Software & Apps > Windows How to Enter Windows XP Recovery Console Use this tool on the Windows XP CD for advanced troubleshooting and system repair By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Facebook Twitter Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 10, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Windows The Ultimate Laptop Buying Guide What to Know Boot from the Windows XP CD and wait for setup process to begin. Press R to enter Recovery Console.Next, choose the Windows installation you want > enter administrator password > make necessary changes. This article explains how to enter the Windows XP Recovery Console to resolve any major system problems. 01 of 06 Boot From the Windows XP CD To start, you need to boot from the Windows XP CD. Watch for a Press any key to boot from CD message. Press any key to force the computer to boot from the disc. If you don't press a key, your PC will continue to boot to the Windows installation that's currently installed on your hard drive. If this happens, just restart and try to boot to the CD again. 02 of 06 Allow Windows to Begin the Setup Process No user intervention is required in this step. Windows loads files in preparation for either a reinstallation of the OS or for use of the Recovery Console. Do not press a function key if asked to do so during this process. Those options are only necessary when installing or reinstalling Windows XP. 03 of 06 Press R to Enter Recovery Console When the Windows XP Professional/Home Setup screen appears, press R to enter Recovery Console. 04 of 06 Choose the Windows Installation The Recovery Console loads but needs to know which Windows installation to access. Most people have only one installation, so the choice is usually clear. To the Which Windows installation would you like to log onto question, press 1 and then Enter. 05 of 06 Enter the Administrator Password The Recovery Console now needs to know the administrator password for this Windows installation. Unless you're using a PC in a sizable business network, the administrator password is most likely the same password you use to access Windows on a daily basis. Enter the password and press Enter. If you don't have a password or Windows normally starts without asking for one, simply press Enter. 06 of 06 Make Necessary Changes in Recovery Console The Recovery Console is now fully loaded and the cursor should be sitting at the prompt, ready for a command, as shown in the screenshot above. Make any changes necessary in the Recovery Console. When complete, remove the Windows disc and type exit, and then Enter, to restart the computer. Recovery Console: What It Is & a List of Commands Windows XP has been discontinued and is no longer supported by Microsoft. We recommend you update to a modern version of Windows, like Windows 10 or Windows 11. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit