If you've been locked out of your own PC due to a forgotten password or Windows refuses to boot, MediCat USB can become your lifeline. This bootable suite brings togetherand diagnostic, repair and recovery utilities to get your computer running again without having to install anything on the disk.
In the following lines, you'll find a comprehensive guide that explains what MediCat is, how to set it up, how to boot from a USB drive, and what options it offers for dealing with passwords and other common issues.
What is MediCat USB?
MediCat USB is a portable rescue environment It runs from a USB flash drive thanks to Ventoy and a Linux base, loading entirely into the computer's RAM. It doesn't alter the system or partitions and allows you to work even when the installed Windows is damaged and won't boot.
MediCat's philosophy is to offer it all in one: Antivirus utilities, backups, recovery, boot repair, partitioning, memory testing, hardware diagnostics, and local password reset tools. It's a modern alternative to suites like Hiren's Boot, Ultimate Boot CD, SystemRescueCD, Rescatux, or Trinity Rescue Kit.
Since it is a bootable USB, You can take it anywhere and use it on x86 computers with USB ports. Running in an isolated environment provides security by preventing changes to your main installation, and being free and open makes it transparent for responsible technical use.
What utilities does it include and what are they for?
The MediCat graphical menu organizes its tools by category, making it quicker to find the right solution for your PC problem.
Antivirus
Integrates a bootable variant of Malwarebytes to scan the system for malware and remove infections that could block boot. Keep in mind that, since it's built into an image, its signatures aren't always up-to-date and may not detect very recent threats.
Backup and Recovery
It brings together a very wide range of backup and recovery optionsAOMEI Backupper, Acronis (Cyber ​​Backup and True Image), EaseUS (Data Recovery Wizard and Todo Backup), Elcomsoft System Recovery, Macrium Reflect, MiniTool (Power Data Recovery and ShadowMaker), Rescuezilla, and Symantec Ghost, among others. Perfect for saving your data before formatting or restoring previous systems.
Boot Repair
Includes specialized startup utilities such as Boot Repair Disk, BootIt Bare Metal, EasyUEFI, Rescatux, and Super GRUB2 Disk. They'll help you repair the Windows loader or GRUB when your computer gets stuck before starting.
Boot an OS
Allows you to launch operating systems in Live mode or launch installers available on your flash drive thanks to Ventoy. These include a portable Windows 10, discs like Active@BootDisk and SystemRescue CD, and a distro like PlopLinux for data recovery and backup tasks.
Diagnostic tools
Offers hardware testing and diagnostics with suites such as HDAT2, SpinRite, Ultimate Boot CD and the classic MemTest86 and MemTest86+ to detect faults in RAM memory modules.
Partition Tools
It is used to create, resize and repair partitions. with managers from AOMEI, MiniTool, or EASEUS. It also includes DBAN, which securely erases a disk and prevents its recovery, useful when recycling or handing in equipment.
Password Removal
Provides utilities to reset local credentials when you've forgotten your password. Its use should be limited to your own devices or those with express authorization so as not to violate the law or privacy.
Windows Recovery
Brings together recovery environments from Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11, ideal for repairing system files, rolling back problematic updates, or restoring recovery points.
Portable Windows within MediCat
One of the great attractions is the Windows 10 portable that you can load into RAM. It comes with a desktop with portable utilities accessible from shortcuts and the Start menu (customized in the classic style), easily recognizing connected drives.
This Windows laptop is perfect to diagnose, copy data to another drive, launch tools, and fix corrupted installations without touching the disk systemIt's not intended for everyday use, but it's extremely convenient for quick technical intervention.
Requirements, compatibility and limitations
MediCat is targeted at modern 64-bit computers with UEFI firmware. Some individual utilities may work in BIOS mode, but 32-bit systems are not supported.
You will need a USB flash drive of at least 32 GB., and the faster the better. Running from RAM, low-memory computers may experience slowdowns or freezes under heavy load.
Malwarebytes' antivirus module It is useful for basic screening, but because it is not constantly updated within the image, it may not detect very recent threats or novel ransomware variants.
On disks with physical damage or corrupted partitionsSome backup, recovery, or partitioning utilities may fail. In these cases, there's sometimes no choice but to format after salvaging what you can.
How to download and prepare your MediCat USB
You can download the latest version From the project's official website, where several options are usually offered. The fastest option is usually the torrent provided by the developers. The package is large (over 25 GB) and is sometimes distributed as an .IMG image. If you choose this format, you'll need software like imageUSB to burn it to the flash drive. Note: virtual machines like VMware or VirtualBox don't always accept .IMG files directly.
Another common way is prepare the USB with Ventoy and copy the unzipped MediCat contents to the root of the drive. This approach makes it easy to keep multiple ISOs or environments on the same multi-boot flash drive.
Ventoy method (general)
Download Ventoy2Disk From its official website, launch it and select your USB drive. In Options, set the MBR partition style if indicated in the project guide and proceed to install Ventoy on the flash drive (its contents will be erased).
Once Ventoy is installedFormat the data partition to NTFS on your system (using standard formatting on Windows; using GParted or another tool on Linux). Copy the unzipped contents of the main file (e.g., "Medicat.7z") to the root of the USB drive. If the package is split (such as ".001"), extract that portion as well.
Finally, open Ventoy2Disk again and press Update if the project recommends it. The USB will then be ready to use on any compatible device.
Method with .IMG image
If you have downloaded MediCat in .IMGUse imageUSB to "burn" the image to the flash drive. Choose the correct drive, select the .IMG file, and let the process complete. This method clones the exact structure the author packaged.
How to boot your PC from USB
- Insert the pendrive and turn on the deviceOn many models, you can invoke the boot menu with F8, F10, F11, F12, Esc, or another key; on others, you'll need to enter the BIOS/UEFI and prioritize USB in the Boot Order.
- Selecting the USB will bring up the MediCat menu.From there, browse by category and launch the tool you need: antivirus, partition recovery, boot repair, portable Windows, etc.
When to use MediCat for passwords
Turn to MediCat when you can't get in anyway: Your PC won't boot, you've lost all your credentials, or your Windows installation is corrupted. Offline tools can reset local passwords and allow access to your profile to save data or repair it.
First, consider whether your computer is on a domain. or managed by corporate policies, or if your primary account is a Microsoft account. In these cases, you may want to recover from the official account website or ask your IT administrator for help.
MediCat USB offers a very complete toolbox for the rescue, repair, and maintenance of modern PCs, with a portable Windows packed with utilities, modules for backups, recovery, antivirus, and boot repair. Its limitations include 64-bit/UEFI compatibility, malware signatures that aren't always up to date, and performance on computers with little RAM, but if properly prepared and used wisely (and with permissions), it will get you out of more than one tight spot, including situations where you need to restore access to your own local Windows account.