Need To Use WinXP (Home) Recovery Console

I'm in need to use WinXP's Recovery Console to do some quick housekeeping.
( Basically, I'm in need to run "chkdsk" from the Recovery Console in order
to fix one simple file error that is preventing PartitionMagic from being
able to work with the partition that WinXP is installed on. Yes, I know
"chkdsk /f" can be used from within WinXP, then reboot to have it run -- but
this particular fix must be done WITHIN the Recovery Console -- as per BOTH
Microsoft's AND Powerquest's Support Knowledge Base. I tried "chkdsk /f",
but it would not work -- as per both knowledge bases, "chkdsk" needs to keep
the partition locked for several passes, which must be done within the
Recovery Console.)

As I have read, the Recovery Console can be loaded by booting into WinXP's
installation CD or a WinXP startup 3.5 disk.

Thats great, except that I'm using:

- A Toshiba laptop with CDRW/DVD only. (No 3.5 drive)
- WinXP is on those damn OEM "recovery discs" that only restore system to
original factory BS. WinXP's Recovery Console can't be accessed from them.

Anyone been down this path before?

Be nice if there was an .iso image that can be used to create a bootable CD
that would run just the Recovery Console. Searched but no such animal
exists. Hell, I'd even be able to boot from a CF card if there was image
available by MS.

Contacted my laptop manufacture (Toshiba) and they simply parroted that I
could just recover the factory install. This is NOT an option.
I'm quite angry that I can't access a part of WinXP, even though I PAID for
it.

Any recommendation would be greatly appreciated. My last resort will be to
P2P a copy of the full retail WinXP CD.

Hopefully to answer my own question, I just found (after a deja) that the RC
can be installed by:

c:\windows\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

Just ran it and it said it installed and would be available at the startup
menu on next bootup.

(crossing fingers)

"Eric" wrote:

Hopefully to answer my own question, I just found (after a deja) that the RC
can be installed by:

c:\windows\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

Just ran it and it said it installed and would be available at the startup
menu on next bootup.

(crossing fingers)






I'm gald you found the answer!