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Windows2000 Recovery Console

With previous versions of NT, if you were unable to boot to the GUI version,
a complete reinstall was your only option for recovery or emergency repairs.
This was especially true if you have NTFS on your boot partition.

The Recover Console allows you to boot to a command prompt version of the OS
and perform some basic recovery tasks.

Recovery Console Installation
1. Insert your original Windows2000 CD
2. Go to the i386 directory
3. Run winnt32.exe /cmdcons
4. Reboot the computer when requested.
5. The Recovery Console is now an option when you start Windows2000
6. To restart from the Recovery Console, type Exit

Using the Recovery Console
1. You can use the following commands while in the Recover Console
2. Some tasks you can perform are:
  • Use, copy, rename or replace files and folders.
  • Enable or disable services or devices from starting when you next start your computer.
  • Repair the file system boot sector or the Master Boot Record (MBR).
  • Create and format partitions on drives.
3. Commands that are available are:

Attrib     CD      Chdir      Chkdsk      Cls      Copy      Del      Delete
Dir      Disable      Diskpart      Enable      Exit      Expand      Fixboot
Fixmbr      Format      Help      Listsvc      Logon      Map      MD
Mkdir      More      Rd      Ren      Rename      Rmdir
Type      Systemroot

There is a Knowledge Base Article from Microsoft that details the funtion and options available for each command.

Additional Options
Normally, the Recovery Console restricts files you can access to just the \WINNT directory. It also won't let you copy those files to a floppy disk. You can change this security setting from the Local Security Policy MMC.
1. Run the Local Security Policy MMC (Start / Run / Programs / Administrative Tools / Local Security Policy)
2. Open up Local Policies / Security Options.  Scroll down through the list until you find the one labeled:

Recovery Console: Allow Floppy Copy and Access to All Drives and All Folders
3. Double-click on this setting and change the option to Enabled.