liveCD

A LiveCD is a complete computer operating system which boots from a CD, without removing any operating system which might already be installed on the computer. Many versions of Linux are available in LiveCD format; some are written specifically (sometimes only) for LiveCD, often with the intention of addressing a specific purpose such as system repair or multimedia production.

Proprietary operating systems such as Windows and MacOS are generally not available on LiveCD.

Articles

 * rescuing files with a liveCD

Links

 * 10 Best Security Live CD Distros (Pen-Test, Forensics & Recovery) (slashdot)
 * 2005-03-15 Secure Internet Banking with a Live CD