LiveCD

A LiveCD is an operating system stored on a CD-ROM that can be executed from it, without installation on a hard drive. Some LiveCDs come with an installation utility that can install the system on a hard drive.

One can use a ready CD or burn an ISO image downloaded from the internet. Because of the large size of the image files many people use a download manager for this.

The most popular are the GNU/Linux LiveCDs, for example:

• Knoppix and its many variants like
  • Gnobian
  • Gnoppix
• Dynebolic
• Flonix
• Gentoo
• SystemRescueCd [1]
• Damn Small Linux
• Jollix

There are also LiveCD's for other operating systems, like FreeBSD. A LiveCD for Microsoft Windows is technically possible, and there are such projects, but they are all illegal. There is however TheOpenCD [1], a project to provide Windows users with a downloadable ISO that contains a bunch of easy to use free software.

Most LiveCDs can access the information on internal and/or external harddrives, diskettes and USB Flash memories.

Syslinux Project covers lightweight bootloaders for floppy media (Sysklinux), network booting (Pxelinux), and bootable "El Torito" CD-ROMs or LiveCD (Isolinux).

External links

• PDF document with the standard for bootable CD-ROMs.
• Making Bootable Linux CD
• Syslinux.
• http://livecd.lockedbox.net/