CREATE A BOOTABLE CD EMERGENCY REPAIR DISC FOR XP?

Here is how to make a bootable XP Recovery Console CD and a Hiren's BootCD (neither require XP media).

I do not recall in recent memory any XP issue I could not resolve with one or the other.

The Microsoft Support Engineers either don't know how to do this or are prohibited - I think because there is not a Microsoft KB article about it. If you are a SE and making a post, you better include a Microsoft KB article in it somewhere or it doesn't count.   I think they just don't know how...

You can make a bootable Recovery Console CD by downloading an ISO file and burning it to a CD.

The bootable ISO image file you need to download is called:

xp_rec_con.iso 

Download the ISO file from here MEDIAFIRE.COM: http://adf.ly/Esvk2

Use a new CD and this free and easy program to burn your ISO file and create your bootable CD:

http://www.imgburn.com/

Here are some instructions for ImgBurn:

http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=61

It would be a good idea to test your bootable CD on a computer that is working.

You may need to adjust the computer BIOS settings to use the CD ROM drive as the first boot device instead of the hard disk. 

These adjustments are made before Windows tries to load.  If you miss it, you will have to reboot the system again.

When you boot on the CD, follow the prompts:

Press any key to boot from CD.

The Windows Setup. will proceed.

Press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console.

Select the installation you want to access (usually  1: C:\WINDOWS)

You may be asked to enter the Administrator password (usually empty).

You should be in the C:\WINDOWS folder. 

This is the same as the 

C:\WINDOWS folder you see in explorer.

The Recovery Console allows basic file commands like: copy, rename, replace, delete, cd, chkdsk, fixboot, fixmbr, etc.

To run chkdsk and fix any hard disk error boot, after selecting the windows installation directory you wich to fix .e.g 1: C:\WINDOWS> just type this in-front of >chkdsk c: /r

e.g it will look like this: C:\WINDOWS>chkdsk c: /r

Now hit the enter key on your keyboard, wait for the task to complete after task complete type EXIT to restart your computer

NOTE: You must leave a space after typing chkdsk then type c: and leave a space again and finally type /r

For a list of Recovery Console commands, enter help at the prompt or read about the XP Recovery Console here: http://adf.ly/Esy70

ENJOY!!!