Easy Procedure For Installing Recovery Console On Windows XP/2003/2000 As NTLDR Startup Option
Note: I have tested if this helps us install recovery console in windows 7, if any reader tries it out, please let me know how the process goes.
If you have been using Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP, you must be aware of the Recovery Console (RC) feature that is present in all these operating systems. This console helps the user recover the system if it fails to boot by making use of a limited array of tasks that can be executed through command line interface.
You may invoke the Recovery Console with the help of the installation CD-ROM. You normally need to boot up using the CD and repair Windows XP/2003/2000 system using this Recovery Console.
If you are unable to boot up using the CD or you aren’t willing to alter any boot device priority settings in BIOS, you may as well get the recovery console installed into your local hard disk. By doing this, you can select recovery console option from the boot-time menu that is offered by NTLDR.
It is impossible to install the RC on an updated Windows system using old version of Winnt32.exe present on the setup CDs. Hence, you need to install the Console into the local hard disk prior to installing any kind of service pack.
If you try installing Recovery Console with the old CD on Windows having integrated service pack, the system shows an error message notifying you that the set up is unable to continue as the version on CD is older than the Windows version running on your computer.
To prevent such an issue, it is advisable to install the RC as soon as the installation of Windows is over. You need to follow the below mentioned procedure to get Recovery Console installed as a NTLDR startup option.
First of all, logon to Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 with administrator rights. You have to note that network policy settings might not allow you to complete the procedure incase your system is linked to a network.
Once you logon to Windows XP/2003/2000, place the Windows XP/2003/2000 CD in the CD-ROM drive. You will see a prompt asking you whether you wish to upgrade Windows. Just select “No” or else close the window.
Go to Start Menu and select “RUN”. Type the command mentioned below. As another option, you may use command prompt to type the command.
x:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons
You need to replace “x” in the command with drive letter of DVD-ROM or CD-ROM so that it finds the proper Winnt32.exe file present on the CD. Further, just follow the instructions given on the screen to complete the procedure.
Now that you have installed Recovery Console into the boot menu, it is possible to select it to run each time you start the computer. You no more need to boot using a CD.