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Porteus vs Hiren's BootCD PE: catalog facts
Porteus	Hiren's BootCD PE
Free Free to download, with optional donations.	Free The compilation is distributed free of charge.
Linux	Windows
Image under 300 MB Runs portably from USB, CD or hard drive	One bootable image covers partitioning, imaging, recovery and hardware testing Network and storage drivers included, so most machines come up usable
Module system differs from mainstream package management Parts of the website describe older desktop versions	Building the ISO legally requires supplying Windows components yourself Updated infrequently, so tool versions lag
Operating system	Downloadable app, Operating system
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.