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This is probably something you will only think of when the accident has happened, and your Windows is not working anymore (Like creating the Emergency Recover Disks).
But if you are smart then you can install Recovery Console, so you can pick it in the standard boot menu without needing to make boot disks or have the Windows CD-ROM around.

Inside Windows run the following command (X: is your CD-Drive containing the Windows CD-ROM)

X:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

Note even though one haven't installed the Recovery Console locally one can still access the Recovery Console by booting from the Windows CD-ROM or floppy disk.

Some of the better commands in the Recovery Console :

• FIXBOOT - Restores the boot sector in case another OS (Ex. Win98) has overwritten it, and sets the boot partition as active partition.
• FIXMBR - Restores the master boot record(MBR) in case a virus or similar has corrupted it
• DISKPART - HDD Partition Utility (Similar to FDISK in DOS)
• CHKDSK - Scandisk utility (The "/r" -option is good when getting "Delayed Write Failed" errors. More Info MS KB Q330174)
• LISTSVC - Shows services installed, when launched in the WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder.
• DISABLE <service name> - Will disable the service specified when launched in the WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder (Which might keep your system from booting)
• ENABLE <service name> - Will enable the service specified when launched in the WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder (Which might enable your system to boot)
• EXPAND - Makes it possible to restore compressed system files from the install cd. (Ex. ATAPI.SYS)
• BATCH - Makes it possible to execute batch files. (Ex. to uninstall hotfix/patches from Microsoft). More Info MS KB Q825062
• BOOTCFG - Makes it easier to configure/rebuild the boot manager boot.ini (WinXP+ only). More info MS KB Q291980 More info MS KB Q317521
• Using Recovery Console to restore registry files

Note one still need to have a floppy disk with 3rd party drivers for SCSI and such, when booting with the Recovery Console. Unless Including 3rd party controller drivers in the recovery console

Note that if the system drive is mirrored, then you need to break the mirror before installing Recovery Console and then create the mirror again with Disk Administrator.

Note that the NT5 recovery console can also be used on NT4 installations.

Note one can lessen the security for the recovery console to have easier access. Run "secpol.msc" and go here "Local Policies" -> "Security Options"

• "Recovery Console: Allow Automatic Administrative Logon" : Then you don't need to remember your admin password (People still need to get physical access to the machine)
• "Recovery Console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and all folders" : To give you access to the whole machine

More info MS KB Q229716
More info MS KB Q235364
More info MS KB Q301645
More info MS KB Q307654
More info MS KB Q310497
More info MS KB Q312149
More info MS KB Q313670
More info MS KB Q316558
More info MS KB Q318752
More info MS KB Q326215