Adding the Recovery Console to a Windows XP machine

HI, sorry, in the heat of the moment I thought I found the right place to ask my question. Haven't been active at Tech Republic, mostly looking for tips so I didn't realize this was the wrong place. Will repost as suggested, Thanks.

By default, the Recovery Console allows you to access only the root folder, the WINDOWS folder (and it's subfolders), and removable drives such as the CD-ROM.

It will not allow you to copy files to removable media such as floppies. However, you can make some changes that will allow you to access all folders on your drives, as well as copy files to removable media.

Follow the steps below to allow access to all folders and removable media:

1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in, and then click Add.
3. Click Group Policy, and then click Add.
4. Click Local Computer, click Finish, and then click Close to return to the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box.
5. Click OK to return to the Console window.
6. Expand the Local Computer Policy object to Computer Configuration\Windows\Settings\Security
Settings\Local Policies\Security Options.
7. Select the Security Options object in the Console pane to display the security policies in the Details pane.
8. In the Details pane, double-click the Recovery Console: Allow Floppy Copy And Access To All Drives And Folders policy.
9. Click Enabled, and then click OK.

After logging into the Recovey Console,and if you followed the steps above to allow access to all folders and removable media, you need to perform one extra step.
At the command prompt type:
set AllowAllPaths = TRUE
set AllowRemovableMedia = TRUE
set AllowWildCards = TRUE

Better yet, is to add the 3 set variables as system variables in the Advanced tab/Environment variables button of the My Computer properties page. (Hint: Only enter the variable, not the word "set" and use the number "1" to represent the word TRUE.

ZT3000
Beta tester of "0"s and "1"s

My Laptop has the Windows XP preinstalled and I have updated to SP2. I would like to know how to make a recovery cd from my system. I have had more than one occasion where I would like to have reinstalled the Windows XP to start fresh after my kids downloaded who know what garbage from the internet and the computer slows down and one time actually crashed. I am not a computer Profi and it took me three days to get things up and running again. Any suggestions? Thanks for your help.