Kaspersky Rescue Disk v18

Kaspersky Rescue Disk is a software suite with tools like a free bootable antivirus program, a web browser, and a Windows Registry editor. The virus scanner lets you scan any file or folder on the computer without requiring you to scan the entire hard drive, which is a very useful feature.

This is one of my favorite programs to use when I want to run a virus scan before the operating system starts up. The graphical user interface makes it just as easy to use as a desktop program, and the other included tools are useful in their own right.

Pros & Cons of Kaspersky Rescue Disk

I've been using this software for years, and I still have only one real complaint.

Installing Kaspersky Rescue Disk

To install Kaspersky Rescue Disk, first download the ISO image file from the download page. Then, you can choose to create a bootable disc or a bootable USB device. Either one will work, but the latter is a bit more complex.

To put Kaspersky Rescue Disk on a disc, see How to Burn an ISO Image File to a DVD. If you're wanting to use a USB device instead, see our ISO to USB guide here, as well as Kaspersky's explanation of the specific settings you need to use.

Once the files have been copied over, you'll need to boot from the device instead of the operating system. This is really easy to do, so don't worry about it if this is your first time (you just need to make a quick change in how your computer starts). For help, see How to Boot From a CD/DVD/BD Disc or How to Boot From a USB Device.

How to Use Kaspersky Rescue Disk

Here's what to do to start using this tool:

1. Press Enter to open the English version.

2. Press Enter to accept the default option, Kaspersky Rescue Disk. Graphic mode.

3. After several screens of code run through, the virus scanner will open automatically. Confirm that you agree with the license agreement and privacy policy by putting a check in those boxes, and then press Accept.

4. Choose Start scan to begin checking for threats.

   Select Change parameters to adjust the scope of the scanner so only certain folders are scanned, just the boot sectors are checked for viruses, etc.

My Thoughts on Kaspersky Rescue Disk

One thing I love is that you can scan only part of the hard drive instead of the whole thing. This is very useful if you already know what you want to scan, so you don't have to waste time checking the whole drive for malicious files.

There's a regular desktop within Kaspersky Rescue Disk that lets you edit the registry, browse the internet, and even explore the operating system like you would if you were logged into a user account. This is extremely helpful if the malware is preventing you from booting to the system. You could even use this tool to copy important files off the drive if the virus infection is too severe to fix.

The only thing I can find that I don't like about Kaspersky Rescue Disk is that it may take some time to download because the ISO image is rather large. But if you're like me, you'll make just one CD that you'll be able to use over and over again on any computer, so taking a few extra minutes to download it is totally worth it.