Error Recovery Console - Admin Password

[flumpf]

I don't have any passwords set up on my XP system. I need to reinstall
Windows but want to save the My Documents folder first. Going into
Error Recovery Console, I just his return when it asks for
administrator password. Then I get a Dos prompt. But when I try to
copy/move/rename files, I get Access Denied. Is there any way around
this?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I don't have any passwords set up on my XP system. I need to reinstall
Windows but want to save the My Documents folder first. Going into
Error Recovery Console, I just his return when it asks for
administrator password. Then I get a Dos prompt. But when I try to
copy/move/rename files, I get Access Denied. Is there any way around
this?

By default, the Recovery COnsole has limited scope. It can only work in a
few directories.
You are likely attempting to move files to areas outside of that scope.

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

HTH
-pk

 

[John John (MVP)]

I assume that you can actually logon to the Recovery Console and that
you are at the C:\Windows> prompt. For security reasons the Recovery
Console only allows access to the %systemroot% (Windows) folder and its
subfolders, the root folder of your other drives and removable media.

This can be changed as per instructions here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310497/

John

 

[Mick Murphy]

http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Download the above Knoppix Live CD ISO file.

http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm

Download the Vista Burning software from the above link.

After installing above ISO burning software, right-click on Knoppix ISO
file, make an Image disk.

Knoppix does not install on your PC; just uses your PC's resources, RAM,
Graphics, etc.

Plug in a Flash Drive/Memory Stick, boot with the Live CD, and you should be
able to read your Hard Drive.
Change the Flash Drive Properties from read only.
Copy your Data over to FD

 

[flumpf]

What is the "Group Policy Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in"?

 

[John John (MVP)]

Windows XP Proffessional: Enter gpedit.msc in the Start menu Run box.

Windows XP Home doesn't have the GPO Snap-in tool, you have to edit the
registry. The KB article tells you how to do this:

This policy sets the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole registry key's DWORD
"SetCommand" value to 1

With the above policy in place, when you are in the Recovery Console use
the SET command to allow the policy:

set AllowAllPaths = TRUE

Note the space on *each* side of the = sign.

John

 

[flumpf]

Windows XP Proffessional: Enter gpedit.msc in the Start menu Run box.

Windows XP Home doesn't have the GPO Snap-in tool, you have to edit the
registry. The KB article tells you how to do this:

This policy sets the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole registry key's DWORD
"SetCommand" value to 1

With the above policy in place, when you are in the Recovery Console use
the SET command to allow the policy:

set AllowAllPaths = TRUE

Note the space on *each* side of the = sign.

John

flumpfwrote:

I can't get windows to run so I can't do a Start/Run command.

What I'm trying to do is not lose the files I currently have in My
Documents. Is there a way I can avoid that if I re-install Windows
without re-formatting the C drive?

 

[John John (MVP)]

I can't get windows to run so I can't do a Start/Run command.

What I'm trying to do is not lose the files I currently have in My
Documents. Is there a way I can avoid that if I re-install Windows
without re-formatting the C drive?

The Recovery Console is not the tool to use to salvage your files. The
best think to do would be to mount your hard disk in another Windows
2000/XP machine or use a PE disk like Bart's PE disk or the Ultimate
Boot Disc for Windows (ubdc4win) to copy your files off the hard drive.

John

 

[John John (MVP)]

I can't get windows to run so I can't do a Start/Run command.

What I'm trying to do is not lose the files I currently have in My
Documents. Is there a way I can avoid that if I re-install Windows
without re-formatting the C drive?

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341/

Anything can happen when you reinstall the operating system, if you
value your data you will salvage it *before* you proceed. Sometimes
"stuff" just happens, don't risk your data for the sake of expediency!

John