JSI Tip 2037. What can I do with the Windows 2000 Recovery Console?

The Recovery Console allows an Administrator limited access to:

- The root folder.

- %SystemRoot% and subfolders of the installation you are logged in to.

- The Cmdcons folder.

- Removable media drives.

You use the Recovery Console if your installation is not otherwise bootable.

NOTE: You can copy files to removeable media.

To start the Recovery Console, you can:

1. Boot the Windows 2000 CD-ROM and press F10 at the Welcome screen, or Press Repair and Console.

2. Boot the Windows 2000 setup floppies and press F10 at the Welcome screen, or Press Repair and Console.

3. Select the Recovery Console from the boot menu, if you installed it at a cmd prompt, by switching to the CD-ROM drive and typing i386winnt32.exe /cmdcons.

NOTE: See Q229077 Mirroring prevents pre-installing the Recovery Console.

When you select the operating system instance you wish to start, you are validated, if the SAM is intact.

The following commands are supported:

ATTRIB       DELETE        FIXBOOT    MD        TYPECD           DIR           FIXMBR     MKDIR     SYSTEMROOTCHDIR        DISABLE       FORMAT     MORECHKDSK       DISKPART      HELP       RDCLS          ENABLE        LISTSVC    RENCOPY         EXIT          LOGON      RENAMEDEL          EXPAND        MAP        RMDIR

With them, you can manage operating system files, enable/disable devices and services, repair the boot sector and MBR, and manage partitions.

See tip 3201 What are the Recovery Console commands?

NOTE: See tip 3200 How do I recover Windows 2000?