Recovery Console?

[war59312]

Hey,

Well I see:

Installing Recovery Console During an Unattended Install

In order to install the Recovery Console during the unattended installation of Windows, it is necessary to use the [GuiRunOnce] section of the unattend.txt file.

Command1="path\winnt32 /cmdcons /unattend"

Ok so what should path be. And besides there is no winnt32 folder on the cd or on windows installation?

cya,

Will

[xolox]

Ok so what should path be. And besides there is no winnt32 folder on the cd or on windows installation?

winnt32 is not a folder, but a program. There are two on the setup-disk actually: winnt32.exe and winnt32.msi. They both reside in the root-folder i386. So the command would become:

Command1="i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons /unattend"

But I don't know in what kind of a context you are thinking. Cuz this command will not work, because you'll need to specify the cdromdrive-letter. And you can't do that from the winnt.sif or unattend.txt (the same) file, because it's prepared before the installation, and before you could ever know what the driveletter will be......

[war59312]

See torwards the bottom:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=216417

It says " it is necessary to use the [GuiRunOnce] section of the unattend.txt file"

so it must work.

How about:

[GuiRunOnce]

Command1=".\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons /unattend"

I'm about to test it and find out, I guess.

[prathapml]

There's threads all over which describe how you can get the %CDROM% variable established. I'd suppose you could use that method, and do

%CDROM%\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

from a batch-file run via GUIrunonce.

[jrzycrim]

You also might want to add the /dudisable switch. That will disable dynamic update and keep setup from trying to connect to the internet for updates while installing the console.

[war59312]

All right thanks will do.

So what does this do? Its not a boot option right? Or is it?

Cause with my Gold CD when you enter the cd with windows already installed it has the Recoveryy Console with R for repair but once I intergrated SP2 it fanished.

So I am hoping this is how I get it back but after reading I'm doubt full. I do not really want two boot options.

And it seems you can not use the Gold copy to do a repair cause then you get a boot error once the repair is done.

So wtf. Something about scann the hard disk using chkdsk /f which I did but still says that after I scanned. And I even took the hard drive out and switch to another pc. Also tried fixmbr but no luck.

So I hope this works:

WINNT.sif

[GuiRunOnce]
    %systemdrive%\install\findDrive.cmd
    Command1="%CDROM%\i386\winnt32 /cmdcons /unattend /dudisable"

findDrive.cmd

@echo off

for %%a in (C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %%a:\i386\winnt.exe set CDROM=%%a:

EXIT

[jrzycrim]

It installs the recovery console onto your hard drive. It does add an entry to your boot menu.

Making a CD unattended does away with the Recovery console option. You can always use your original CD if you need the recovery console.

What kind of boot error are you talking about?

[war59312]

It installs the recovery console onto your hard drive. It does add an entry to your boot menu.

Making a CD unattended does away with the Recovery console option. You can always use your original CD if you need the recovery console.

What kind of boot error are you talking about?

Hey,

Yea thats what I thought. Kinda sucks.

The boot error I get is:

0x0000007B

Yes tried everything referenced here and other pages it points to:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;324103

I figured something would go wrong.

Seeing as it is:

Windows XP Pro. Retail Gold VS Windows XP Corp. SP2

Meaning I installed using Windows XP Corp. SP2 unattended but then you use the Gold cd but of course its not the same files as the SP2 cd when you need a repair. Even different cd keys.

So whats you are saying I should make another sp2 cd which is not unattended?

[jrzycrim]

The recovery console has nothing to do with repair installs. The recovery console is just a utility that loads from CD which lets you access your system; it's useful if you can't boot from your hard drive for whatever reason.

An unattended CD does not give you the option of doing a repair install. You could just make a regular CD with SP2 to use for repairs. I've heard you can make a pseudo multi-boot CD which will let you choose between a regular install or a unattended install. So far, I haven't found any threads which contain details on this.

[war59312]

Yea I got it now.

Yeah that would be pretty sweet.

[prathapml]

An unattended CD does not give you the option of doing a repair install. you can make a pseudo multi-boot CD which will let you choose between a regular install or a unattended install.

You're right about that.

Go here, and make yourself a 2-in-1 optimized CD - guide

Now (after making that), you can pop your CD into the drive, and choose whether to load unattended install (no repair install offered) or to load normal install (repair-install is offered, just like before).

The installing of recovery console (your original issue) won't end up giving you multiple options everytime your system boots up. It will add itself to the "Startup Options". You can press F8, and choose to run "Recovery Console" just like you use "Safe Mode" - that option won't even show itself and isn't accessible to anybody, except for you, who knows that such an option exists.

[war59312]

Oh all right cool. Sweet.

But yea I will try that guide out.

Thanks man,

Will