diff --git a/audit/internal/app/app.go b/audit/internal/app/app.go
index 99656c0..f8b7578 100644
--- a/audit/internal/app/app.go
+++ b/audit/internal/app/app.go
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ type installer interface {
 	ListInstallDisks() ([]platform.InstallDisk, error)
 	InstallToDisk(ctx context.Context, device string, logFile string) error
 	IsLiveMediaInRAM() bool
+	LiveBootSource() platform.LiveBootSource
 	RunInstallToRAM(ctx context.Context, logFunc func(string)) error
 }
 
@@ -100,6 +101,10 @@ func (a *App) IsLiveMediaInRAM() bool {
 	return a.installer.IsLiveMediaInRAM()
 }
 
+func (a *App) LiveBootSource() platform.LiveBootSource {
+	return a.installer.LiveBootSource()
+}
+
 func (a *App) RunInstallToRAM(ctx context.Context, logFunc func(string)) error {
 	return a.installer.RunInstallToRAM(ctx, logFunc)
 }
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/install.go b/audit/internal/platform/install.go
index 598c914..9b77a35 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/install.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/install.go
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ import (
 
 // InstallDisk describes a candidate disk for installation.
 type InstallDisk struct {
-	Device      string   // e.g. /dev/sda
-	Model       string
-	Size        string   // human-readable, e.g. "500G"
-	SizeBytes   int64    // raw byte count from lsblk
+	Device       string // e.g. /dev/sda
+	Model        string
+	Size         string   // human-readable, e.g. "500G"
+	SizeBytes    int64    // raw byte count from lsblk
 	MountedParts []string // partition mount points currently active
 }
 
@@ -117,6 +117,61 @@ func findLiveBootDevice() string {
 	return "/dev/" + strings.TrimSpace(string(out2))
 }
 
+func mountSource(target string) string {
+	out, err := exec.Command("findmnt", "-n", "-o", "SOURCE", target).Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+}
+
+func mountFSType(target string) string {
+	out, err := exec.Command("findmnt", "-n", "-o", "FSTYPE", target).Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+}
+
+func blockDeviceType(device string) string {
+	if strings.TrimSpace(device) == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	out, err := exec.Command("lsblk", "-dn", "-o", "TYPE", device).Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+}
+
+func blockDeviceTransport(device string) string {
+	if strings.TrimSpace(device) == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	out, err := exec.Command("lsblk", "-dn", "-o", "TRAN", device).Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+}
+
+func inferLiveBootKind(fsType, source, deviceType, transport string) string {
+	switch {
+	case strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(fsType), "tmpfs"):
+		return "ram"
+	case strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(deviceType), "rom"):
+		return "cdrom"
+	case strings.EqualFold(strings.TrimSpace(transport), "usb"):
+		return "usb"
+	case strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(source), "/dev/sr"):
+		return "cdrom"
+	case strings.HasPrefix(strings.TrimSpace(source), "/dev/"):
+		return "disk"
+	default:
+		return "unknown"
+	}
+}
+
 // MinInstallBytes returns the minimum recommended disk size for installation:
 // squashfs size × 1.5 to allow for extracted filesystem and bootloader.
 // Returns 0 if the squashfs is not available (non-live environment).
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram.go b/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram.go
index 5404f77..7b41846 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram.go
@@ -12,11 +12,40 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (s *System) IsLiveMediaInRAM() bool {
-	out, err := exec.Command("findmnt", "-n", "-o", "FSTYPE", "/run/live/medium").Output()
-	if err != nil {
+	fsType := mountFSType("/run/live/medium")
+	if fsType == "" {
 		return toramActive()
 	}
-	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out)) == "tmpfs"
+	return strings.EqualFold(fsType, "tmpfs")
+}
+
+func (s *System) LiveBootSource() LiveBootSource {
+	fsType := mountFSType("/run/live/medium")
+	source := mountSource("/run/live/medium")
+	device := findLiveBootDevice()
+	status := LiveBootSource{
+		InRAM:  strings.EqualFold(fsType, "tmpfs"),
+		Source: source,
+		Device: device,
+	}
+	if fsType == "" && source == "" && device == "" {
+		if toramActive() {
+			status.InRAM = true
+			status.Kind = "ram"
+			status.Source = "tmpfs"
+			return status
+		}
+		status.Kind = "unknown"
+		return status
+	}
+	status.Kind = inferLiveBootKind(fsType, source, blockDeviceType(device), blockDeviceTransport(device))
+	if status.Kind == "" {
+		status.Kind = "unknown"
+	}
+	if status.InRAM && strings.TrimSpace(status.Source) == "" {
+		status.Source = "tmpfs"
+	}
+	return status
 }
 
 func (s *System) RunInstallToRAM(ctx context.Context, logFunc func(string)) error {
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram_test.go b/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..18be1a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/install_to_ram_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package platform
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestInferLiveBootKind(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name       string
+		fsType     string
+		source     string
+		deviceType string
+		transport  string
+		want       string
+	}{
+		{name: "ram tmpfs", fsType: "tmpfs", source: "/dev/shm/bee-live", want: "ram"},
+		{name: "usb disk", source: "/dev/sdb1", deviceType: "disk", transport: "usb", want: "usb"},
+		{name: "cdrom rom", source: "/dev/sr0", deviceType: "rom", want: "cdrom"},
+		{name: "disk sata", source: "/dev/nvme0n1p1", deviceType: "disk", transport: "nvme", want: "disk"},
+		{name: "unknown", source: "overlay", want: "unknown"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := inferLiveBootKind(tc.fsType, tc.source, tc.deviceType, tc.transport)
+			if got != tc.want {
+				t.Fatalf("inferLiveBootKind(%q,%q,%q,%q)=%q want %q", tc.fsType, tc.source, tc.deviceType, tc.transport, got, tc.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/audit/internal/platform/types.go b/audit/internal/platform/types.go
index 58ec647..aec7b30 100644
--- a/audit/internal/platform/types.go
+++ b/audit/internal/platform/types.go
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@ package platform
 
 type System struct{}
 
+type LiveBootSource struct {
+	InRAM  bool   `json:"in_ram"`
+	Kind   string `json:"kind"`
+	Source string `json:"source,omitempty"`
+	Device string `json:"device,omitempty"`
+}
+
 type InterfaceInfo struct {
 	Name  string
 	State string
diff --git a/audit/internal/webui/api.go b/audit/internal/webui/api.go
index 24d0823..f2f8bb1 100644
--- a/audit/internal/webui/api.go
+++ b/audit/internal/webui/api.go
@@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ func (h *handler) handleAPIRAMStatus(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		writeError(w, http.StatusServiceUnavailable, "app not configured")
 		return
 	}
-	inRAM := h.opts.App.IsLiveMediaInRAM()
+	status := h.opts.App.LiveBootSource()
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]bool{"in_ram": inRAM})
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(status)
 }
 
 func (h *handler) handleAPIInstallToRAM(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
diff --git a/audit/internal/webui/pages.go b/audit/internal/webui/pages.go
index 09b0979..ce74467 100644
--- a/audit/internal/webui/pages.go
+++ b/audit/internal/webui/pages.go
@@ -1282,6 +1282,7 @@ func renderTools() string {
   <div class="card-body">
     <div style="margin-bottom:20px">
     <div style="font-weight:600;margin-bottom:8px">Install to RAM</div>
+    <p id="boot-source-text" style="color:var(--muted);font-size:13px;margin-bottom:8px">Detecting boot source...</p>
     <p id="ram-status-text" style="color:var(--muted);font-size:13px;margin-bottom:8px">Checking...</p>
     <button id="ram-install-btn" class="btn btn-primary" onclick="installToRAM()" style="display:none">&#9654; Copy to RAM</button>
     </div>
@@ -1293,8 +1294,18 @@ func renderTools() string {
 </div>
 <script>
 fetch('/api/system/ram-status').then(r=>r.json()).then(d=>{
+  const boot = document.getElementById('boot-source-text');
   const txt = document.getElementById('ram-status-text');
   const btn = document.getElementById('ram-install-btn');
+  let source = d.device || d.source || 'unknown source';
+  let kind = d.kind || 'unknown';
+  let label = source;
+  if (kind === 'ram') label = 'RAM';
+  else if (kind === 'usb') label = 'USB (' + source + ')';
+  else if (kind === 'cdrom') label = 'CD-ROM (' + source + ')';
+  else if (kind === 'disk') label = 'disk (' + source + ')';
+  else label = source;
+  boot.textContent = 'Current boot source: ' + label + '.';
   if (d.in_ram) {
     txt.textContent = '✓ Running from RAM — installation media can be safely disconnected.';
     txt.style.color = 'var(--ok, green)';
diff --git a/audit/internal/webui/server_test.go b/audit/internal/webui/server_test.go
index 61b688a..d528ff1 100644
--- a/audit/internal/webui/server_test.go
+++ b/audit/internal/webui/server_test.go
@@ -392,6 +392,9 @@ func TestToolsPageRendersRestartGPUDriversButton(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.Contains(body, `svcAction('bee-nvidia', 'restart')`) {
 		t.Fatalf("tools page missing bee-nvidia restart action: %s", body)
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(body, `id="boot-source-text"`) {
+		t.Fatalf("tools page missing boot source field: %s", body)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestViewerRendersLatestSnapshot(t *testing.T) {