How to Access System Restore at Bootup

The Windows recovery tool is used to repair a corrupted hard drive partition table or registry file. The tool is beneficial for people who have lost access to the Windows operating system due to a software error. You can access this program during the boot process using the Windows CD-ROM or DVD installation disk. The tool is located on the disk of every Windows operating system since XP.

Things You'll Need

• Windows installation CD or DVD disk

Instructions

1. Insert the Windows installation CD or DVD into the drive. Reboot the machine. With the disk in the drive, the computer boots into the installation screen. This screen also contains access to the recovery console.

2. Press the "R" key on your keyboard. This key starts the recovery console.

3. Enter the administrator password for the Windows machine. This is required before you can edit system files including the registry and disk partitions. After credentials are entered, you are given a command prompt.

4. Type "help" into the command prompt. You are officially in the recovery console. The "help" command gets you started with the syntax and functions you can use in the console. For instance, to fix the master boot record, type "fixmbr" into the command prompt.

References

• Microsoft: Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console for advanced users