Recovery Console Commands

The Recovery Console is a command-line tool that you can use to repair Windows if the computer does not start correctly. Available commands for the Recovery Console in Microsoft Windows operating system.

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The following list describes the available commands for the Recovery Console:

• Attrib changes attributes on one file or folder.
• Batch executes commands that you specify in the text file, InputFile. OutputFile holds the output of the commands. If you omit the OutputFile argument, output is displayed on the screen.
• Bootcfg is used for boot configuration and recovery. You can use the bootcfg command to make changes to the Boot.ini file.
• CD (chdir) operates only in the system directories of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root directory of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.
• Chkdsk: The /p switch runs Chkdsk even if the drive is not flagged as dirty. The /r switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. This switch implies /p. Chkdsk requires Autochk. Chkdsk automatically looks for Autochk.exe in the startup folder or in the boot folder. If Chkdsk cannot find the file in the startup folder, it looks for the Windows Server 2003 installation CD. If Chkdsk cannot find the installation CD, it prompts the user for the location of Autochk.exe.
• Cls clears the screen.
• Copy copies one file to a target location. By default, the target cannot be removable media, and you cannot use wildcard characters. Copying a compressed file from the Windows Server 2003 installation CD automatically decompresses the file.
• Del (delete) deletes one file. Del operates in the system directories of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root directory of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources. By default, you cannot use wildcard characters.
• Dir displays a list of all files, including hidden and system files.
• Disable disables a Windows system service or a Windows driver. The servicename argument is the name of the service or the driver that you want to disable. When you use this command to disable a service, it displays the service's original startup type before changing the type to SERVICE_DISABLED. It is a good idea to note the original startup type so that you can use the enable command to restart the service.
• Diskpart manages partitions on hard disk volumes.
  • The /add option creates a new partition.
  • The /delete option deletes an existing partition.
  • The device-name argument is the device name for a new partition. One example of a device name for a new partition is \device\harddisk0.
  • The drive-name argument is the drive letter for a partition that you are deleting, such as D:.
  • Partition-name is the partition-based name for a partition that you are deleting, and can be used instead of the drive-name argument. One example of a partition-based name is \device\harddisk0\partition1.
  • The size argument is the size in megabytes of a new partition.
• Enable enables a Windows system service or a Windows driver. The servicename argument is the name of the service or the driver that you want to enable, and start_type is the startup type for an enabled service. The startup type uses one of the following formats:

  SERVICE_BOOT_START 
  SERVICE_SYSTEM_START 
  SERVICE_AUTO_START 
  SERVICE_DEMAND_START 

• Exit quits the Recovery Console and then restarts the computer.
• Expand expands a compressed file. The source argument is the file that you want to expand. By default, you cannot use wildcard characters. The destination argument is the directory for the new file. By default, the destination cannot be removable media and cannot be read-only. You can use the attrib command to remove the read-only attribute from the destination directory. The option /f:filespec is required if the source contains more than one file. This option permits wildcard characters. The /y switch disables the overwrite confirmation prompt. The /d switch specifies that the files should not be expanded and displays a directory of the files in the source.
• Fixboot writes a new boot sector on the system partition. The fixboot command is only supported on x86-based computers.
• Fixmbr repairs the boot partition's master boot record (MBR). The device-name argument is an optional name that specifies the device that requires a new MBR. Omit this variable when the target is the boot device. The fixmbr command is only supported on x86-based computers.
• Format formats a disk. The /q switch performs a quick format. The /fs:file-system switch specifies the file system.
• Help lists all the commands that the Recovery Console supports. For more information about a specific command, type help command-name or command-name /?.
• Listsvc displays all available services and drivers on the computer.
• Logon displays detected installations of Windows and requests the local Administrator password for those installations. Use this command to move to another installation or subdirectory.
• Map displays currently active device mappings. Include the arc option to specify the use of Advanced RISC Computing (ARC) paths instead of Windows device paths. (ARC is the format that is used for the Boot.ini file.)
• Md (Mkdir) creates a directory. The command operates only in the system directories of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root directory of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.
• More/Type displays the specified text file to the screen.
• Rd (rmdir) removes a directory. The command operates only in the system directories of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root directory of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources.
• Ren (rename) renames a single file. The command operates only in the system directories of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root directory of any hard disk partition, or in the local installation sources. You cannot specify a new drive or path as the target.
• Set displays and sets the Recovery Console environment variables.
• Systemroot sets the current directory to %systemroot%.