MORE INFORMATION
You can use the Recovery Console to help repair a
non-bootable installation, but it requires the installation media that consists
of the Setup disks or the CD-ROM. You can preinstall the Recovery Console by
running the
winnt32 /cmdcons command ahead of time to
place the files on the local hard disk. Note that this option requires
approximately 7 megabytes (MB) of disk space.
A preinstalled Recovery
Console does not work if the boot loader or boot sector of the disk becomes
damaged. However, you can create a floppy disk-based bootable disk, and then
add the following entry to the Boot.ini file to help you to boot into the
preinstalled Recovery Console:
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
For more information about how to create a bootable disk for an NTFS or FAT
partition, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
119467
How to create a bootable disk for an NTFS or FAT partition
Should none of these methods to start the Recovery
Console work, and if the servers or client workstations have the ability to
boot off the network by using the Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) or a
network adapter that supports the remote installation bootable floppy disk PXE
emulator, you can use a RIS server to boot the client to Windows XP
Professional text-mode Setup, and then select the
Recovery Console option.
WARNING This process is to be used only when recovery of the system is
needed. This process resets the computer's machine account in the Active
Directory, and requires that the computer be rejoined to the domain. Do not
perform this action on domain controllers.
Note This article assumes that you already have existing RIS servers
in your organization, and that your client and server meet the requirements for
using this feature. For more information about how to install and configure RIS
servers and client requirements, please consult the Windows Server 2003
documentation.
Create a template to run the Recovery Console by using a RIS server
You can add the
Recovery Console option to the RIS server by creating a template (.sif) file that
contains the following information. You can name the file Recovery Console.sif,
and then place it in the templates folder in any current image on the RIS
server. Because RIS enumerates the templates folder for .sif files to determine
the menu options, placing it in the templates folder of your RIS image allows
it to be displayed.
Because the use of this template requires that
the computer be rejoined to the domain, you may want to hide this option from
other users by restricting file system Access Control Lists (ACLs) to
administrators. Note that the supported method for running the Recovery Console
is to use the installation media. This option is provided only as a matter of
convenience, and receives only "commercially reasonable effort"
support.
You can use a text editor such as Notepad or Setupmgr.exe
from the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 startup disk to create the following file:
[data]
floppyless = "1"
msdosinitiated = "1"
OriSrc = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
OriTyp = "4"
LocalSourceOnCD = 1
[SetupData]
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"
SetupSourceDevice =
"\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
[UserData]
FullName = "%USERFULLNAME%"
OrgName = "%ORGNAME%"
ComputerName = %MACHINENAME%
[RemoteInstall]
Repartition = no
[OSChooser]
Description ="Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Recovery Console"
Help ="Allows user to perform repair operations, without local media, of a Windows Professional installation."
LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType =FLAT
Version="5.1 (0)"
Note that the "Repartition = No" line must exist or RIS attempts
to reformat the hard disk. The [UserData] section must also exist, or Setup
does not succeed.
When the Welcome To Setup screen appears, either
press F10 or R to repair, and then press C for the Recovery Console. Once
repairs are complete, you must rejoin the domain.