Run Recovery Console without Admin Password

[CAILYN]

Hi,
We are familiar with Windows to troubleshoot the operating system when it is crashed or corrupted. I prefer to use Recovery Console. Because this saves my time for multiple reasons. Now the issue is that in some password protected computers it is not easy to use this options. Many times the user comments that they forgot the password. So I am looking for a way to run this solutions properly and completely even in a password protected computer. And next thing I want to know is how to prevent the hard disk check on startup of Windows XP. Thanks in advance.

[Calvin K]

Normally, only the administrator can use the Recovery Console. But it is possible to bypass this protection. The method used is different depending on the version of Windows XP that you installed. If you are using Windows XP Professional Edition then open the MMC Local Policy by Start > Run > type % systemroot% \ system32 \ secpol.msc., expand the tree Local Policies / Security Options, then double-click Recovery Console. Then choose allow logon to terminal automatically. Here, check the Enabled box to avoid the password when launching the Recovery Console.

[Lillebror]

I am using Windows XP Home edition in my PC. If you have the same operating system then just by editing Windows Registry file you can clear up the issue. Click on Start and then click on Run. In the box type regedit. After that open the following path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole. Double click on the key securitylevel and assign a value of 1. The same can be done by right clicking on it and choosing modify. Reboot your system after that.

[jesse]

T0 prevent the hard disk check on startup of Windows XP you will need to edit Windows Registry file. It is recommended that you must first take a backup of the same. So that in case of errors you can restore the things back again. To disable the above option run Windows Registry editor. Then expand the tree HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem, open the key called "DisableScandiskOnBoot" and add 01 00 00 00 (in binary) to the end key. Close the editor and reboot your computer.

[memphisrei]

I am having a similar problem but my issue is the recovery console never prompts for an admin password and I do have one.

Here is my issue: Windows will not boot, I am receiving the error that <windows root>\system32\ntoskrnl.exe file is missing or corrupt. It tells me to reinstall the file and windows will work.

So I goggled how to reinstall the file, found great steps on using an expand command in the recovery console, but when I type in the two commands below I am told ACCESS DENIED. Do any of you know if this is due to the recovery console never asking for a password, or if there is something else?

Here are the commands:

expand d:\i386\ntoskrnl.ex_ c:\windows\system32
expand d:\i386\hal.dl_ c\windows\system32

I loaded a boot disk of Ubunto and can see 90% of my files, so I believe my files and everything is in tack, I think windows just lost this ntoskrnl file and if I can fix that I won't have to format C, which is very important to me because my last back up was 3 months ago (I know I'm ashamed).

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!
MemphisREI

[Ekpah]

If the expand command is not working till now then i will advise you to go with the "Copy" command which will make that "copy D:\i386\ntoskrnl.exe C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe". This will resolve the issue with the same. If this is also not working with the issue of yours then i will advise you to go with the below given rename command which will work with the issue. Here is command for renaming. "ren C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.old"

[memphisrei]

Ekpah,
Thank you so much for your reply. CHKDSK /r is running right now, at about a percent per hour (yuk). The expand and copy did not work, so when CHKDSK finishes I will most certainly try the rename command you mentioned below. Thank you so much.

Once I do the rename command, do I then try the expand or copy command or do you think windows will boot simple after the rename command executes?

By the way, can't remember if I mentioned this in my earlier post, but I did the bootcfg /rebuild and it errored saying the scan could not successfully complete because it could not find a windows operating system on my pc and told me to run chkdsk /r so that is why I am doing that process. Wow what a slow process. Right now that looks like it will take 100 hrs to complete

Thanks,
MemphisREI

If the expand command is not working till now then i will advise you to go with the "Copy" command which will make that "copy D:\i386\ntoskrnl.exe C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe". This will resolve the issue with the same. If this is also not working with the issue of yours then i will advise you to go with the below given rename command which will work with the issue. Here is command for renaming. "ren C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.old"