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You receive an error message if you try to install the Recovery Console on a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

Article ID: 898594 - View products that this article applies to.

SYMPTOMS

If you try to install the Recovery Console on a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer, you receive the following error message:

Setup cannot continue because the version of Windows on your computer is newer than the version on the CD.

This symptom occurs if you try to install the Recovery Console by using either of the following CDs instead of a Windows XP SP2 CD:

Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Windows XP

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CAUSE

This issue occurs because you cannot run a version of Winnt32.exe from either of the following CDs on a Windows XP SP2-based computer:

Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Windows XP

Windows XP SP2 is detected as an operating system that is newer than the version of Winnt32.exe that is on either of the previous CDs.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Use a Windows XP SP2 CD

Click Start, click Run, type CD drive letter:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons, and then click OK.

Method 2: Install the Recovery Console before you install Windows XP SP2

Install the Recovery Console before you install Windows XP SP2. After you install the Recovery Console, install Windows XP SP2.

Method 3: Install the Recovery Console by using files in the Windows XP SP2 Installation folder

Create a Windows XP SP2 Installation folder. For more information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
900871
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900871/ )
How to integrate Windows XP Service Pack 2 files into the Windows XP installation folder
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type the following command:
FolderPath:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons

Note In this step, FolderPath is the drive and folder name that are used as the Installation folder. For example, the drive and folder name that are used in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 900871 are C:\XPSP2.
Confirm the installation when you are prompted by clicking Yes.
Restart the computer.

The next time that you start your computer, "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" appears in the Startup menu.

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information about Windows XP SP2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

835935

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835935/ )

Windows XP SP2

For more information about how to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/ )

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

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