Uses
While some live CDs are designed to "demo" or "test drive" a particular operating system (usually Linux or another free or open source operating system), there are live CDs made for many different uses.
Although some live CDs can load into memory to free the optical drive for other uses, loading the data from a CD-ROM is still slower than a typical hard drive boot, so this is rarely the default with large live CD images, but for smaller live CD images loading the filesystem directly into RAM can be highly practical. Loading the filesystem image into RAM can provide a significant performance boost as RAM is several orders of magnitude faster than a hard drive. Also, since RAM has no moving parts, a system running from a live CD loaded into RAM can run with improved power efficiency. Experienced users of the operating system may also use a live CD to determine whether and to what extent a particular operating system or version is compatible with a particular hardware configuration and certain peripherals, or as a way to know beforehand which computer or peripheral will work before buying. Users may also use a live CD to troubleshoot hardware, especially when a hard drive fails, and more generally as a recovery disc in case of problems. Some live CDs can save user-created files in a Windows partition, a USB drive, a network drive, or other accessible media.
A few additional uses include:
- installing a Linux distribution to a hard drive
- testing new versions of software
- listing & testing hardware
- system repair and restoration
- high security/non-invasive environment for a guest
- cracking/stealing passwords
- network security testing
- being the primary or backup operating system for any computer
- quick and simple clustering of computers
- computer forensics
- playing video games
- providing a secure server platform where crucial files cannot be permanently altered
- providing a secure, reliable platform for the performance of high-vulnerability tasks such as internet banking;
- Internet kiosks, which can be brought back to their original state by a reboot
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