Using the Windows Recovery Console

Sometimes viruses, spyware or random cosmic rays will attack your computer, leaving you unable to even start Windows. In many cases, the Win XP Recovery Console can help you fix the problem. But starting the Recovery Console is a bit mysterious, if you've never done it before.

There are two ways to start the Recovery Console. Your friend who told you to do it by selecting an option during startup has apparently installed Recovery Console on his hard drive, which makes that option appear at boot time. We'll cover that later on in this article, but for now, restart your computer with the Windows XP Setup disk in the CDROM drive. (Don't have a Windows Setup disk? Skip this section and look below.) If you are prompted to press a key to start the computer from CDROM, do so quickly. Otherwise it may try to boot from the hard drive. After a few minutes, you'll see a prompt to press the R key to start the Recovery Console. Next, you'll see a prompt to enter a number corresponding to the Windows XP installation that you need to repair. Enter "1" and then supply your Administrator password.

What you'll see next is not very exciting -- just a black and white screen, similar to the DOS prompt of years gone by. But it has powers far beyond those of mortal men. Faster than a speeding virus, more powerful than a trojan horse, and able to leap tall partitions in a single bound, it's... the Recovery Console!

Can You Handle This Much Power?

Microsoft recommends that you use the Recovery Console only if you are an advanced user
, but I'll give you a quick rundown on some of the more common commands available here, and hopefully you'll be able to fix whatever is ailing your computer.

• CHKDSK /R - Scans your hard drive and attempts to repair any problems found
• DISKPART - Displays a table of all hard drive partitions. You can also add or delete partitions, but this is the stuff of wizardry.
• FIXMBR - Replaces the Master Boot Record on the hard drive, if you are having trouble booting.
• FIXBOOT - Creates a new startup sector on the hard drive, if you are having trouble booting.
• FORMAT - Format formats a disk. Format will WIPE EVERYTHING from the specified disk, and prepare it for a fresh install.
• MKDIR - Make a new directory.
• RMDIR - Remove a directory.
• EXIT - Close the Recovery Console and restart your computer.

Install the Recovery Console on Your Hard Drive

As we discussed earlier, you can start the Recovery Console from your Windows XP Setup disk, but you may find it more convenient to install on your hard drive and have it available as startup option. To install the Recovery Console on your hard drive, restart your computer with the Windows XP Setup disk in the CDROM drive. Click Start, then click Run. Enter the command D:\I386\WINNT32.EXE /cmdcons (Assumes D is the drive letter for the CDROM drive.) Click Yes to confirm that you want to install Recovery Console, and remove the CDROM from the drive. When you restart your computer, "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" will appear as an option on the startup menu. If you get an error message when trying to install the Recovery Console on a Windows XP SP2 system, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898594 for more assistance.
Don't have a Windows Setup CDROM? You can run the Recovery Console installation from your hard drive. If your computer didn't come with a Windows Setup disk, the vendor should have copied an image of it to your hard drive instead. Look for a folder named I386 which contains the WINNT32.EXE file. It might be stored elsewhere on your hard drive, but let's assume you found this file in the C:\WINDOWS\I386 folder. Click Start, then click Run. Enter the command C:\WINDOWS\I386\WINNT32.EXE /cmdcons. Click Yes to confirm that you want to install Recovery Console. The same caveats apply if you have a Windows XP SP2 system.

Time Travel with System Restore

I feel your pain... unless you are very careful, you can download a new program or software update, then find that it makes your system unstable. Wouldn't it be nice if you could go back to a point in time when your computer was working? With System Restore, you can.
Think of System Restore as the Undo command for Windows. While your computer is on, System Restore takes regular snapshots of your Windows configuration, settings, and program files. These snapshots (known as "restore points") are stored on your hard disk so you can revert back to that point in the event of a computer emergency. Restore points are automatically created when new software is installed, when Windows Update applies changes, on a daily basis, and when you request a manual restore point. If you can remember the most recent time when your computer was working correctly, System Restore will roll back all system changes to that point.

Will I Lose Personal Files?

So what exactly does System Restore do? Let's start with what it doesn't do... System Restore WILL NOT remove or modify any personal data files such as word processor documents, spreadsheets, music & photos, web favorites, emails, etc. More specifically, files in the MyDocuments folder will never be touched. If you are unsure as to whether a file will be affected by System Restore, keep it in that folder. System Restore WILL affect your Windows system settings (the Windows Registry), protected system files, and recently installed software.

While System Restore can be a wonderful tool to get your computer back to a functioning state after a virus or spyware infestation, I strongly recommend that you use it only in such emergencies. If you have installed a program and suspect that it may be causing trouble, always try Add and Remove Programs in Control Panel first. I offer this caution because System Restore is a rather drastic measure. On the few occasions I've used it, System Restore did solve the problem at hand, but some minor things like fonts, wallpaper and desktop settings were altered. It also messed up my Internet Explorer toolbars, even though they were supposedly locked. Things like this (that I did notice) make me wonder if other unexpected or undesired changes were made as well.

Running System Restore

If your computer seems to be unstable, you've done a thorough anti-virus and anti-spyware scan, and you've been unable to remove any suspected software packages through Control Panel, give System Restore a try. To roll back your computer settings to a previously saved restore point:

• Click the Start button, then select Programs / Accessories / System Tools
• Click System Restore.
• Choose "Restore my computer to an earlier time" then click Next.
• Select a day on the calendar, a restore point description, then click Next.

When System Restore begins, the computer will restart, the hands on your wall clock will spin backwards, and a groovy technicolor swirl will envelope the room. You may hear an audible moan and see smoke rising from your computer as the hard drive grinds. And with a bit of luck your system will be restored to normal functioning.

Windows OneCare

Windows OneCare is a comprehensive service that offers one-click solutions to address both security and performance issues on your computer. OneCare continuously scans your system for potential security vulnerabilities and looks for ways to optimize your PC's performance. If it detects anything you can do to improve the overall "health" of your computer, OneCare will alert you and suggest a solution

Are your Antivirus and Firewall packages protecting you adequately from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, hackers, and other threats? OneCare will scan your entire system (or just individual files and folders) for malware and other security problems. You can also check attachments that you receive through emails or MSN Messenger for viruses or worms.

Do you find it a nuisance to maintain your hard disk and make sure that critical system fixes are applied? OneCare Tune-up automates your routine maintenance and helps to improve your computer's performance. This automated service performs the following functions:

• Scan your computer for viruses.
• Defragment your hard disk to help improve efficiency.
• Remove unnecessary files to increase available hard disk space.
• Ensure that security updates from Microsoft are installed.

Backup and Restore

OneCare will also back up your files automatically if you have an external hard drive, or copy your important files and settings to CDs or DVDs. This protects you from data loss due to accidental deletion, viruses, faulty software or hardware failure. If you have ever suffered through a hard drive crash and the frustration of lost data that took days, weeks or years to create, then you understand the importance of AUTOMATED backups. In the event of a data loss, your file(s) can be recovered easily from the backup media.

Is This Rocket Science?

No, but very few users have a reliable, automated plan for keeping their computer safe and running with optimal performance. Even fewer have an automated backup plan to protect their data from loss. If you are an experienced user, and you enjoy maintaining your system, you can certainly do everything that OneCare does on your own. But a comprehensive service that puts security and performance tuning on auto-pilot is a welcome (and overdue) service for most Windows users.
The Windows OneCare service is in beta testing, and Microsoft is accepting customer requests for participation. You can learn more and sign up for the beta here:

http://beta.windowsonecare.com/