Windows XP Recovery Console (Eng)

Recovery Console overview
On the morning when you turn on your desktop, but the computer don't start as usually. You known that bad luck day have comes, then you try to start it to safe mode and other startup options but all do not work, you can consider using the Recovery Console. This method is recommended only if you are an advanced user who can use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files. In addition, you must be an administrator to use the Recovery Console.

Using the Recovery Console
When you start computer in Recovery Console, you can enable and disable services, format drives, read and write data on a local drive (including drives formatted to use NTFS), and perform many other administrative tasks. The Recovery Console is particularly useful if you need to repair your system by copying a file from a floppy disk or CD-ROM to your hard drive, or if you need to reconfigure a service that is preventing your computer from starting properly.

Start the Recovery Console
There are two ways to start the Recovery Console

1. If you are unable to start your computer, you can run the Recovery Console from your Setup CD.
2. As an alternative, you can install the Recovery Console on your computer to make it available in case you are unable to restart Windows. You can then select the Recovery Console option from the list of available operating systems on startup.


After you start the Recovery Console you will have to choose which installation you want to log on to (if you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system) and you will have to log on with your administrator password.

The console provides commands you can use to do simple operations such as changing to a different directory or viewing a directory, and more powerful operations such as fixing the boot sector. You can access Help for the commands in the Recovery Console by typing help at the Recovery Console command prompt.

To install the Recovery Console as a startup option
1. With Windows running, insert the Setup CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. CLick Start and select Run.
3. Type the following where D: is the CD-ROM drive letter:
D:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

4. Follow the instructions on the screen.

Notes:
To run the Recovery Console, restart your computer and select the Recovery Console option from the list of available operating systems.
You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may also prevent you from completing this procedure

To start the computer and use the Recovery Console
To start the computer and use the Recovery Console using the Setup CD-ROM

1. Insert the Setup compact disc (CD) and restart the computer. If prompted, select any options required to boot from the CD.
2. When the text-based part of Setup begins, follow the prompts; choose the repair or recover option by pressing R.
3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.
4. When prompted, type the Administrator password.
5. At the system prompt, type Recovery Console commands; type help for a list of commands, or help commandname for help on a specific command.
6. To exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, type exit.

To start the computer and use the Recovery Console using already installed the Recovery Console

1. During Startup, select Recovery Console from the startup options menu.
2. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access from the Recovery Console.
3. When prompted, type the Administrator password.
4. At the system prompt, type Recovery Console commands; type help for a list of commands, or help commandname for help on a specific command.
5. To exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, type exit.

Important:
Because the Recovery Console is quite powerful, it is recommended used it with high coution and use only by advanced users or administrators.

To delete the Recovery Console
1. Open My Computer.
2. Double-click the hard drive on which you installed the Recovery Console.
3. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
4. Click the View tab.
5. Click Show hidden files and folders, clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.
6. At the root directory, delete the \Cmdcons folder.
7. At the root directory, delete the file Cmldr.
8. At the root directory, right-click the Boot.ini file and then click Properties.
9. Clear the Read-only check box, and then click OK.
10. Open Boot.ini in Notepad, and remove the entry for the Recovery Console. It will look similar to this:
C:\cmdcons\bootsect.dat="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

11. Save the file and close it.

Warning
Modifying the Boot.ini file incorrectly may prevent your computer from restarting. Be sure to delete only the entry for the Recovery Console

References
Windows XP Help and Support: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsxp/default.mspx


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