xp recovery console

**Shard92** · August 26th, 2003, 12:04 PM

I have the boss's daughters computer in. It is running XP pro but she only has a recovery disk not a xp disk. ( thanks Hp ) I at the moment to not have an xp pro disk available, I do have a xp home disk. Can I use the xp home disk to use the recovery console and the various commands associated with it ( ie fixboot, fixmbr, etc ) without a problem, even though the disk is home?

I guess I'm a little unclear in the difference in the two are.... and don't want to overwrite any pro code...

**ADisturbance** · August 26th, 2003, 12:12 PM

HP recovery cd's generally have 2 options when trying to use them.
Option 1 is to do a full format and complete system restore.
Option 2 is to only replace the system files and not wipe any other files on the computer.
I would try the manufacturers cd prior to trying an aftermarked cd as HP makes some custom modifications to the base windows operating system.

**Shard92** · August 26th, 2003, 12:19 PM

I thought that too but only had an option for full restore....

**Sandman72** · August 27th, 2003, 10:45 AM

the main difference, as far as i know, between home and pro is that you can connect to a domain in pro and not in home. I haven't tested that theory though. Its just what I remember.

**Shard92** · August 27th, 2003, 10:52 AM

Well I found a copy of win xp pro so I have taken care of this .... but it is still an open question.... ARe xphome and xppro enough alike to run recovery console from either cd?

**DocPC** · August 27th, 2003, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by Shard92
Well I found a copy of win xp pro so I have taken care of this .... but it is still an open question.... ARe xphome and xppro enough alike to run recovery console from either cd?

Yes.

**Shard92** · August 27th, 2003, 11:16 AM

thanks doc.....

**Ya_know** · August 27th, 2003, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by DocPC
Yes.

Please expound...

**DocPC** · August 27th, 2003, 01:21 PM

I booted to an XP Home cd. The box had XP Pro installed.

I ran a fixboot, fixmbr, and a chkdsk /f /r. It worked fine.

I did this after installing a bad stick of ram to corrupt the MBR and the file structure. I had it to a no boot situation.

**Shard92** · August 27th, 2003, 01:40 PM

Hey doc what is the /f for ? It doesn't mention it when you do chkdsk /?.

**DocPC** · August 27th, 2003, 01:53 PM

Can't remember for sure, but I think it forces folder repair......have to look it up again.

Sorry, very busy today.

**Ya_know** · August 27th, 2003, 03:00 PM

Recovery Console Versions of Chkdsk have different switches than the one run in windows. You can find the Windows switches with a "chkdsk /?" at the command prompt.

these are the switches for recovery console version:

CHKDSK
chkdsk drive /p /r

This command (where drive specifies the drive to check) checks the drive, and if needed, repairs or recovers the drive. It also marks bad sectors and recovers readable information.

The /p switch instructs the Chkdsk tool to do an exhaustive check of the drive even if the drive is not marked with problems, and then corrects any errors that are found. The /r switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. Note that if you specify the /r switch, the /p switch is implied. The chkdsk command may be specified without arguments, in which case the current drive is implied with no switches. Optionally, the listed switches are accepted. The chkdsk command requires the Autochk.exe file. Chkdsk automatically locates this file in the Startup folder. Typically, this folder is the Cmdcons folder if the Command console was pre-installed. If the folder cannot be found in the Startup folder, Chkdsk tries to locate the Windows CD-ROM installation media. If the installation media cannot be found, Chkdsk prompts you to provide the location of the Autochk.exe file.

**Shard92** · August 27th, 2003, 03:18 PM

Yes I know i did that. But Doc said :

"I booted to an XP Home cd. The box had XP Pro installed.

I ran a fixboot, fixmbr, and a chkdsk /f /r. It worked fine.

I did this after installing a bad stick of ram to corrupt the MBR and the file structure. I had it to a no boot situation."

So that infers there may be an undocumented switch to the chkdsk in recovery console.... Don't worry about being busy Doc, I understand, beleive me!!! It's just a curiosity at this point anyway.

**Ya_know** · August 27th, 2003, 03:25 PM

That's what I am trying to point out, in Doc's haste to post I think he got the switches mixed up between the two instances of chkdsk. There are no undocumented switches in the recovery console version of chkdks...don’t believe me, try chkdsk /f at the recovery console and see what it tells you…

**Shard92** · August 27th, 2003, 03:46 PM

Hey that's fine like I said it was just curiosity that wanted to know what it was for anyway...

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