Introduction

O&O BlueCon is a recovery and administration toolkit for Windows PCs and servers that no longer start or no longer work properly. You start the affected computer from an O&O BlueCon USB drive, an ISO image or the Windows boot menu. O&O BlueCon then runs its own Windows environment and gives you access to the Windows installation on the disk, without starting it.

This manual is written for administrators and technicians who keep Windows systems running.

What O&O BlueCon does

• Repair Windows – check and repair the component store, the system files and the file system of a Windows installation that does not start.
• Regain access – reset forgotten passwords of local accounts and manage local users and groups.
• Fix drivers, services and updates – deactivate a faulty driver or service, and remove a Windows update that stops Windows from starting.
• Edit the registry offline – change the registry of the installation on the disk.
• Rescue data – copy files to an external drive, recover deleted files and back up or restore complete drives.
• Manage and erase drives – create and change partitions, and erase drives securely before a PC is passed on or disposed of.
• Unlock BitLocker drives – open encrypted drives with the recovery key, a password or a key file.

See Feature overview for the complete list of programs on the boot media.

How O&O BlueCon works

O&O BlueCon has two parts:

1. The media creator runs on a working Windows PC. It builds the O&O BlueCon recovery environment and writes it to a USB drive, an ISO or WIM image, or integrates it into the boot menu of that PC. See Create boot media.
2. The recovery environment starts on the affected computer. A start wizard finds the Windows installation, loads drivers and sets up the network. The programs then work on that installation. See The recovery environment.

License

O&O BlueCon is commercial software. A valid license is required to create the boot media. Which programs the media contain depends on the edition and license; see Editions and Install and activate.

Where to start

• New to O&O BlueCon: follow First steps. It takes you from installation to the first start of the recovery environment.
• A PC does not start right now: create the boot media on another PC, start the affected PC from it and go to Repair a Windows installation.
• A password is forgotten: see Reset a password.
• You look for the solution to a typical problem: see Common scenarios.
• Something does not work as expected: see Troubleshooting.

Prepare before an emergency

Create a boot USB drive while all your PCs are working, and test it on one of them. In an emergency you then only need to plug it in.

This manual does not contain screenshots yet; they will be added in a later update.