Recovery Console - Overview, Installation and Deletion
Source: Microsoft TechNet

Dated	: Feb. 03, 2004
By:	: Sheikh Mohammad Taimur


Overview

RC can be used to recover from system break downs when other startup option does not work. For running
RC you must be a advanced user and must be loggon in as an Administrator.

Using RC you can enable and disable services, format drives, read and write data on a local drive (including
NTFS), and perform many otehr administrative tasks. 

There are two ways to start the RC. RC can be runned from CD and can also be installed on your hard drive
as an startup option.

It provides commands you can sue 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 RC by typing HELP at the RC command prompt.


Running RC

1.	From the Setup CD-ROM 

	Insert the Setup CD and restart your computer. Boot from CD-Rom drive and follow prompts that appear.
	Later PRESS R to start the RC (you may be asked for Administrative Login). Use HELP for commands or
	EXIT for quitting RC.

2.	If you have already installed the RC

	Select RC from the startup options. Use Admin password to log in and use HELP or EXIT as mentioned above.


Installing RC

Within Windows, insert the Setup CD and click on Start > RUN > type this, and then follow the instructions on screen.

x:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
*where x is your CD-Rom drive letter


Removing RC

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: 
11.	C:\cmdcons\bootsect.dat="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
12.	Save the file and close it. 


RC Commands

The following commands can be used with the Recovery Console:

Note: 	command name
	description of command.

Attrib 
Changes the attributes of a file or directory.

Batch 
Executes the commands specified in the text file.

Bootcfg 
Boot file (boot.ini) configuration and recovery.

ChDir (Cd) 
Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current directory.

Chkdsk 
Checks a disk and displays a status report.

Cls 
Clears the screen.

Copy 
Copies a single file to another location.

Delete (Del) 
Deletes one or more files.

Dir 
Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.

Disable 
Disables a system service or a device driver

Diskpart 
Manages partitions on your hard drives.

Enable 
Starts or enables a system service or a device driver.

Exit 
Exits the Recovery Console and restarts your computer.

Expand 
Extracts a file from a compressed file.

Fixboot 
Writes a new partition boot sector onto the specified partition.

Fixmbr 
Repairs the master boot record of the specified disk.

Format 
Formats a disk.

Help 
Displays a list of the commands you can use in the Recovery Console.

Listsvc 
Lists the services and drivers available on the computer.

Logon 
Logs on to a Windows installation.

Map 
Displays the drive letter mappings.

Mkdir (Md) 
Creates a directory.

More 
Displays a text file.

Net Use 
Connects a network share to a drive letter.

Rename (Ren) 
Renames a single file.

Rmdir (Rd) 
Deletes a directory.

Set 
Displays and sets environment variables.

Systemroot 
Sets the current directory to the systemroot directory of the system you are currently logged on to.

Type 
Displays a text file.