My computer crashed and I am trying to backup my Documents and Settings directory from my XP installation CD at the CMD prompt to a USB drive. The problem is access to directories from the NTFS file system. Windows directory seems to be the only directory I cane access. Can I change the attributes to access other directories or is there a way to gain access to the directories to copy from and to these drives (both my harddrive and usb drive).

When you boot from XP CD you are in the Windows Recovery Console, this is not CMD.exe Command Prompt, nor is it MS-DOS in case you were wondering: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

A bootable cd like Knoppix or Ubcd4win might be better. Before posting try google. Backup. Use anti virus software.

Thank you for your response. So I read that I have limited access through the XP Recovery Console. Do you have a suggestion on how to backup my directories and subdirectories in documents and settings from my harddrive to my usb drive?

"A bootable cd like Knoppix or Ubcd4win"

Use BartPE. http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ You boot to the CD and it gives you a lite version of Windows. You will have access to your files on your hardrive and can copy them to where you need to.

ubcd4win is based on BartPE, but you need a xp disk & pc to create it. Google for Hawk PE, this is similar to ubcd4win. You should be able to just download it. Hirens boot cd has various tools. Before posting try google. Backup. Use anti virus software.