The distribution of the System Rescue CD Project version 1.2.0 is described as a “major release” in advertising. It brings a new kernel version, a new desktop environment, as well as updates for important packages. As the name suggests, the System Rescue CD will be used primarily in system recovery. Those who use the software will find versions for 32-bit computers, Power PC, and Sparc in the download section of the project website.

The rescue distribution is currently set up on the Xfce desktop, but due to space limitations, not all of the components of the desktop are integrated. In the background, the Xorg server runs version 1.5.3, which includes improved hardware support and a new driver. The old kernel 2.6.29 also includes more drivers, which newly supports the still experimental file system Btrfs. As partitioning software, Distribution Gparted version 0.4.5 is on board, with improved support for Dmraid and Crypt-Luks.

Furthermore, all Linux file systems can be cloned using the included FSArchiver software. Ext 4 and Btrfs are also provided. Even NTFS partitions copy the tool. During restoration, the software also uses file systems that are smaller than the original system. Among other features include: multithreading support, compression via LZMA, and the generation of checksums to ensure the integrity of the data. Last but not least, FSArchiver encrypts archives as well. The developers advise, however, not to use the software for critical data, because it is not considered to be stable yet.