How to start the Recovery Console

How to start the Recovery Console
To start the Recovery Console when it is installed on your hard drive you would do the following:

1. Reboot your computer and as Windows starts it will present you with your startup options as shown in the figure below.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. With the arrows keys on your keyboard select the option listed as Microsoft Windows Recovery Console and press the enter key on your keyboard.
   
   
3. The Recovery Console will start and ask you which Windows installation you would like to log on to. If you have multiple Windows installations, it will list each one, and you would enter the number associated with the installation you would like to work on and press enter. If you have just one Windows installation, type 1 and press enter.
   
   
4. It will then prompt you for the Administrator's password. If there is no password, simply press enter. Otherwise type in the password and then press enter. If you do not know your password then see this.
   
   
5. If you entered the correct password you will now be presented with a C:\Windows> prompt and you can start using the Recovery Console.
   
   
6. Proceed to How to use the Recovery Console.
   

To start the Recovery Console directly from the Windows XP CD you would do the following:

1. Insert the Windows XP cd in your computer.
   
   
2. Restart your computer so you are booting off of the CD.
   
   
3. When the Welcome to Setup screen appears, press the R button on your keyboard to start the Recovery Console.
   
   
4. The Recovery Console will start and ask you which Windows installation you would like to log on to. If you have multiple Windows installations, it will list each one, and you would enter the number associated with the installation you would like to work on and press enter. If you have just one Windows installation, type 1 and press enter.
   
   
5. It will then prompt you for the Administrator's password. If there is no password, simply press enter. Otherwise type in the password and then press enter. If you do not know your password then see this.
   
   
6. If you entered the correct password you will now be presented with a C:\Windows> prompt and you can start using the Recovery Console.
   
   
7. Proceed to How to use the Recovery Console.