Error Message: The Emergency Repair Disk Is Full

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.51, 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition version 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to create an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) using the Rdisk.exe tool, you may receive one of the following error messages:

• The emergency repair disk is full. The configuration files were saved on your hard disk.
• Repair disk utility could not copy all files to the emergency repair disk.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the combined size of the files in the %SystemRoot%\Repair folder exceeds the capacity of one floppy disk.

RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, use the appropriate method:

Update Your Repair Information to Your Hard Disk

If the files located in the %SystemRoot%\Repair folder exceed the capacity of a single floppy disk, you cannot create an ERD that contains all of your current repair information. If this occurs, you can update your repair information to your hard disk. In most cases you can use the updated repair information on your hard disk when you repair your Windows NT installation.

To update your repair information to your hard disk, use the Update Repair Info option in the Rdisk.exe tool.

NOTE: If you do not have an ERD and the SystemRoot%\Repair folder on your hard disk becomes unavailable, you cannot repair your Windows NT installation. As a precaution you should make a backup copy of the %SystemRoot%\Repair folder.

Create the ERD Without Using the /s Command-Line Switch

When you use the /s command-line switch with the Rdisk.exe tool, the Sam._ and Security._ database files are copied to the %SystemRoot%\Repair folder and to the ERD. If your repair information exceeds the capacity of a single floppy disk, you may not be able to use the /s command-line switch when you create the ERD.

To create an ERD without copying the Sam._ and Security._ database files, run the Rdisk.exe tool with no command-line switches. Use the Update Repair Info option, and click Yes when you are prompted to create an ERD.

For additional information about the /s command-line switch, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q122857
   TITLED    : RDISK /S and RDISK /S- Options in Windows NT

NOTE: If you use an older version of your Sam._ and Security._ files when you repair your Windows NT installation, you may lose user account and machine account information.

MORE INFORMATION

The ERD is intended to provide just enough recovery to restore your computer to a bootable state. It is not a replacement for regular backups.

As you add components and install programs on your Windows NT-based computer, some Windows NT configuration files may grow in size. Your Sam._ and Security._ database files may also become larger as you add more user accounts and machine accounts to your computer or domain.

This table lists the files used to repair a Windows NT installation.

   File          Description
   -------------------------------------------------------
   Autoexec.nt   Startup file for MS-DOS-based programs
   Config.nt     Startup file for MS-DOS-based programs
   Default._     Hkey_Users\.Default registry hive
   Ntuser.da_    New user profile (Windows NT 4.0 only)
   Sam._         Hkey_Local_Machine\Sam registry hive
   Security._    Hkey_Local_Machine\Security registry hive
   Setup.log     Configuration and repair information file
   software._    Hkey_Local_Machine\Software registry hive
   system._      Hkey_Local_Machine\System registry hive