Recovery Console Commands

The Recovery Console can be an indispensable diagnostic tool when your Windows XP, 2000, or Server 2003 based computer suffers from certain major problems.
A number of commands are available within Recovery Console, some of them exclusive to the tool. When used, these commands can do things as simple as copying a file from one place to another or as complicated as repairing the master boot record after a major virus attack.
Recovery Console commands are different than Command Prompt commands and DOS commands.
See below for a complete list of Recovery Console commands:

Attrib

The attrib command is used to change the attributes of a single file or a directory.

Batch

The batch command can be used to run a series of other Recovery Console commands located in a text file that you specify.

Bootcfg

The bootcfg command is used to build or modify the boot.ini file, a hidden file that is used to identify in what folder, on which partition, and on which hard drive Windows is located.

Chdir

The chdir command is used to display the drive letter and folder that you are currently in. Chdir can also be used to change the drive and/or directory that you want to work in.

Chkdsk

The chkdsk command, often referred to as "check disk", is used to identify, and often times correct, certain hard drive errors.

Cls

The cls command clears the screen of all previously entered commands and other text.

Copy

The copy command does simply that - it copies a single file from one location to another.

Delete

The delete command is used to delete a single file.

Dir

The dir command is used to display a list of files and folders contained inside the folder that you are currently working in. The dir command also displays other important information like the hard drive's serial number, the total number of files listed, their combined size, the total amount of free space left on the drive, and more.

Disable

The disable command is used to disable a system service or a device driver.

Diskpart

The diskpart command is used to create or delete partitions on hard drives.

Enable

The enable command is used to enable a system service or a device driver.

Exit

The exit command ends the Recovery Console session and then restarts the computer.

Expand

The expand command is used to extract a single file or a group of files from a compressed file.

Fixboot

The fixboot command writes a new partition boot sector to the system partition that you specify.

Fixmbr

The fixmbr command writes a new master boot record to the hard disk drive that you specify.

Format

The format command is used to format a drive in the file system that you specify.

Help

The help command provides more detailed information on any of the other Recovery Console commands.

Listsvc

The listsvc command will list the services and drivers available in your Windows installation.

Logon

The logon command is used to gain access to the Windows installation that you specify.

Map

The map command is used to display the partition and hard drive that each drive letter on the computer is currently assigned to.