When Windows won’t boot and antivirus software can’t help, this is where Dr.Web Live Disk becomes useful. Nowadays, most antivirus applications are developed to operate inside the Windows environment. This approach works well in general, but it depends quite on Windows; the process may come to a halt when malware prevents Windows from starting. In such cases, users will only see error messages at the boot stage, get their system in an endless restart loop, or be confronted with a ransomware lock screen. In none of these situations will they have the possibility to scan their system. Therefore, traditional cleaning tools become unhelpful as the very system on which they depend is compromised.
The main concern addressed by Dr.Web Live Disk is the situation when your Windows operating system is infected with a virus or malware that prevents you from logging in. The main difference is that Dr.Web Live Disk does not depend on Windows but runs, as it were, in a separate world: from a USB stick or CD. Thus, if you have a Windows PC that is totally inaccessible, you can boot Dr.Web Live Disk and then scan and clean the PC from malware. You can do this without even having to boot Windows. For a home user or a student who is unfamiliar with the advanced recovery methods of Windows, this can be the difference between losing data and reinstalling the whole system, and simply getting back to the previous working state.
Practical use of the tool
Using the tool to recover an infected Windows system comprises a few simple steps. Among these is downloading the Dr.Web Live Disk ISO file and loading it on bootable media. After you boot the system, the environment you are greeted with is a relatively lightweight Linux distribution, which sports a graphical interface. The desktop appearance does not suggest numerous features, but it is a nice functional baseline offering the convenience of file browsing and system utilities, with the antivirus scanner featured prominently.
The main benefit was the actual state of computer isolation from a virus. As the infected Windows is still not running to its full extent, the virus gets even fewer opportunities to fight off the antivirus program. Malware such as rootkits or other deeply hidden threats will hardly be able to resist when they are not already running as a part of the operating system. The interface for scanning is simple but quite sufficient. If you compare it with the newest desktops or laptops, of course it is not fast enough in the least way. For a normal mid-range laptop running Windows, a full scan may last a while, but if you think about it, it is thorough rather than fast.
Strengths, Advantages, and Limitations
Dr.Web Live Disk offers outstanding help in cleaning the system from malware or viruses when the computer is severely infected. Besides that, it is capable of fixing corrupted partitions, cleaning up parts of the ransomware, and ultimately making the system okay without doing a full reinstall of Windows. The program is quite user-friendly to beginners, and it still provides advanced scanning options to experts.
Of course, using the software constantly for day-to-day protection is never a good idea. First and foremost, the tool provides a solution for recovery, which means that it cannot be your real-time anti-virus substitute. To keep the program up to date, you will need to connect to the Internet at least during the session when you are working in live mode. Whilst the program is very functional, its user interface can be confusing for Windows users because it looks so different from Windows Security. If you expect slick graphics or automation in one click, then you will be a little bit disappointed. In fact, during emergency recovery, having things clear and being able to control them manually is more important than looks.
How Dr.Web Live Disk supplements your existing Windows recovery tools
Dr.Web Live Disk is the right choice for the type of user who likes having a backup plan ready in case the unexpected happens. Think of a student, a home user who manages a family PC, or a small office without a dedicated IT staff. All visitors of the rescue disk can be guests of the rescue disk.
It’s a last resort rescue environment rather than a day-to-day application utility. It has the potential to make the recovery process faster. It can help to save your personal files and thus prevent a complete system reset. In the case of a Windows user who, however, cannot imagine the computer world without malware, carrying around the Dr.Web Live Disk USB stick can be a different way to be calm and safe. Of course, it is not a substitute for regular antivirus software. Yet when nothing else can help and even Windows cannot save a user from an attack, the Dr.Web Live Disk is the only trustworthy and dedicated tool to perform recovery.