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Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset

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Well, we call it simply DaRT. You know the feeling: A machine does not boot anymore, crashed, has a virus you cannot clean with the OS in a running state or any of the other nightmare scenarios in daily operations of computers. Since quite some time there are recovery toolsets out there but with our acquisition of the sysinternal tools, the value of ours grew significantly. I just tested the latest version for Vista and believe me – it rocks (as far as a tool can rock that tries to recover me from a crash…). If you need information on this, there you go: Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset

Let me give you a very brief insight:

Basically DaRT is based on the Vista Recovery Toolset. So, when you boot, you get a pretty familiar screen:

The only different is, that you see the link at the bottom to the Microsoft Diagnostic and Recovery Toolset – where all the magic happens J. If you decide to choose them, you get a broad selection of tools:

ERD Registry Editor: A registry editor for the OS you selected during the boot time

Explorer: Speaks for itself: Browse through the disks

Locksmith: With locksmith you can reset the passwords of all the local accounts. (you need physical access to the box to do this and have a look at this post before we start a big discussion on this: Windows Vista Recovery Console and the Password)

Solution Wizard: This is a cool thing. If you are unsure which tool you need to use, try this wizard and you are guided to the solution:

Crash Analyzer: If you have a mini-dump on the disk and include a debugger, you can look at crash dumps

TCP/IP Config: Obvious thing – but. Often I failed to access any resource on the network with these recovery toolsets as I could not change the network configuration (e.g. I have a fixed IP, am on a different network and should simply switch DHCP on).

File Restore: Restore accidentally deleted files

Hotfix Uninstall: If your system does not boot anymore because of a hotfix, this is the way to remove it (even though this never happens, does it?)

Disk Commander: Tools to fix your disk if you have problems with it.

SFC Scan: As the title says: Repair your system files

Disk Wipe: Securely erase your disk

Search: Hmm, cannot remember what this tool does J

Computer Management: It is not the "normal" Computer Management Console as the OS does not run but a console to do some repair activities:

Standalone System Sweeper: I do not like this too much as it is a tool to look for malware, rootkits etc.

So, this tool is definitely something you should look into. Download the trial!

Roger

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    April 02, 2008
    but vista is not supported?  and trial? wow ... :(

  • Anonymous
    April 02, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    May 06, 2008
    When you run the MSI on a Vista PC... [Installer Information] Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset 5.0 requires that your computer is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP or Windows 2003 Server [OK]

  • Anonymous
    August 15, 2008
    So what ever became of version 6... I see version 5 is available

  • Anonymous
    September 25, 2008
    Nice post! The feature I like the most is the "System Restore". I've blogged about that recently. Perform a System Restore rollback on a non-bootable Windows XP computer: http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/perform-system-restore-rollback-on-non-bootable-xp-computer/

  • Anonymous
    February 07, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    February 17, 2009
    So basically, it's Winternals ERD only locked down so it's less useful....

  • Anonymous
    August 08, 2009
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    October 04, 2010
    The comment has been removed