How can you replace a system file if the OS won’t boot?

A customer has accidentally deleted some operating system files from the root of his hard drive, and he’s brought the system to you. The system shows this message when booting: “NTLDR is Missing.” What’s the best way to investigate the extent of the damage?

A) Use the Windows Recovery Console

B) Launch Safe Mode

C) Use “Last Known Good Configuration”

D) Use Automated System Recovery

The answer: A) Use the Windows Recovery Console

The Windows Recovery Console allows you to boot the system into shell, allowing you to list files on the hard drive, rename files, start and stop services, and copy replacement operating system files from external installation media.

Want to know more? Watch “Recovering the Operating System.” When things go bad with an operating system, they can often go very, very bad. In this video, we’ll show you how you can recover from major operating system startup problems using Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, Automated System Recovery Disks, and the Windows Recovery Console.