Recovery Console file Missing

[Jhtexas]

All,
After installing the Recovery Console I rebooted the computer and started the recovery Console. It went through its loading process and came up with an error. The error stated that the file iastor.sys could not be found.
Does anyone have any idea?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[linney]

Do you have to press F6 to load SATA or Raid drivers so that the Recovery Console can see your hard drive?

"When the Recovery Console starts, you have the opportunity to press F6 to install a third-party SCSI or RAID driver, in case you need such a driver to access the hard disk. This prompt works the same as it does during installation of the operating system".


How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-48,GGLG:en&q=iastor.sys

http://groups.google.com/groups?sou...-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-48,GGLG:en&q=iastor.sys

 

[Jhtexas]

It's a Gateway laptop with an IDE hard drive. I don't thnk any special drivers would be required.

 

[linney]

Is your problems something like this then?

http://phorums.com.au/archive/index.php/t-146319.html

Where are you getting the Recovery Console from? Is it mis-matched with your installation version of XP? Does your OEM version support the Recovery Console?

If you have an OEM Recovery CD you might not be able to use the Recovery Console but there is a slight chance you could use the 6 downloadable floppies and enter that way. Worth a try.

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

Maybe this might work.

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

To take another view, what is the problem that makes you want to use the Recovery Console in the first place?

 

[Jhtexas]

I was really just trying to be proactive by getting it setup in the hard disk. So I tested it after installation and got the error for the file not found.
Is there a better way to be prepared for fixing WinXp issues?

Jim

 

[bcastner]

An explanation of your problem:

Installing the Recovery Console from an OEM restore disc may not always work as intended. If the OEM disc has been configured to provide third-party hardware drivers during the first stage of setup, those drivers may be enumerated by the Recovery Console boot loader, but not copied over by the RC installation system.

As a result, if you set up the Recovery Console locally, then try to boot it, you'll get an error indicating that some mass storage driver or other isn't present. You can work around this by copying the missing drivers by hand to the hidden \cmdcons directory (where the Recovery Console is launched from). This might work for your issue with iastor.sys. Try it. I warn you it might not.

If your system requires a certain mass storage driver to boot that isn't enumerated by the OEM disc (i.e., something you do have to put on a floppy and punch F6 to provide), you won't be able to just copy the missing driver to the \cmdcons directory and expect it to work. Microsoft used to have an article in the Knowledge Base that detailed how to add third-party/OEM mass storage drivers to the Recovery Console (KB article 817616), but it has been deleted for some reason. (I suspect the technique in question wasn't that reliable, and may not have worked consistently for all third-party drivers.)

1. Install the Recovery Console. Given your issues, do not use the CD method.

First, remove your faulty installation of Recovery Console:

http://www.petri.co.il/delete_the_recovery_console.htm

Now reinstall the Recovery Console:

. You can borrow someone's XP SP2 disk;

. It might be possible using the boot floppies:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp&NoWebContent=1

Copy the contents to a folder and from that folder try using the winnt32.exe /cmdcons installation command.

. You can use this ISO image if you can burn ISOs:

http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso

Now, give Recovery Console greater power:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310497

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/312149

------------ a whole different approach

Use one or more of these PE environment utilities:

Bart PE:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

UBCD4Win:

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

Knoppix:

http://knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html