If the Recovery Console doesn't let you back up files, read the contents of a directory that isn't in the system root, use wildcards, or edit security information, what can you do with the Recovery Console? You can use this tool to fix your broken system partition to make it usable again. You use the Recovery Console's set of DOS-like commands to manipulate the files and structure of the system partition. On the command line, type
help
to access a complete set of commands. The console's basic functionality includes enabling and disabling services; replacing damaged system files; fixing boot sectors and boot records; and deleting, creating, and formatting partitions. The Recovery Console doesn't include a command-line version of regedit, as Windows 9x does.
The onscreen Help for some of these commands is sketchy, but I think this problem is beta-related. The commands work fine and give you a simple way to complete single-step fixes to Win2K, including stopping services or restoring key system files such as NT Loader (NTLDR). When you finish with the Recovery Console, type
exit
to reboot the system.
You can edit some security settings to make the Recovery Console more flexible. Open the Local Security Policy Tool in the Administrative Tools folder and migrate to Local Policies/Security Options. That folder contains two Recovery Console properties: Recovery Console: Allow automatic administrative logon and Recovery Console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and folders. Enable the first property to log on to the Recovery Console without requiring an Administrator password. Enable the second property if you want to be able to copy files from the system media.
To create the ERD, you use the Emergency Repair Disk wizard in the Backup program. Win2K doesn't include the Rdisk utility.
When you run the ERD creator in the Backup program, Win2K copies basic operating support files to the disk and backs up the contents of \%systemroot% \system32\config to the repair directory. As in NT 4.0, the ERD isn't a bootable disk—you need the Setup boot disks or the installation CD-ROM to get to the Repair menu. When you create the ERD, you have the option to update the Repair data in your Win2K installation. The system stores the original Registry settings in \%systemroot%\system32 \repair but stores the updated settings in a \regback subfolder. Therefore, you can either restore your saved configuration or return to the original Registry settings.
You choose between two repair options when you use the ERD. Selecting Manual Repair lets you choose among the repair utility's repair options. When you select Fast Repair, the repair utility will perform all the repair tasks that Manual Repair offers. By default, the repair utility inspects the startup environment, verifies that the Win2K system files are present, and inspects the boot sector. Choose the repair option you want, and press Enter.
To use the ERD to repair a troublesome installation, insert the ERD and press Enter. Setup will search for a Win2K installation and ask you whether the installation it finds is the one you want to repair. If the selection is correct, press Enter.
Setup will read from setup.log (the record of all files originally installed) on the ERD and perform the repair operation you selected when you created the ERD. If the program detects files in your existing installation that don't match the files in setup.log, Setup will tell you. You can choose to skip the file, repair the file (i.e., replace it with the Win2K Server installation file), or repair all files that don't match their originals. A "skip all files" function doesn't exist, so you must tell Setup what to do on a file-by-file basis. Setup inspects the entire Win2K directory, so this process takes time.
Unfortunately, you can't identify the file that caused the problem. The ERD process identifies only files that differ from the files that Setup installs or that differ from your saved Registry backups in \regback.
When Setup finishes, your computer will prompt you to reboot and run Win2K. Your security information (e.g., policies, accounts, passwords) will be unchanged because the Registry doesn't store that information.
My Favorite Tool
My favorite Win2K Server recovery tool is the Recovery Console. First, this tool gives you an NTFS-compatible command-line interface to the Win2K system files that doesn't depend on a successful boot. You can put system files on an NTFS partition and benefit from the more efficient use of space and security that NTFS offers. Second, the Recovery Console lets you perform tasks that aren't possible with NT 4.0, such as stopping disabling services before they have a chance to start (ask me about the runaway network driver diagnostic that wouldn't die). However, the Recovery Console isn't complete. I wish the tool had a command-line version of the Registry Editor so that I could import and export .reg files from the command line and fix Registry-related problems without starting Win2K.
The Win2K ERD is potentially dangerous. If users don't understand the difference between the Win2K ERD, which doesn't store Registry backups on the diskette, and the NT 4.0 version, they'll learn the hard way if they assume that they're backing up the Registry by creating an ERD. However, some changes to the Win2K ERD in RC2 are an improvement over earlier versions, which makes me wonder whether the Win2K ERD was much of a tool in the first place. Currently, the tool works much as the NT 4.0 ERD does, except it doesn't store Registry files.
If you use the recovery tools in Win2K as Microsoft designed them for you to use, you'll be well equipped. The Advanced Options menu is handy for fixing minor problems, and the Recovery Console is excellent for replacing files or manipulating service settings to solve problems. Back up your Registry regularly and maintain an ERD, and you can handle most Win2K configuration problems.