Skip to main content

Three Live CD Antivirus Scanners You Can Try When Windows Won’t Start


Can’t boot your computer, and think the problem is malware? Boot a live CD made specifically for scanning your computer without starting Windows. A live CD is a tool that boots completely from a CD or a flash drive, meaning you can use these tools whether Windows is working or not. A variety of live CDs exist that make it possible to scan your computer for viruses.
Recently I wrote the manual 50 Cool Uses For Live CDs. In this manual I pointed out a variety of different disks made specifically for scanning for viruses. Five such tools are highlighted in the manual; find out about three of them below. Be sure to download the manual to read about the rest!

BitDefender

Perhaps the best-known live virus scanner, the BitDefender live CD removes viruses when all else fails. This tool, which uses the same definitions that power BitDefender’s desktop scanner, runs on a version of Xubuntu.
free online antivirus scanners
Start the CD, update your virus definitions, run a scan. It’s simple to use, so get started.
There are a number of other applications included on this disk, so it’s worth exploring a little bit. The disk also has access to Ubuntu’s repositories, so you can also install any of the thousands of programs if necessary.Read more about BitDefender’s Live CD.

Kaspersky

Known for it’s excellent scanning on the desktop, Kaspersky also comes in live CD form. In some ways this tool is less straightforward than BitDefender; you’ll need to remember to update yourself instead of being prompted, for example. Still, this is a well done tool that can catch a lot of malware and clean it up.
online virus scanner
There’s not a lot on this disk besides the virus scanner, but what else do you need? Read more about the Kaspersky Rescue CD.

AVG

Like AVG, and trust its protection? You should check out the AVG live CD. Unlike the above tools, AVG’s live environment does not include a GUI. Instead, you’ll find a text-based interface:
free online antivirus scanners
Don’t be frightened, it’s easy to use. Just use the arrow keys to make your selection. Run a scan, then clean up any malware you find. You’ll want to run an update first, of course. It’s also worth checking out the “Utilities” section of this disk, as it contains a bunch of useful tools including a file browser (“Midnight Commander”) and a program for recovering deleted data.
You can read more about this CD, and find a download on AVG’s official Rescue CD page.

Conclusion

There you have it, three free online antivirus scanners you can run when Windows won’t boot. You can find more such tools, and a lot of information about live CDs, in our live CD guide, so be sure to check it out. Avira and Panda’s live environments are both linked too.
Oh, and a tip – you can combine all of these tools, and many more, onto a single flash drive using YUMI, a tool for booting multiple live CDs from one USB disk.
Do you have any other suggestions?  If so, please leave them in the comments below. I love discovering new tools.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Build Your Own Awesome Personal 3D Avatar with Avatara

Do you use social networks and want to build your own awesome 3D avatar? Maybe you want to send someone a cute cuddly image of yourself (kind of)? Or maybe you have your own ideas of what you would do with an Avatar… Well look no further than Avatara which I discovered from the MakeUseOf directory . You can create 3d avatars out of pre-set up templates or create your own from scratch. To start, visit Avatara’s homepage . You will see this screen: Click Get Started to umm, get started! That will take you to this screen: You see that you can build your own Avatar using an uploaded head shot like the Obama one above (just an example, guys). Or roll with one of their awesome avatars. I chose to start with a blank avatar by clicking Start with a blank avatar at the bottom of the screen. That takes you to here: I clicked on the filter at the top and told it to filter out everything but male characters and then I saw this: I rolled with Buck and continued. You need to click Select...
1 comment
Read more

MoviePass drops pricing to under $7 per month, if you opt for the annual plan

MoviePass, the subscription service that lets consumers pay a monthly fee to see unlimited movies in theaters across the U.S., is slashing its prices yet again. The company announced today it’s now offering its service for $6.95 per month, down from the current price of $9.95 per month, when customers commit to a one-year subscription plan. That works out to a flat fee of $89.95 annually. The deal is a limited-time promotion, as opposed to a permanent pricing change, but MoviePass didn’t say how long the offer is valid. However, it is open to both new and existing subscribers – the latter who would receive a 25 percent savings on their current subscription if switching over to the annual plan. This is not the first time that MoviePass has dropped its pricing. When the company introduced its $9.95 per month, one-movie-per-day plan this August, down from $15 for 2 movies per month (or more in select markets like L.A. and NYC, and going as high as $50), it saw so many new sign-up...
2 comments
Read more

ASUS VivoBook X202E Windows 8 Touchscreen Laptop Review And Giveaway

It wasn’t very long ago when prices of touchscreen Windows 8 laptops soared beyond $1000. Thankfully, those days are behind us, and portable computers can easily be purchased – touchscreen and all – for under $500. That’s precisely the demographic in which the ASUS VivoBook X202E falls. When compared to a high-end laptop, its specifications might seem modest, but for laptop buyers just looking for a way to browse the web, watch videos, use basic apps, and not spend too much money, something in this budget is perfectly suitable. The question is, of course, how does the ASUS VivoBook X202E compare to others on the market, and is it the one which you should be spending your hard-earned money on? Well, you’re just going to have to keep reading to find out. Best of all, we are giving away an ASUS VivoBook X202E to one lucky winner. Keep reading for your chance to take home this Windows 8 touchscreen laptop! Introducing the ASUS VivoBook X202E Laptop The ASUS VivoBook X202...
Read more