Introduction
Windows 2000/XP has been with us for a while now and its stability and enhanced functionality have made it one of Microsoft’s most popular and successful Operating Systems. However, someday you may find yourself in a situation where Windows 2000/XP has decided not to play nice and you are beginning to pull your hair out. That’s because you haven’t made or updated your EDR (Emergency Repair Disk). Well all may not be lost. Microsoft has thankfully included an excellent recovery tool in Windows 2000/XP called the Recovery Console.
Just what is the Recovery Console?
Well to put it simply, the Recovery Console is a command line troubleshooting tool that can save your bacon. The Recovery Console allows access to NTFS, FAT16, and FAT32 volumes as well as CDs and Floppies. However it does not provide complete access to all these volumes.
Installing the Recovery Console
Windows 2000/XP gives you several options for installing and using the Recovery Console. In a worst-case scenario where you didn’t install the Recovery Console as a boot-up option, or if you have a hard disk failure, to install the Recovery Console you will need your Windows 2000/XP CD, or if your system will not boot from the CD then you will need the setup floppies.
You will need to boot up your system and enter the Windows 2000/XP Setup. Press the “Enter” key to be taken to the Welcome to Setup screen and press “R” to enter the repair section and enter “C” to use the Recovery Console.
The other way (and this is what I recommend), is to set up the Recovery Console as a boot-up option. Insert your Windows 2000/XP CD and open up a Command Prompt and simply type x:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons (where x is your CD drive). Simply follow the on-screen prompts and the installation will take place, when the installation is completed you will have the option to use the Recovery Console upon booting up your Windows 2000/XP system.
Installation of the Recovery Console will create a hidden directory on your root drive called cmdcons which will be about 5.5 MBs in size. Please don’t delete this.
Using the Recovery Console
Ok, so now you have your Recovery Console installed and its ready for use when something bad happens, such as an endless BSOD cycle. Now if and when you need to use the Recovery Console just choose it during the start-up cycle and off you go.
You are now in the wonderful world of the command line; your point and click skills mean nothing here. You do remember how to use a keyboard, right?
You will be prompted for the local administrator’s password. You do remember the password, right? After successfully logging in you will be greeted with the \WINNT prompt and you are ready to go about using the Recovery Console.
The Following are the commands supported by the Recovery Console:
| Attrib | Changes the attributes of a file or folder |
| Batch | Carries out commands specified in a text file |
| Cd orChdir | Displays the current volume and directory or changes to the folder specified |
| Chkdsk | Checks a disk and if needed, repairs or recovers the volume |
| Cls | Clears the screen |
| Copy | Copies a file to the specified location |
| Del or Delete | Deletes the specified file |
| Dir | Displays a list of files and folders |
| Disable | Disables a system service or driver |
| Diskpart | Manages the partitions on the hard disk |
| Enable | Enables a system service or driver |
| Exit | Doh |
| Expand | Expands CAB files |
| Fixboot | Rewrites the boot sector on the hard disk |
| Fixmbr | Rewrites the MBR on the hard disk |
| Format | Formats a disk or volume |
| Help | Help [command] will display info about that command |
| Listsvc | Lists all services and drivers and their status |
| Logon | Lists all detected installations of Windows 2000 and NT |
| Map | Lists all current drives |
| Md or Mkdir | Creates the specified directory |
| More or Type | Displays a text file on the screen |
| Rd or Rmdir | Deletes a directory |
| Ren or Rename | Renames a file or directory |
| Set | Displays and sets Recovery Console options |
| Systemroot | Takes you to the root directory |
You are now ready to fix your Windows 2000/XP system. Just remember that this is a repair tool and as such you won’t be able to access folders such as Program Files or My Documents. However, that can be changed by simply going into your Group Policy Settings. To do so, go to Start | Run and then type gpedit.msc. Go to Computer Configuration | Windows Settings | Security Settings | Local Policies | Security Options. There you will find the option to allow you to access your other drives and partitions.
The Recovery Console exists to help you fix a problem without reinstalling Windows 2000/XP. Also note that your drive lettering may be different in the Recovery Console then what you have it set to. Simply use the map command to get the drive letters the way the Recovery Console sees them.
After you have made the changes you feel are necessary to correct the issue, such as disabling a driver or service, type exit and you will exit the Recovery Console and the system will reboot. Hopefully you will be able to now get into Windows 2000/XP and get back to work.
Please note that Windows XP Home does not have a Group Policy editor.
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