that be done with this boot cd i have.If so please explaine.

I believe that ERD Commandar\MSDaRT Disks are the only ones that can do the System Restore. For a little history. ERD Commandar was created by Winternals. Then Microsoft bought out the program and changed it to MSDaRT. The only way you can legally get MSDaRT is to have a subscription to Technet or MSDSN.

Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT)

I'm not sure what you mean by a boot disk. These disks are boot disks.

Sorry let me clarifier what i meant was that i wanted to be able to create a windows boot disk for the computer i'm currently working on the customer does not have the disks and the computer will not boot even in safe mode or it will not restore to earlier time when it was functioning.Now i do know i can order the disks from Dell,but he is suppose to have identical Dell with the same windows XP pro and he has the disk for it.he was going to bring them over last week but has not got here so i was trying to find another way to fix computer. I hope this made it understanaball

For Example if your computer does not boot. If you can get your computer to boot to the Diagnostic CD then you can run test on various hardware.

Not sure why I haven't been able to understand this. But knowing that you can use it to run tests on various hardware helps. Was kind of the missing link for me.


Best thing to do is to Burn a Diagnostic CD and look at the different program is contains, so you know what all you can use if for.


I did burn the ubcd to a disc few months but guess I didn't understand what I was looking at. If I boot this disc to a healthy computer just to take a look at what is one it will I run into problems. Just want to make sure it isn't going to mess up what is already working on the good computer.

Originally Posted by andrewbach

Sorry let me clarifier what i meant was that i wanted to be able to create a windows boot disk for the computer i'm currently working on the customer does not have the disks and the computer will not boot even in safe mode or it will not restore to earlier time when it was functioning.Now i do know i can order the disks from Dell,but he is suppose to have identical Dell with the same windows XP pro and he has the disk for it.he was going to bring them over last week but has not got here so i was trying to find another way to fix computer. I hope this made it understanaball

You can try using an MSDaRT disk to fix this. Otherwise I would suggest getting a Dell disk. If you are running a business you need to have a set of OS disk from various manufactures anyways. ie dell, hp, gateway, etc. You can get them from the manufactures or from : : Welcome to RestoreDisks.com : :

You are right Adam i have Disks for HP and Compaq in windows xp and windows 7 And like my windows 7 disk for HP always comes in handy,My Friend in Indiana his HP laptop wont boot from his restore disk so I'm sending him my disks to use, in return he also has has windows Xp for Dell he is going to send me those disks.So that helps then i will order some of the others from Manufacture when my money will allow me to do this.Always Many thanks for all the help that you give To people that do not have all the Knowledge that you have.

Originally Posted by daisymae70

I did burn the ubcd to a disc few months but guess I didn't understand what I was looking at. If I boot this disc to a healthy computer just to take a look at what is one it will I run into problems. Just want to make sure it isn't going to mess up what is already working on the good computer.

The disk will not do anything to your computer. You boot have to make sure you boot to CD. Then it should come up with a menu of different programs you can run. So if you boot to the CD and run some of the diag programs, it should not harm your computer at all. Now if you run DBan or some other format program, you can really mess up your computer. If you run one of the password change programs, and you don't pay attention what you are doing, you can mess up your account. But I recommend testing out the Diag programs. So you know what they do and what they look like.

So, as suggested, I have been exposing myself to the ubcd. There is a lot of available information but I guess until I have an actual need for it I won't understand what it does. Having a bit of trouble navigating out of a particular function when I just want to log off so I hit the escape key a lot. Exit only takes me back to the menu. How does one log off when you are in a predicament? And just keep pressing the wrong key. Just been shutting it down manually.