Windows XP Recovery Console over PXE

What you need:

• A working RIS server with a working Windows XP CD Image

NOTE: If you use RIS to install Windows XP manually (not unattended) and can already enter the recovery console through the welcome page, then stop here because that exactly what this guide shows. Well, almost. It shows how to use an existing CD Image with unattended setup and add the possibility to also start it without skipping the welcome screen.

Now that's quite simple, but MS docs weren't that obvious... Just put the following code:

[data]
floppyless = "1"
msdosinitiated = "1"
OriSrc = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"
OriTyp = "4"
LocalSourceOnCD = 1

[SetupData]
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"
SetupSourceDevice = "\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"

[UserData]
FullName = "%USERFULLNAME%"
OrgName = "%ORGNAME%"
ComputerName = %MACHINENAME%

[RemoteInstall]
Repartition = no
[OSChooser]
Description ="Microsoft Windows XP Professional - Recovery Console"
Help ="Allows user to perform repair operations, without local media, of a Windows Professional installation."
LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType =FLAT
Version="5.1 (0)"

In the following file:

[Drive letter]:\RemoteInstall\Setup\[Language]\Images\[Windows CD Image]\i386\templates\console.sif

In my case, it was E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\French\Images\WINDOWS\i386\templates\console.sif

Now, make sure the i386 folder contains a suitable Windows 2000 driver for your PXE client(s) and restart the RIS server.

You should now have a new option to select from the RIS menu. You will notice it's the same text based setup as a normal XP Installation, only it won't do anything automatically so you can press R at the welcome screen and enter the Recovery Console.