List of live CDs

Rescue and repair

• Billix – A multiboot distribution and system administration toolkit with the ability to install any of the included Linux distributions
• Inquisitor – Linux kernel-based hardware diagnostics, stress testing and benchmarking live CD
• Parted Magic – Entirely based on the 2.6 or newer Linux kernels
• System Folder of classic Mac OS on a CD or on a floppy disk – Works on any media readable by 68k or PowerPC Macintosh computers
• SystemRescueCD – A Linux kernel-based CD with tools for Windows and Linux repairs

  BSD-based

[FreeBSD] based

• DesktopBSD – as of 1.6RC1 FreeBSD and FreeSBIE based
• FreeBSD – has supported use of a "fixit" CD for diagnostics since 1996
• FreeNAS – m0n0wall-based
• FreeSBIE – FreeBSD-based
• GhostBSD – FreeBSD based with gnome GUI, installable to HDD
• Ging – Debian GNU/kFreeBSD-based
• m0n0wall – FreeBSD-based
• TrueOS – FreeBSD-based
• pfSense – m0n0wall-based

  Other BSDs

• DragonFly BSD

  Linux kernel-based

Arch Linux based

• Artix – LXQt preconfigured and OpenRC-oriented live CD and distribution
• Archie – live CD version of Arch Linux.
• Antergos
• Chakra
• Manjaro – primarily free software operating system for personal computers aimed at ease of use.
• SystemRescueCD

  Debian-based

• antiX – A light-weight edition based on Debian
• Debian Live – Official live CD version of Debian
• Finnix – A small system administration live CD, based on Debian testing, and available for x86 and PowerPC architectures
• grml – Installable live CD for sysadmins and text tool users
• HandyLinux – A French/English Linux distribution derived from Debian designed for inexperienced computer users
• Instant WebKiosk – Live, browser only operating system for use in web kiosks and digital signage deployments
• Kali Linux – The most advanced penetration testing distribution
• Knoppix – The "original" Debian-based live CD
• MX Linux – Live based on Debian stable
• Tails – An Amnesic OS based on anonymity and Tor
• Slax – modular and very easy to remaster
• Webconverger – Kiosk software that boots live in order to turn PC into temporary Web kiosk

  Knoppix-based

Ubuntu-based

• CGAL LiveCD – Live CD containing CGAL with all demos compiled. This enables the user to get an impression of CGAL and create CGAL software without the need to install CGAL.
• Emmabuntüs is a Linux distribution derived from Ubuntu and designed to facilitate the repacking of computers donated to Emmaüs Communities.
• gNewSense – Supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME
• gOS – A series of lightweight operating systems based on Ubuntu with Ajax-based applications and other Web 2.0 applications, geared to beginning users, installable live CD
• Linux Mint – Installable live CD
• Mythbuntu – A self-contained media center suite based on Ubuntu and MythTV
• OpenGEU – Installable live CD
• PC/OS – An Ubuntu derivative whose interface was made to look like BeOS. a 64 bit version was released in May 2009. In 2010 PC/OS moved to a more unified look to its parent distribution and a GNOME version was released on March 3, 2010.
• Pinguy – An Ubuntu-based distribution designed to look and feel simple. Pinguy is designed with the intent of integrating new users to Linux.
• Puredyne – Live CD/DVD/USB for media artists and designers, based on Ubuntu and Debian Live
• Qimo 4 Kids – A fun distro for kids that comes with educational games
• Trisquel – Supported by the Free Software Foundation, includes GNOME
• TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library – Family of installable live CD appliances optimized for ease of use in server-type usage scenarios
• Ubuntu and Lubuntu – Bootable live CDs

  Other Debian-based

• AVLinux – AVLinux is a Linux for multimedia content creators.
• CrunchBang Linux – Installable live CD, using Openbox as window manager
• Damn Small Linux – Very light and small with JWM and Fluxbox, installable live CD
• DemoLinux – One of the very first live CDs
• Dreamlinux – Installable live CD to hard drives or flash media * This distribution has ceased support *
• gnuLinEx – Includes GNOME
• Kanotix – Installable live CD
• MEPIS – Installable live CD

  Gentoo-based

• Bitdefender Rescue CD
• Calculate Linux
• FireballISO – VMware virtual machine that generates a customized security-hardened IPv4 and IPv6 firewall live CD.
• Incognito – includes anonymity and security tools such as Tor by default
• Kaspersky Rescue Disk
• Pentoo
• SabayonLinux
• Ututo
• VidaLinux

  Mandriva-based

• DemoLinux
• Mageia – installable live CD
• Mandriva Linux – installable live CD; GNOME and KDE editions available

  openSUSE-based

• openSuSE – official Novell/SuSE-GmbH version – installable live CD; GNOME and KDE versions available

  Red Hat Linux/Fedora-based

• Berry Linux
• CentOS – installable live CD
• Fedora – installable live CD, with GNOME or KDE
• Korora – installable live USB, with Cinnamon, GNOME, KDE, MATE, or Xfce
• Network Security Toolkit – installable live disc, with GNOME or Fluxbox

  Slackware-based

• AUSTRUMI – 50 MB Mini distro
• BioSLAX – a bioinformatics live CD with over 300 bioinformatics applications
• NimbleX – under 200 MB
• Porteus – under 300 MB
• Salix
• Vector Linux
• Zenwalk

  Other

• Acronis Rescue Media – to make disk images from hard disk drives
• CHAOS – small and designed for creating ad hoc computer clusters
• EnGarde Secure Linux – a highly secure Linux based on SE Linux
• GeeXboX – a self-contained media center suite based on Linux and MPlayer
• GoboLinux – an alternative Linux distribution. Its most salient feature is its reorganization of the filesystem hierarchy. Under GoboLinux, each program has its own subdirectory tree.
• Granular – installable live CD based on PCLinuxOS, featuring KDE and Enlightenment
• Lightweight Portable Security – developed and publicly distributed by the United States Department of Defense’s Software Protection Initiative to serve as a secure end node
• Linux From Scratch Live CD – used as a starting point for a Linux From Scratch installation
• Nanolinux – 14 MB distro on an installable live CD with BusyBox and Fltk, for desktop computing
• paldo GNU/Linux – independently developed, rolling release distribution on installable live CD
• PCLinuxOS – installable live CD for desktop computing use
• Puppy Linux – installable live CD, very small
• SliTaz GNU/Linux – installable live CD, one of the smallest available with good feature set
• Tiny Core Linux – based on Linux 2.6 kernel, BusyBox, Tiny X, Fltk, and Flwm, begins at 10 MB
• XBMC Live – a self-contained media center suite based on Embedded Linux and XBMC Media Center

  OS X-based

• DasBoot by SubRosaSoft.com
• OSx86

  Windows-based

• BartPE – allows creation of a bootable CD from Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 installation files
• WinBuilder – allows the creation of a bootable CD from Windows 2000 and later
• Windows Preinstallation Environment

  OpenSolaris-based

• BeleniX – full live CD and live USB distribution
• OpenSolaris – the former official distribution supported by Sun Microsystems based on ONNV and some closed source parts

  Illumos-based

• Nexenta OS – combines the GNU userland with the OpenSolaris kernel.
• OpenIndiana – since OpenIndiana 151a based on Illumos

  Other operating systems

• AmigaOS 4 – Installable live CD
• Arch Hurd – A live CD of Arch Linux with the GNU Hurd as its kernel
• AROS – Offers live CD for download on the project page
• BeOS – All BeOS discs can be run in live CD mode, although PowerPC versions need to be kickstarted from Mac OS 8 when run on Apple or clone hardware
• FreeDOS – the official "Full CD" 1.0 release includes a live CD portion
• Haiku – Haiku is a free and open source operating system compatible with BeOS running on Intel x86 platforms instead of PowerPC.
• Hiren's BootCD
• Minix
• MorphOS – Installable live CD
• OpenVMS – Installable live CD
• OS/2 Ecomstation Demo
• Plan 9 from Bell Labs – Has a live CD, which is also its install CD.
• QNX
• ReactOS
• SkyOS
• Syllable Desktop