Commands List in Windows Recovery Console

As long my career as a computer technician and have been fix so many computers, I often faced with so many errors on software side. Usually the errors are corrupted file in Windows folder or boot sector. On other side, I am very happy if the error in software side because I don’t need to disassemble it to pieces. And tools to repair the software errors, you just need (almost all errors that shown, can repaired with tools from Microsoft and then best part is all tools has bundles in Windows CD).

Usually, if I get an error with my Windows, I restart it and when BIOS has loaded, press F5 key to enter in Safe Mode or press F8 to display the boot menu, after entering in safe mode, I disable some startup menu, disable service, decrease screen resolution or decrease VGA refresh rate and ‘light errors’ usually will be gone. And if I get errors on harddisk such as boot sector I always using the Recovery Console to fix it. To enter the Recovery Console, reboot computer with Windows Setup CD (insert Windows Setup CD first and then reset your computer)

After you’re entering Windows setup menu, just follow the instruction until you’ll asked with Recovery Console in options list and choose the Recovery Console option with press R key then you’ll bring to MSDOS console. If you asked the active Windows (if you have more than 1 Windows installation in 1 computer, you need take attention here) choose your current Windows but if you just have one Windows installation in computer, just press 1 key. And if you set password for Administrator account, you’ll asked for password, just type the password.

OK, this time, I want share its commands list and I think it will help you, specially for newbie user. I was tested all commands in Windows 2000 Recovery Console but I think the commands can also use in Windows XP Recovery Console. And almost all commands can you find in Command Prompt Console because the Recovery Console is also MS-DOS commands and if you want find more about MSDOS commands, click here.

ATTRIB To changes / set file attributes, to Read-Only (R), System (S), Hidden (H)
BATCH Run multiple commands that specified in a file
CD Changes/navigates to certain folder.
CLS Clears all text on your console window.
CHKDSK Checks disk health and display its error.
COPY Copies a single file from one location to another.
DEL Deletes a single file.
DIR Displays content of files/folders in current folder.
DISABLE Disables Windows Services system (I had try on Windows 2000 but I don’t try it yet on Windows XP)
DISKPART Manages disk partitions. If you type it without parameters, it will display all available partitions.
ENABLE Enables Windows Services.
EXIT Quits from Recovery console and restart the computer.
EXPAND Expands compressed files.
FIXBOOT Writes a new boot sector onto partitions where your system is installed.
FIXMBR Repairs the Master Boot Record where located on boot partition (this command will help you a lot)
FORMAT Formatting the disk.
HELP Display all Recovery Console commands list.
LISTSCV Lists all available services and drivers in the system.
MAP Displays the current drive letter mappings.
MD Creates a new folders (MKDIR will work on the same way)
MORE Displays a text file on the console screen.
TYPE Works like MORE command.
REN Rename a single file (RENAME will work the same way)
RD Removes/Deletes directories (RMDIR will work on the same way)
SYSTEMROOT Specifies that the current folders is the system root.

Hopefully, this article can help you to fix your computer.

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