You can also view quarantined files and exclude files, folders, and extension types from scans. It's built-in to Windows 11 and Windows 10 (it's called Microsoft Defender Offline in those version), otherwise you can download it for older Windows versions or those newer ones if the computer won't start.Īn important feature I appreciate is that its definitions (the rules for finding threats) can be updated directly from the disc, which lots of bootable virus checkers can't do. Windows Defender Offline is a bootable virus scanner from Microsoft that sports a full user interface. Since the most serious of viruses cause damage to the parts of your computer that allow it to start, a bootable antivirus tool can often be a powerful weapon at your disposal for getting the virus removed and your computer back up and running.Īfter trying all the bootable virus scanning tools I could find, this list represents my favorites.ĭownloads as an EXE file instead of directly as an ISO

However, with one of these scanners, you create a special flash drive or disc from a working computer and then use it on the infected machine to scan the hard drive for viruses-all without needing to start Windows! It'd be hard to count how many times I've been relieved to have a couple bootable antivirus discs on hand. Why are these tools so important? If you've ever had such a terrible virus that your computer won't start at all, it's hard to know what to do next because, well, your system won't boot up! If you don't know what these are, they're simply virus scanners that start from a disc or flash drive instead of from your computer's hard drive. Below is a list of all the best free bootable antivirus programs I could get my hands on.

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