Vista's System Recovery Console

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Vista's System Recovery Console

First, Boot from your Vista installation CD.

Select your Vista Install from the list in Windows Boot Manager

· Microsoft Vista Setup (x86)

· Microsoft Vista Setup (x64)

Press enter.

You will then see Windows is Loading Files.

Next, the Language Screen will come up. Since you have already selected this option when you installed Vista, just click on Next.

Now you will see the Vista Installation Screen.

DO NOT CHOOSE Install Now

Instead, towards the bottom left of the window you will see.

· What to know before installing Windows

· Repair your Computer

Choose and click on Repair your Computer

You will then come to the System Recovery Options. Choose Microsoft Windows Vista from the list. Then click Next.

You will now have the option to choose which Recovery Tools you wish to use.

This list provides details to the five tools that can help you repair your Vista installation. These tools are:

1. Startup Repair

Automatically fix problems that are preventing Windows from starting:

Startup Repair is an automated repair process that scans your Vista installation for problems and attempts to automatically fix them. When you select to repair Vista from the Vista setup screen, and Vista detects problems, this process will be started automatically. You can cancel this process at any time to access the other repair tools described below. The Startup Repair process has already been introduced above when we discussed performing an automated repair.

2. System Restore

Restore Windows to an earlier point in time:

System Restore allows you to restore your computer's configuration, driver information, and programs to a previous state while leaving your existing data intact. Using this option can typically fix a installation's problem if it is not associated with faulty hardware. In order to use this option, you must have had System Restore enabled in Vista so that there are restore points available to restore to.

3. Windows Complete PC Restore

Restore your entire computer from a backup:

Complete PC Restore is a feature that allows you to restore your entire computing environment from a backup image that you created previously. The ability to create backup images for Complete PC Restore is only available in Windows Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise. If you have tried all possible steps to repair your computer, and have a Complete PC Restore backup image available from when your computer was operating properly, then you can use this repair option to restore that image.

4. Windows Memory Diagnostic Tools

Check your computer for memory hardware errors:

Windows Vista comes with a diagnostic tool that allows you to check the memory installed in your computer for errors. This will allow you to determine if the actual memory (RAM) hardware installed in your computer is creating errors.

5. Command Prompt

Opens the Command Prompt window:

The Command Prompt repair tool allows you to open a command prompt that you can use to access the files and registry information on your computer. This is an invaluable tool for removing security threats such as worms, rootkits, and other malware from your computer and to be able to access files when Vista fails to boot up.

Command Prompts

To help get you started with using the Command Prompt. Here are listed a series of console commands that work in this environment. To get the help information for each of these programs you can type the program name followed by /h and press the enter key. For example, to see the help information for the copy command you would type copy /h and then press the enter key. As more programs and commands are found they will be added to the lists below. Each of the console commands must be typed into the console in order to execute them.

Console Command Description

Copy - Copy a file to another location.

Move - Move a file to another location.

Rd - Remove an empty directory.

Ren - Rename a file or directory.

More - Show the contents of a file one page a time. Typically used to read text/ascii files.

Type - Show the contents of a file all at once without pausing at each page like the more command. Typically used to read text/ascii files.

Xcopy - Copy a folder and all its contents to another location.

mkdir - Make a new directory.

Diskpart - Load the Windows disk management program. From this program you can create, delete, shrink, and expand your existing partitions as well as get information about partitions and hard drives.

Dir - List the contents of the current directory or the directory you specify as an argument.

Cd - Change your current directory to another one.

Attrib - Change the file attributes on a particular file or directory.

Del - Delete a file

Bcdedit - Displays and allows you to change how Windows boots up. This command is useful for people who are having trouble with the Windows Boot Manager.

Chkdsk - Scan your hard disk for errors and fix them.

Choose the above options that best fits your computer problems.

The first option (Startup Repair) will run automatically. And will fix or repair Vista’s MBR and check for any corrupt files and folders.

NOTE: This option will also remove any installed program(s) that could be causing Vista not to start, or run correctly.

Note: If you are running a RAID array, if this does not help and you are receiving errors. Check in your BIOS and make sure the BIOS did not convert back to IDE. Vista needs to see the complete MBR, In a RAID setup the MBR is split between two drives.