iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
An Avast Rescue Disk lets you scan a Windows PC from outside its installed operating system, which can help when ordinary antivirus scans—including Avast’s Boot-Time Scan—have not resolved a suspected infection. Create the USB or DVD on a separate, malware-free Windows computer with Avast Antivirus installed, then boot the affected PC from that media and review the scan findings before choosing any file action.
What you need before you start
Avast’s support guide, updated November 12, 2024, specifies the following requirements. Rescue Disk does not support devices with ARM processors. See Avast’s Rescue Disk instructions for the current steps and labels.
- A separate Windows PC that is free of malware and has Avast Antivirus installed. Use it to prepare the rescue media, not the potentially infected PC.
- Either an empty USB drive with at least 2 GB capacity, or a blank recordable DVD, a DVD writer, and software that can burn ISO files.
- Access to the target PC’s firmware information or manufacturer instructions, so you can select the right boot-file option and open its boot menu.
The USB and DVD are alternative media formats; UEFI and BIOS are separate boot-compatibility choices. A DVD works only if the target hardware can read it.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Choose USB or DVD
| Option | What you need | How Avast prepares it |
|---|---|---|
| USB | An empty drive with at least 2 GB capacity | Create the rescue media directly in Avast Antivirus. |
| DVD | A blank recordable DVD, DVD writer, and ISO-burning software | Save an ISO file from Avast, then burn it to the disc. |
Use USB if you want Avast to create the media directly and the target PC can boot from USB. Choose DVD only if you have the required writer and software and the target computer supports booting from an optical disc.
#1 Best Overall
- Dual USB-A & USB-C Bootable Drive – compatible with nearly all Windows PCs, laptops, and tablets (UEFI & Legacy BIOS). Works with Surface devices and all major brands.
- Fully Customizable USB – easily Add, Replace, or Upgrade any compatible bootable ISO app, installer, or utility (clear step-by-step instructions included).
- Complete Windows Repair Toolkit – includes tools to remove viruses, reset passwords, recover lost files, and fix boot errors like BOOTMGR or NTLDR missing.
- Reinstall or Upgrade Windows – perform a clean reinstall of Windows 7 (32bit and 64bit), 10, or 11 (amd64 + arm64) to restore performance and stability. (Windows license not included.). Includes Full Driver Pack – ensures hardware compatibility after installation. Automatically detects and installs drivers for most PCs.
- Premium Hardware & Reliable Support – built with high-quality flash chips for speed and longevity. TECH STORE ON provides responsive customer support within 24 hours.
Create the Rescue Disk
- On the clean Windows PC, open Avast Antivirus and go to Protection → Virus Scans → Rescue Disk.
- Set the firmware option for the target computer. Select Use UEFI boot file for modern PCs for a UEFI system. Clear it for an older BIOS system. If you cannot determine which firmware the target uses, Avast advises creating both versions and trying each. Check the PC maker’s documentation rather than relying on its age alone; Avast’s guide notes that consumer PCs with UEFI first appeared after 2005.
- For USB, insert the empty drive, choose Create on USB, and select the correct drive. Confirm it is the intended device before proceeding.
- For DVD, choose Create ISO file and select where to save it. Use ISO-capable burning software to write that file to a blank recordable DVD. On Windows 11, the Burn disc image option may be under Show more options in the context menu.
Boot the affected PC from the media
- Insert the USB drive or DVD into the target PC.
- Power on the computer and open its one-time boot menu using the manufacturer’s key. Avast lists Esc, F12, and F11 as common keys, and also names F10, F9, F8, and F5. The correct key depends on the manufacturer and model.
- In the menu, select the USB or DVD rescue medium. Device names and menu wording vary by PC.
- If the boot menu will not open or the rescue medium does not appear, consult the manufacturer’s documentation or support for the correct key and supported boot options.
Run the scan
- In the Rescue Disk menu, open AvastPE Antivirus.
- If the environment has internet access, select Update VPS before scanning to update the virus definitions.
- Choose to scan all hard disks or select particular disks or folders. You can also choose whether to include archives such as RAR and ZIP files.
- When the scan finishes, review its report and findings before deciding what to do with detected files.
Avast describes Rescue Disk as scanning while the system is not running. That gives malware less opportunity to interfere with the scan than when Windows is active, but the documentation does not publish a numerical detection rate or guarantee that every infection will be found or removed.
Choose what to do with infected files
Avast offers automatic and manual fixing. Read the consequences before confirming an action, especially if a detected file may contain data you need.
Fix automatically
Avast attempts to remove malicious code while preserving the rest of an infected file. If it cannot repair a file, Avast says it will delete that file automatically.
Rank #2
- High-speed USB 3.0 performance of up to 150MB/s(1) [(1) Write to drive up to 15x faster than standard USB 2.0 drives (4MB/s); varies by drive capacity. Up to 150MB/s read speed. USB 3.0 port required. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device, usage conditions, and other factors; 1MB=1,000,000 bytes]
- Transfer a full-length movie in less than 30 seconds(2) [(2) Based on 1.2GB MPEG-4 video transfer with USB 3.0 host device. Results may vary based on host device, file attributes and other factors]
- Transfer to drive up to 15 times faster than standard USB 2.0 drives(1)
- Sleek, durable metal casing
- Easy-to-use password protection for your private files(3) [(3)Password protection uses 128-bit AES encryption and is supported by Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Mac OS X v10.9 plus; Software download required for Mac, visit the SanDisk SecureAccess support page]
Fix manually
The manual options include Fix automatically, Repair selected, and Delete selected. Avast describes deletion as permanent. Choose repair when you want to attempt to retain a file; choose deletion only when you accept that the selected file will be permanently removed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If Rescue Disk does not solve the problem
Avast presents Rescue Disk as a later troubleshooting option when other scans have not resolved a suspected infection. Its Rescue Disk guide identifies Boot-Time Scan as one scan to try first; Avast describes it as an in-product scan that can run before the operating system and services start. If Rescue Disk cannot boot, verify the media, firmware selection, and manufacturer-specific boot-menu instructions. If a scan completes but the symptoms remain, the available documentation does not establish that the infection has been fully removed, so do not treat the scan result alone as proof the PC is clean.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
