note: You need to have a Windows CD handy for this operation. If you do not have it then you can download the Recovery Console iso image file which consist only those files required to use the Recovery Console. Download the image file from here. (7MB)

The Windows XP Recovery Console is designed to help pro-teks recover from situations where a Windows XP-based computer does not start. It allows you to perform a limited range of tasks using a command line interface and recover your system and your important documents and files.

It also requires you to boot from a CD, wait 10 minutes, and go through the process repeatedly to verify your changes. Its annoying as hell.

The good news is that you can manually install the Recovery Console.

To install the Recovery Console, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons where d is the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive.
4.  A Windows Setup Dialog Box appears. The Windows Setup Dialog Box describes the Recovery Console option. To confirm the installation, click Yes.
5.  Restart the computer. The next time that you start your computer, “Microsoft Windows Recovery Console” appears on the startup menu.

Whenever you want to use the Recovery Console select the “Recovery Console” option from the boot list.