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Q156328: Description of Windows NT Emergency Repair Disk

Article: Q156328
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbsetup kbtool
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

During Windows NT 4.0 Setup, you are given the option to create an Emergency
Repair Disk (ERD). Microsoft recommends that you create an ERD during Setup so
that you will have the proper tools in case fault recovery becomes necessary.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Maintaining a current ERD is just as important as having a current system
backup. When system configuration changes are made (such as installing new
software or changing software configuration, altering network configuration,
hardware changes, operating system updates) you should update your ERD with the
Rdisk utility included with Windows NT.

Following is an excerpt from the Windows NT 3.51 Resource Kit Update 2, page
127:

A current Emergency Repair Disk is your most valuable tool in recovering
information that you need to start your system. The Emergency Repair Disk is
intended to provide just enough recovery to restore a system to a bootable state
and is not a replacement for regular backups.

Windows NT Server and Windows NT Workstation include the RDISK command for
building and maintaining repair information. You can use this tool to update the
repair information stored in the Winnt\Repair folder and to copy the information
to a floppy disk. You can use the Emergency Repair Disk to replace damaged
system files, restore damaged or incorrect registry information, and rebuild the
startup environment.

You should update the repair information and create a new Emergency Repair Disk
any time you change the system configuration in any significant way. For
example, if you add or remove hardware from the system or change the disk drive
configuration, you should update the repair information.

To maintain your current registry configuration, you must update your ERD.
Otherwise, each repair disk only contains the registry information from the time
Windows NT was first installed. To create an updated ERD, use one of the
following methods:

- Type "rdisk /s" (without the quotation marks) in the Open box.

- Type "rdisk" (without the quotation marks) in the Open box, and then click
  Update Repair Info.

Additional query words: prodnt corrupt

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Keywords          : kbsetup kbtool 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0

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