The Best Antivirus Rescue Disks

Bootable rescue disks are useful when malware is preventing you from running normal antivirus software. These tools allow you to check your computer for malware without Windows and frequently find malware that antivirus software might ignore. Certain tools can scan for the Master Boot Record of the hard drive. This is a function that is especially useful in removing the most persistent or difficult to remove threats.

These bootable tools have an interface built on text. They do however, have customization options, so you can select to only scan certain kinds of files or folders, or even certain sizes of files. The best of these tools will have an interface for users with graphics and support for more advanced threats such as rootkits or ransomware.

AVG Rescue CD, with its basic but thorough GUI, and many scanning options, is an excellent example. It’s also among the few programs that can do the full MBR scanning, which is normally impossible using a non-bootable program. It’s not the fastest software on this list, and its text-only user interface isn’t for everyone.

Kaspersky Rescue Disk is another top option that’s fast, has well-designed UI and supports more advanced infections. It’s got features you won’t find in other bootable diligent boards for efficient management anti-virus tools, like the capability to scan the boot sector and hidden startup objects as well fileless and the entire drive. You can set exclusions to cut down the time required to scan. It detected all malware we sent, including those that were not detected by other antivirus software.