[colug-432] Live CDs and DVDs

[jep200404 at columbus.rr.com]

On Fri, 10 Jan 2014 17:20:32 -0500, Don <donohio53 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Sound advice.  Have never worked with virtual machine, so might have to
> look into that.  I see on the Linux shows that they test out new systems in
> virtual.  My efforts tend to be to use a burned LIVE distro to try out, but
> know that is not as great experience, but gives some idea if my system will
> handle the new software.

Live CDs and DVDs have multiple handy uses. 

    Use Linux on a computer that has some other operating system 
    installed, without disturbing that other operating system. 

        phone home

        recover or blow away lost passwords

        scan for malware

        forensics

        back up and/or restore hard drives

            dd, netcat, rsync, and ssh are nifty

    test drivers of new distro

    test hardware (e.g. memtest86+ or smartctl)

Live CDs and DVDs can do things that virtual machines often can not,
like talk to the actual hardware.