Once you select the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console option from the operating system selection menu, the software boots and you are prompted to select an installation to log on to. This option exists for systems that have multiple copies of XP installed, such as a dual-boot installation with versions of XP residing on drives C and D, for example. If you have only a single installation of XP, type 1 at the prompt and press Enter. Otherwise, type the number associated with the installation you are trying to recover.
Once the operating system is selected, you need to log on using the local Administrator account in order to gain access to the console. Other users do not have the ability to log on to the Recovery Console, so you’ll need to ensure that you have this password handy. Once you’ve submitted the Administrator password and pressed Enter, you’re logged in at the command line with focus on the %systemroot% directory, which is typically C:\Windows. The logon command can be used to change the version of XP you are logged on to if multiple instances exist.
