Things You'll Need:
- Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM(s)
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Step 1
Insert the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM into the the computer's CD-ROM drive.
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Step 2
Click on the Start Menu icon in the lower left-hand corner of the desktop and select the "Run" option. This will bring up a small window allowing you to input a file name or location of a program that you wish to run.
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Step 3
Input the location of the recovery setup file and the option to install it onto the system. With the Windows XP Home Edition operating system CD-ROM, you will find the setup file at the following path: d:\i386\winnt32.exe. This is assuming that "D" is the location of the correct CD-ROM drive. When you type this location into the "Run" dialogue box, include a space and then this switch: "/cmdcons." This tells the computer that you want to install the console when you run the setup program.
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Step 4
Click on the "Yes" button to confirm that you want to install the recovery console. After the installation is complete, you will need to reboot the computer.
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Step 5
Access the recovery console through the Startup Menu when Windows loads. If Windows will not load to that point, you can run the recovery console from the CD-ROM used earlier. You will need to reconfigure your BIOS to check the CD-ROM during boot-up in order to boot from the CD.
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Step 6
Troubleshoot the problem that Windows is having by using the commands available in the recovery console. A complete list of commands can be seen by typing "help" at the command prompt. If you need help with a specific command, simply type "(command name) help." Troubleshooting should begin by analyzing when the problems associated with the Windows loading started. Usually it can be attributed to new software or drivers that have adversely affected the system. Disabling these drivers or programs from the recovery console can solve the problem.
