If you didn't have the LiveCD, would your job be more difficult?

[Roasted]

I work in IT at a school district. As we speak I'm on an Ubuntu LiveCD copying the profile of a teacher on a non-bootable Windows XP hard drive. Even Super Grub didn't boot the thing. It just sits at a black screen. Unsure of what else to do I decided to copy the profile contents after I saw in the LiveCD I was able to see it.

Then I sat back and really thought for a moment about just how often I do this and how much I really utilize a simple Ubuntu LiveCD to the maximum.

Is anybody else in the same boat? How often do you use the LiveCD and what for? Home? Work? etc... Curious to hear what others have to say.

[forrestcupp]

My job wouldn't be more difficult, but my life with my personal computer would be.

I recently trashed my Windows computer when I used the GParted Live CD. I didn't back anything up because I've never had trouble with it, and I've never even heard of anyone having trouble. Thankfully, I was able to boot up to an Ubuntu Live CD and retrieve all of my files before I reinstalled my system.

Lesson to learn: even though GParted is awesome, it can still hose your system so always back up your data.

[gn2]

I rarely use Live CDs or USBs, probably less than once a fortnight.

[Firestem4]

LiveCD's can be incredibly useful. Ive been using them in various ways at my workplace. I'm an I.T. Tech.

One of the best ways ive used LiveCD's are to make modifications to a HDD while booting from the LiveCD (possibly an in-op hard drive, or in case of windows. Delete files that can't be deleted when the system is running).

Or, Avira has a free LiveCD that boots their anti-virus scanner (daily antivirus definitions) Its a great on-hand AntiVirus tool. (Not meant to replace a real Virus solution though, especially in a windows enviroment).

[michaeldt]

Well, whenever I've needed tools to recover from problems in the past, I used to use UltimateBootCD. So the LiveCD isn't really such a new thing. Although it's been a long time since I've needed to use one, thankfully :p

[MikeTheC]

While I personally don't make much use of LiveCDs, absolutely I am against their discontinuance. I believe them to be valuable and useful to many, many folks, and I also perceive that they have and/or could have benefit to myself.

Besides, why should Ubuntu (or any other Linux distro that has LiveCDs) regress? Heck, prior to Mac OS X, we Mac users by definition all had either LiveCDs or LiveFloppies. It is so basic a thing that not having it should be almost considered at the same level as, oh I dunno... not having ethernet support or something.

[Dragonbite]

I've used a LiveCD when our Windows machine BSOD during bootup (as I'm reading the message I hear the hard drive spin down). I was able to copy the entire "Documents and Settings" directory to the server.

I also used it when my Fedora installation had issues and wouldn't boot up. Funny thing was that the hard drive was both Encrypted, and it was LVM partitions.

Other than that I use DSL for my low-spec laptop.

[MysticGold04]

LiveCDs are great... I don't really use the Ubuntu live CD for troubleshooting purposes, more to see if Ubuntu will run on any given system.

For tools I use either the PartedMagic CD or SystemRescueCD. Both of these can be found on DistroWatch. These two CDs are great for non-bootable systems to test the memory, or copy files off of a non-bootable Windows box. I do have a Windows "Live-cd" that uses Bart-PE. I sometimes use that as well.

[Deamos]

I use the Live CD all the time to fix Windows systems. Always interesting to hear my customers ask me what I am running on their computer.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Live CD's are a lifesaver, on a old computer where windows went bust I was able to use Ubuntu to probe what was left of the filesystem and recover those files onto a external.

[Roasted]

While I personally don't make much use of LiveCDs, absolutely I am against their discontinuance. I believe them to be valuable and useful to many, many folks, and I also perceive that they have and/or could have benefit to myself.

Besides, why should Ubuntu (or any other Linux distro that has LiveCDs) regress? Heck, prior to Mac OS X, we Mac users by definition all had either LiveCDs or LiveFloppies. It is so basic a thing that not having it should be almost considered at the same level as, oh I dunno... not having ethernet support or something.

dfjadsjflkasdjflksdajflkjdsaAJDKFLAJSLDFAS!!

What? LiveCDs are being phased out?

[Firestem4]

dfjadsjflkasdjflksdajflkjdsaAJDKFLAJSLDFAS!!

What? LiveCDs are being phased out?

I don't know but I think the OP meant his statement along the lines of "Why would we ever get rid of them".