Re: Unable to restore from recovery partition

Here is Microsoft's own description of bootcfg, which has been around since NT
4.0:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980

"The bootcfg /redirect command enables redirection in the boot loader with the
configuration specified as port and baudrate. This command is used to turn on
the Headless Administration feature." Headless means no monitor attached, with
administration of Windows through a dumb terminal (e.g. DEC VT100) usually
attached to a serial port. Seems to me to be a leftover from the days when a
monitor cost $1000.

In general, the recovery console provides limited number of limited commands
which can be used to fix a problem on the hard drive with Windows. If you boot
to the recovery console, get yourself to the command line, and type HELP, you
will get a list of allowable commands. If you type HELP <command>, you will get
the syntax for that command. You can also find more information about the
recovery console at the Microsoft web site. Or just Google for it. Faster than
Microsoft's anemic search.

You were definitely given a steaming pile of fresh horse manure on whatever
newsgroup gave you that advice. We try not to do that in this newsgroup. Most
of us anyway... Ben Myers

On Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:58:13 -0700 (PDT), Fred the Red Shirt
<fredfighter@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sep 14, 9:10 pm, Ben Myers <ben_myers_spam_me_...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Well, then, how about hitting the F2 key to enter the setup, then change the
boot order in the BIOS setup?

See: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.sys.pc-clone.dell/msg/75ee6eb7162c0470?hl=en&dmode=source



Or power on the system, hit the F12 key to call
up the system boot menu, select the CD/DVD drive, and boot?

I'll try that next.


"The instructions I have found say to boot using six setup floppies downloaded
from microsoft and then use the recovery console to enable booting from the
cd-rom."  Whoever told you this or wherever you found, it is a large warm pile
of horse manure, still warm and steaming.  Booting from the CD/DVD drive is a
BIOS-controlled function, plain and simple.  It has absolutely NOTHING to do
with Windows itself.

Agreed.


Better yet, please cite a reference where you found this gem of computer wisdom.

It was in one of these Usenet newsgroups. Problem
is there are too many of them. When looking for it,
I found this discusion of the recovery partition and
thought maybe it would be good to ask about the
recovery console.

Have you ever used the recovery console? Are
you familiar with the sytax of the available
commands?

Do you know what the recovery console command:

bootcfg /redirect useBiosSettings

Actually does?
.

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