Access denied in recovery console.

Question

Hello, Ive just been trying to solve an issue in recovery console, but when I try to navigate to c:\documents and settings\user name\desktop all I get is access denied.Am using quotes where appropiate,using cd one command at a time,eg: c:\>cd "documents and settings" but cant get into documents and settings.Im in recovery console as administrator and using admin password,any help or links appreciated,Techdunce:smileyhappy:
xp pro
dell inspiron 1300.
p.s. Have ghost backup to fall back on, but its two days old and will lose some stuff if I use it,also want to sort this issue out for future reference:smileyhappy:

mgdh · Answer

Run a diags on the hard drive.Incase the diags pass, repair installation can be tried.

techdunce · Answer

Thanks to all for the replies, but I think some or all have misinterpreted the issue. I dont need to perform a reinstall or repair install, or run diagnostics,as I already said I have a ghost backup that I can use as last resort.When I said I was in recovery console as administrator, I meant Im using the systems administrator account password to get in the recovery console,not my usual account with administrative priveleges,the password for this account is different.The issue is that while I was in there I couldnt navigate from c:\ prompt to documents and settings,just kept getting 'access denied',when Im using the actual administrator account,no problems getting to \windows\system32 or anything,but denied 'docs and sets'.Does anybody have any idea why this should occur,thanks again,Techdunce:smileyhappy:

alot4u · Answer

The password for recovery console is Different from administrator's password

alot4u · Answer

Try this may help

Configure automatic administrator logon for Recovery Console

To set an automatic administrator logon for the Recovery Console, complete the following steps while you are logged on with administrative credentials:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. Click Switch to Classic View in the right pane, double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Local Security Policy.

3. Expand Security Settings, expand Local Policies, and then click Security Options.

4. Double-click the Recovery Console: Allow automatic administrative logon policy, and then set it to Enable.
The policy is effective immediately. Make sure that you reopen the Local Security Policy snap-in to make sure that the effective setting for the policy is "Enabled." The next time that you start to Recovery Console, you are not prompted for a password.

After you complete this procedure, the SecurityLevel DWORD registry value data is set to 1 in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole

alot4u · Answer

You can do this, and it should work perfectly

But you need to read it before you do anything

This happens when you have a corrupt registry.Run the following to restore your C: partition.You should only run this on the partition that is corrupt.

1. Insert the Windows XP startup disk into the floppy disk drive, or insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive, and then restart the computer.
Click to select any options that are required to start the computer from the CD-ROM drive if you are prompted to do so.

2. When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.

3. If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer, select the installation that you want to access from the Recovery Console.

4. When you are prompted to do so, type the Administrator password. If the administrator password is blank, just press ENTER.

5. At the Recovery Console command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you type each line:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default

6. Type exit to quit Recovery Console. Your computer will restart.

You can now recover your C: partition in its original format

If you are convinced, then do it

If not Just say im not, and we will find another solution

Good Luck

mgdh · Answer

Amen !

techdunce · Answer

Hello again Alot4u, and I can see youve been putting in some research on my behalf, thanks for that,(I do mean that)but Im not trying to repair the registry,all I wanted to do was access my docs and sets, but this article in ms knowledge base,under recovery console limitations tells me I cant, either that or Ive misread it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

Since youve been putting in the work, heres a brief explaination of the issue I was trying to resolve. I used virtual pc to make an exact replica of my pc to troubleshoot a seperate issue, but during the (virtual) installation somehow my mbr got messed up, I had a kinda dual boot setup, I could boot into xp pro, first option, or windows xp setup. The setup option was highlighted by default,and gave no time to use arrow keys to choose option 2,it just started the install process, so,next time I was ready for it,and I edited the boot.ini. All should have been well accept I was, for reasons unknown, left with another dual boot option, xp pro, or windows default,just had to find out what windows default was so pressed enter on boot,and got an error message saying windows default couldnt start as \windows\system32\hal.dll was missing or corrupt.Booted up normally after that and went into explorer,hal.dll was there, so knowing I had a ghost backup I decided to play around a bit,so dragged and dropped hal.dll onto desktop,rebooted, but you guessed it,boot failed,so tried to get hal.dll restored with recover console but couldnt get to desktop via docs and sets\user name.Wow, and thats just the short version,(hee hee) but alls well now as performed ghost restore,still a bit annoyed that I couldnt get to desktop,am I reading that KB right, is it not possible to do that?,anyway big thanks again,Techdunce:smileyhappy:

alot4u · Answer

Well, we are here to help each other Now, I know my qustion is odd but have you tried a look to see if your docs wasmade private if yes try to make it not private   see this link too

techdunce · Answer

Hello again,well taking ownership and adjusting privacy settings doesnt seem to make any difference,still cant access docs and sets in recovery console,can navigate to c:\prompt but no further, thanks again for your efforts,right now Im a little punchy,late here, so will renew this battle tomorrow, in the meantime,take care,Techdunce:smileyhappy:

alot4u · Answer

Hello again

see this and read it to the end, cos the important thing is in the end

I searched for every solution,

All fingers pointed to the group policy ( Restrictions and limitations of Recovery Console )

Hit back for any results

alot4u · Answer

You welcome and good luck   My best regards for you

techdunce · Answer

Hello Alot4u, thanks for sticking with it on my behalf,and it gives me some satisfaction to click the 'solved' icon on yours,that link nailed it.The only misgiving I have right now, is knowing I also did quite a bit of searching, but didnt find that info,so I suppose I will have to brush up on my search phrases,but in the meantime I just want to offer a big THANKYOU,all the best,Techdunce:smileyhappy:

geekgyrl70 · Answer

I was having a problem accessing the recovery console because of the Administrator password, which I did not set. I used this suggestion (going into control panel, administrative tools, local security policy, etc.), and it worked perfectly. Now I can access recovery console without typing an Administrator password. THANKS! Message Edited by geekgyrl70 on 04-12-2008 03:00 PM

Windows General

Access denied in recovery console.

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