The AVG Rescue CD is a bootable CD that launches a Linux based interface to scan your Windows or Linux operating system for viruses and other malware. This is ideal for when the effects of the virus is preventing the operating system from booting. This CD used to cost $149 USD per user but AVG have now released it for free.
The rescue CD isn’t just a virus scanner, it also has some other tools such as a file manager, a registry editor, Testdisk (Hard drive recovery tool), Ping and some common Linux programs such as VI, NTFSProgs etc..
This CD has the ability to update from the internet and detected both my test computer and virtual machines network card/internet connection without a problem. If CD’s aren’t your thing, you can also install this to a USB Thumb drive.
Screenshots:
Downloads:
Download from Official Site (Download Link and More Information) – 69.3mb
Comments (28)
This reminds me of Avira’s Boot CD as well as the grayware (potentially illegitimate) Kaspersky rescue cd, and within Microsoft’s Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset there’s a version of Forefront AV scanner as well.
ClamAV from a linux boot is similar.
Good find.
Yet another tool to add to the arsenal, thanks Bryce
Personally, I find AVG to rarely detect anything all that useful. AVG and AVG Free were my antivirus programs of choice until I discovered Avira. They too have a rescue CD that is free to download, though it doesn’t work very well on wide screens for some reason (can’t see everything). I recommend Avira over AVG any day as any infected system running AVG tends to be cured by Avira. It just seems to find and prevent infections much better than any other program I’ve tried.
I started downloading the AVG rescue cd, then I read your comments. I tried AVG before, and as you said got infected while I was using AVG….so I stopped the download, went to the AVIRA website and downloaded that instead. Thanks.
kaspersky live cd 2010….it´s fre
link
http://devbuilds.kaspersky-labs.com/devbuilds/RescueDisk10/
I left AVG behind at Version 8, too much bloat, unwanted toolbars that many times failed to uninstall and often slowed the computer.
That said, I just finished using the AVG rescue CD on a system with a paralyzing infection of the Personal Security malware suite. It found nothing.
I removed the drive and scanned it with MSoft’s new MSSE and it found nothing, either. MBAM found nothing scanning as an external drive.
Yet, when it boots, it runs the malware. So, sometimes maybe there’s no substitute for rkill and scanning within the OS (with MBAM.)
I have never been a fan of AVG. Misses too many viruses to be worth while.
These days AVG falls into the the ranks with Mcafee and Norton…bloated, overrated, junk.
Avira is the way to go…
I must agree with the comments about AVG it has never preformed well in my opinion , whereas Antivir appears to be exceptional in its detection rates. I will test this AVG disk and thanks to the Forum for the great discussion , Very useful
I agree with all the others that AVG just misses too much. I have had great experience with Avast and Avira (both free).
Can you change what programs are on the cd i.e. get the source code?
Nice … Apart from the fact that it is AVG and if you value your pc you should keep away from AVG. Plenty of free better choices out there.
Yeah… gotta agree with the other posters–AVG has fallen way behind. I’m pretty happy with UBCD4Win as my live boot cd of choice.
Well I have been using PC Tools Internet security as a protection tool and used Hiren’s Boot CD for evrything else.. Used to like Mcafee but got rid of it soon enough… :)
Anyone else using or have used PC Tools???
PC Tools, I simply hate it.
nice tool, but in my opinion kaspersky rescue cd is better.
RE: Yeah Right
“I must agree with the comments about AVG it has never preformed well in my opinion , whereas Antivir appears to be exceptional in its detection rates.”
Antivir is a rogue anti-spyware program. You can read here about it and how to remove it http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-antivir
Warning, I tried the usb version and all it did was fry my thumb drive making it unreadable and unrepairable.
Thanks! I will add this tool to my toolbox and report back if I find it to be useful.
So which one of KAV,Avira and AvG Rescue Disks got the faster scanner??
For clarification Matt any rogue anti-spyware may decide to call itself the name of an actual anti-virus.
As you can see, the following AV is legitimate:
http://download.cnet.com/Avira-AntiVir-Personal-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10322935.html?tag=mncol
Bryce, nice find. I’ll check out the link and burn the CD and try it out at home before I take it out on the road to any clients.
“So, sometimes maybe there’s no substitute for rkill and scanning within the OS (with MBAM.)”
pdok…you hit that bad boy on the head with a sledgehammer. Malwarebytes is the most effective tool I think I’ve used in years (AdAware was the pioneer and the king in it’s day).
Burned a recovery CD before finding these posts and used on friend’s computer that was infected with viruses. It worked great and he’s happy to have a working system again. I will check out Avira, though.
can we start on a poll on this topic, to see who is using what in the form of anti-virus?
very handy CD for virus removal – thanks :)
Well, I probably spend too much time on this sort of thing…
I remove the infected drive, attach it to my workbench computer (via Sata or Pata) and run AVG, then Superantispyware, then Malwarebytes.
From there the drive goes back into the original computer and I run Hijackthis. All the time praying that one of the infected files that has been removed doesn’t stop the O/S from booting up. I just hate to have to do a ‘second’ repair and install all of those MS updates.
I am wondering if removing the infected drive and plugging it into another machine for clean and wipe is a good way for virus/spyware removal?