Why Live CD is a real magic? Why is it essential?

May 8
09:32

2011

Andy G

Andy G

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People like to repair their own machines by themselves and doing it in an environment that is similar to the operating system they are running is just going to make the users more computer savvy and knowledgeable.

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Why Live CD is a real magic? Why is it essential?


Ever since personal computers started invading our homes back in the eighties of the previous century,Why Live CD is a real magic? Why is it essential? Articles it was essential to make backup data in order to keep vital stored information safe and re-accessible in future. Hard disk crashes, reinstallations and upgrades of operating systems, faulty drivers, faulty hardware, virus infections and dozens of more concerns plagued administrators of that time and users alike. Not much changed in recent times, only now regular people know that there are ways how to restore the system on a personal computer and save some of the data that has been stored there.


Data recovery

Besides the already mentioned data recovery possibility, namely to restore from a backup, there used to be and there are many possibilities how to recover and save data on a faulty system. Some of such utilities have found ways even into the current operating systems and some were and are available for purchase as commercially sold products. But the most interesting software for such purposes was undoubtedly what has been dubbed as “forensic recovery software”, when it first came out.


Mossad, CIA, KGB and the likes

Booting up a computer that had sensitive data on it and was recovered during an agency or police action can be tricky business. If some terrorist or crime lord has a computer, that computer is guarded by more people than the person itself. It is therefore expected that such highly classified data will be software protected and possibly auto-erase if accessed by unauthorized hands. For such reasons certain programs have been developed that simulated a complete operating system, giving the forensic computer expert the chance to access data on such a hard drive, which was removed from the original machine, and try and recover some if not all data on the disk. In such environments it is much easier to run decryption programs and also review unencrypted data that might give more insight to the investigating office.

This forensic software was located on such a bootable disc and built in operating system can be bypassed in a fast intrusion action allowing the specialist to access available data in quick succession.


Applications for the common man

This bootable OS idea has been picked up by data recovery specialists and then by computer software makers, who decided it is a good idea to allow the end user to access files that are otherwise inaccessible by faulty, damaged or destroyed operating system. This is what a Live CD actually is. A full operating system that is bootable from a CD (or DVD – Live DVD, or USB drive – Live USB) and that can be used to not only save data, but to have a portable operating system.


What can it be used for?

Besides the aforementioned forensic capability, Live CDs are commonly used for virus removal purposes. The other use is for salvaging faulty and broken operating systems, also called system recovery. Salvaging data and copying drives is another use, but also salvaging and recovering hard disks. The reason is simple: People like to repair their own machines by themselves and doing it in an environment that is similar to the operating system they are running is just going to make the users more computer savvy and knowledgeable.