After Windows XP is installed on your computer, to start the computer and use the Recovery Console you require the Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM.
For additional information about how to create Startup disks for Windows XP (they are not included with Windows XP), click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 310994 Obtaining Windows XP Setup boot disks Note To start the computer from the Windows XP CD-ROM, you must configure the basic input/output system (BIOS) of the computer to start from your CD-ROM drive.

To run the Recovery Console from the Windows XP startup disks or the Windows XP CD-ROM, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
2. Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted.
3. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
4. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you must access from the Recovery Console.
5. When you are prompted, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.
6. At the command prompt, type the appropriate commands to diagnose and repair your Windows XP installation.
   • For a list of commands that are available in Recovery Console, type recovery console commands or help at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
   • For information about a specific command, type help commandname at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
7. To exit the Recovery Console and restart the computer, type exit at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.

Use the help command to list all of the following supported commands:

attrib	delete	fixboot	md	set
cd	dir	fixmbr	mkdir	systemroot
chdir	disable	format	more	type
chkdsk	diskpart	help	rd
cls	enable	listsvc	ren
copy	exit	logon	rename
del	expand	map	rmdir

New Commands in XP

Batch

Bootcfg

Net Use

Several environment rules are in effect while you are working in the Recovery Console. Type set to see the current environment. By default, these are the rules:

• AllowAllPaths = FALSE prevents access to directories and subdirectories outside the system installation that you selected when you entered the Recovery Console.
• AllowRemovableMedia = FALSE prevents access to removable media as a target for copied files.
• AllowWildCards = FALSE prevents wildcard support for commands such as copy and del.
• NoCopyPrompt = FALSE means that you are prompted by the Recovery Console for confirmation when overwriting an existing file.