http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-reasons-windows-user-ubuntu-live-cd/

4 Reasons Every Windows User Should Have An Ubuntu Live CD
by Justin Pot on Jul. 21st, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Think Ubuntu is useless? Think again. Ubuntu can be an extremely effective tool for repairing and working on computers, even if you consider yourself a Windows purist. This is because Ubuntu is capable of loading completely from a Ubuntu Live CD, giving you access to your computer in ways Windows can’t – or when Windows is completely broken.

For this reason, I suggest every Windows user keeps a copy of Ubuntu on hand, even if they never intend to switch from Windows. Happily, Ubuntu is completely free to aquire. You can download Ubuntu and burn it yourself, but if that sounds like too much work you can request Ubuntu send you a Ubuntu Live CD for free.

*** end quote ***

I’ve used the “live” cd method several times.

In especially bad infestations of malware, I’ve installed Ubuntu then immediately reinstalled windoze. Everyone swore up and down it couldn’t happen but I’ve seen a complete windoze reformat, reinstall, and immediate reinfection. Without a connection to any network. The first thing we did with this “pariah machine” was to isolate it from everything. It had the equivalent a hospital cure-resistant infection. My assumption is that that something bad was written in the Master Boot Record. The disk image was a total loss. The Ubuntu distribution we used, not a “live cd”, actually wrote a new MBR. That eliminated the problem. If I’d been smart, I’d have swapped the drive out and gotten someone to dump the MBR for further study. Maybe I’d have become famous, made a fortune, and gotten thin. Yeah, I know wistful thinking.

Bottom line, you should have the live dc around as insurance.

# # # # #