1. Computing
About.com
PC Support

Discuss in my forum

Recovery Console Commands

A Complete List of Commands Available From Within Recovery Console

By , About.com Guide

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.

Note: Recovery Console does not exist in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. In those versions of Windows, command-line repair and diagnostics is performed from System Recovery Options.

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.
About.com
PC Support
  1. About.com
  2. Computing
  3. PC Support
  4. Other Resources
  5. List of Recovery Console Commands

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.