A recovery CD is an essential tool for restoring your computer to its factory settings if anything goes wrong. However, there are many other terms that could be used to describe this type of disc. For example, a system recovery CD, installation media, a factory reset disc, or a boot disk could all be used interchangeably. Some brands might use their own terminology, such as a Dell Operating System CD, or a HP System Recovery CD. Regardless of the name, the purpose of a recovery CD is to provide a way to restore your computer to its default condition in case of a major issue or virus infection.