how to get in to recovery console

[networktrouble]

I have a laptop with a faulty xp, I found out that i maybe can fix it by running chkdsk /p in the recovery console.
but if i start the laptop with the system cd it stops before i can get in the recovery cd.
is there an other way to get in the recovery console ?

 

[cjcoyle]

Stops? If you boot from the CD, initial drivers and files should load and then you should be prompted to either install or fix using recovery console. chkdsk will (hopefully) repair any bad sectors but if XP has some corrupted files you may need to do a full repair. Give us some more info and we'll go from there.

-Chris

 

[linney]

Chkdsk /r is the Recovery Console command.

Has your Laptop got a floppy drive that it may boot from?

Have a look at this thread for an alternate way to access the hard drive.

ReImage laptop hard drive
thread779-1261355

 

[Lakshmi21]

hi

First you need to change the boot options and you need to put CD-ROM as a first boot device then put the windows XP CD in and restart the computer.

You will get a screen saying "PRESS ANY KEY TO BOOT FROM CD." Their go ahead and press any key it will take you to "Windows setup" screen.

Then you will get "Welcome to setup" screen their you need to press "r" to get into recovery consol.

Their normally you need to press 1 to select (C:\windows)then it will be asking for "Administrator password" their just press enter.

Then type "chkdsk /p" if you get an error message "One or more error found" then run the "chkdsk /r" but check disk 'r' will take more than 45 minutes to complete but even at the end of chkdsk /r you get a message "One or more error found" their should be some problem with your hard drive.

If any doubts just follow the following link

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811150/en-us

 

[networktrouble]

i 've tried the chkdsk /r option but without a result
the problem is that the normal chkdsk has now option /p only in the recovery console.
I have a floppy drive in the laptop
can i start d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons when i have booted from a floppy ?
the data is standing on a ntfs partition

 

[linney]

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

The other way to access the Recovery Console.

310994 - Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310994&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

You will have some access if you can load the XP Recovery Console onto the machine.


You may have to download files from Microsoft to put onto Floppies to achieve this if you have no CD access. Make sure you download the correct files for your ServicePack version.

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

 

[networktrouble]

the problem is i can't boot up my windows anymore i get an unmountable boot volume error.
how can i see the service pack that is installed on the machine (it isn't mine and i can't boot xp)

 

[wolluf]

networktrouble - not clear as to why you can't boot from either the install CD or the 6 boot floppies to start recovery console. Presumably the laptop supports booting from either? The unmountable boot volume is due to the problem with the hard drive - have you been in the bios settings to check its set to boot from CD or floppy before hard drive?

Assuming you do get into recovery console, as well as running chkdsk /p (note to linney - this is equivalent to chkdsk /f from a command prompt, and runs considerably quicker than chkdsk /r), you should run fixmbr and fixboot.

Another approach would be to connect the laptop's hard drive to a PC with an adapter IDE cable. You could then run chkdsk from within windows on the other machine - though given the unmountable boot volume, you might want to run recovery console on that machine and run fixmbr \Device\HardDiskn (where n is laptop's disk id on that machine, starting from 0 - it would be 1 if no other hard drive's) and fixboot x: (where x: is laptop's drive as seen from recovery console) - as well as chkdsk x: /p of course.

Put it back in laptop and see if it boots.

 

[linney]

Point taken about ChkDsk /p in the Recovery Console being much quicker. I just like ChkDsk /r because of the physical checking of the condition of the hard drive. I also like using, in special cases, the hard drive manufacturers free diagnostic tools to thoroughly check the condition of the hard drive.


This article supports the ChkDsk /r approach, by the way.

"STOP 0x000000ED UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME" Error Message When You Restart Your Computer or Upgrade to Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297185#kb1

PC wont start after update
thread779-831196

Unmountable_Boot_Volume in WIN XP Pro
thread779-436409

 

[wolluf]

I'm just impatient! But, yes - always keep bootable manufacturer's diagnostic disks with me (note to self, must create bootable CD versions too - as floppy drives are gradually disappearing from PCs - and have basically gone from laptops. Or work out how to get the major ones on a single bootable usb memory stick), and as you say /r is good if you suspect physical problem with drive.

Wonder how networktrouble's getting on with this problem?