Recovery Console "Access Denied"

[teddy]

I have a computer with a corrupt/missing system32/config/system. I know how to fix that with recovery console.

My problem is that when I go into the recovery console, it never asks for an administrator password, and everything (that i've tried) other than the C:\ tells me "Access Denied". Can't go look at any folders, copy things, etc.

Any thoughts? Thanks for any help.

[tarquel]

Its by design I believe.

I take it you haven't read this article then....

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;314058

specifically, the Restrictions and limitations of the Recovery Console section.

It nicely documents the commands you can use too.

If you need to do more than you are able to, i suggest using something like PEbuilder - http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - most the plugins you wont need so follow the instructions to make up a basic cd you can use. be careful when altering stuff as you could render the install of XP completely useless

Regards and let us know how u get on,

Nath

[teddy]

I don't think what I'm experiencing is "by design". I can do nothing except "dir" inside C. If that's a natural limitation of the Recovery Console, then it would be pretty worthless. It would also make all instruction pages I'm trying to follow totally useless.

In any case, we think that the drive is hosed.

[Garyth]

it's a security restriction. It can be disabled with a reg tweak, but the tweak must be applied to the working system prior to failure.