Build Your Own System Rescue CD

Installing new hardware into your PC is becoming easier all the time. Well thought-out connector systems prevent hardware from being plugged in the wrong way, allowing even less experienced users to feel more comfortable about taking the hands-on approach – and things are getting better with every product generation. Just plug in the new graphics card, install the driver, restart and… oops? Why isn’t the system booting anymore?!

In cases such as these, the Windows 2000 / XP / Vista installation CD or DVD offer a limited degree of damage control options thanks to the built-in recovery console. However, their functionality is also very limited, as the discs lack support for a network connection and don’t come with a browser – both essential tools if you need to get a driver or a recovery tool from the internet. If you’re facing a totally unknown problem, the internet is often your last option for getting information and advice, be it from friends or forums, before having to pay the pros to find answers for you. And even they may not be able to help you…

Seasoned system administrators and computer pros use system recovery and diagnostics CDs in such cases, allowing the content of the hard drive to be read and copied even if it doesn’t contain a working operating system. If the system has fallen victim to a virus and thus can’t boot anymore, the only way to clean it is to run an anti-virus utility from a medium that is known to be clean and clear. One option is to transplant the infected drive into another computer and scan it there. Alternatively, using a bootable recovery CD with a virus scanner means less hassle and works just as well.

There are several projects in existence that deal with the topic of recovery CDs. One of the most popular is the Knoppix project which is based on the Debian flavour of Linux and boots a so-called Live System directly from the CD. Here, the operating system is not installed, running directly from the computer’s RAM instead. Among Knoppix’ features are its automatic hardware detection, its wealth of system repair and data recovery utilities as well as tools for network diagnostics and security. Our goal is to show you how to build your own Recovery CD with a similar feature set as Knoppix.

However, instead of using Linux as a foundation, our System will be built on Windows XP with an integrated SP2. This solution is much easier for most users, as you’re not forced to deal with an unfamiliar operating system and user interface in the middle of a data-loss crisis and can attempt to fix your problems from within a familiar environment. In this article, we show you how to create your own rescue CD based on Windows XP SP2 and integrating helpful tools that will make the recovery process easier.