The Recovery Console cannot be installed on Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003

When you use the winnt32.exe /cmdcons command to install the Recovery Console on a computer that is running the Itanium-based versions of Microsoft Windows Server 2003, you may receive the following error message:

This behavior occurs because you cannot locally install the Recovery Console on Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2003 by using the winnt32 /cmdcons command. You can only install the Recovery Console on x86-based platforms.

To work around this behavior, access the Recovery Console by starting the computer with the Windows Server 2003 installation disk, and then press the R key at the Welcome to Setup screen.

A faster method to access the Recovery Console is to press the F10 key during the driver-copy phase of Text-mode Setup (after the option to press the F6 key to install additional small computer system interface [SCSI] drivers has been displayed).

This behavior is by design.

To repair a Windows Server 2003 installation with the Recovery Console, press the R key. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: