how to get to the dos prompt

[mike d]

How do I get to a dos prompt before win 2k loads. Win 2k
will not load.

 

[Ray at]

There's no such thing. W2K is not like W98 where it's just a GUI over top
of DOS. REad up on the recovery console or describe what you mean when you
say that "Win 2k will not load."

Ray at work

 

[JeffO]

Boot to the Windows 2000 CD and choose "R" for a Repair.
This takes you to a screen that gives you two more
choices, the Recovery Console or a Repair Installation of
W2K. Choose "C" for Recovery Console. You should be
prompted for the operating system to boot to and the local
administrator password. If you are not prompted for a
password, then there is no access to Windows at all. An
example of a good hard drive but a destroyed file system
is when you get an "invalid boot" message at boot time,
and you're unable to view directory info at the Recovery
Console. At the Recovery Console prompt, run:
CHKDSK /F /R
Since you're booted off the CD, not the hard drive, it
will run without a reboot.
If it refuses to run, then you probably have a hardware
fatality.
Reboot to see if this fixed the problem.

 

[Herb Martin]

What Ray said is accurate.

Note: You can get to the recovery console from the
CDROM boot (then press R and not Enter at first
prompt.)

This is NOT DOS nor is it the Win2000 "command prompt";
it looks similar and has many of the same commands but the
OS is "the Recover Console OS".

You can also do the F8 and try "Safe Mode with Command
Prompt only"; that IS REAL Win2000 but without the GUI
or unnecessary drivers or services.