Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) provides a powerful set of tools for troubleshooting and repairing Windows computers. DaRT helps administrators recover unusable PCs and diagnose causes of issues and repair unbootable systems, faster than the time it takes to reimage a computer.
View DaRT 10 for Windows 10 Documentation on TechNet: Here
DaRT 10 Release Notes: Here
DaRT 10 Prerequisite Software Requirements
| Prerequisite | Details |
| Windows Assessment and Development Kit (ADK) for Windows 10 | Required for the DaRT Recovery Image wizard. Contains the Deployment Tools, which are used to customize, deploy, and service Windows images, and contains the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE). The ADK is not required if you are installing only the Remote Connection Viewer and/or Crash Analyzer. |
| Windows Development Kit OR Software Development Kit (optional) | Crash Analyzer requires the Windows 10 Debugging Tools from the Windows Driver Kit to analyze memory dump files. |
| Windows 10 64-bit or 32-bit ISO image | DaRT requires the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) image from the Windows 10 media. Download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 10, depending on the type of DaRT recovery image you want to create. If you support both system types in your environment, download both versions of Windows 10. |
Downloads
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) USGS prepared ISO (size 782 MB)
Download
Preparation
To use the prepared ISO, use a program like Rufus to create a bootable usb device.
Choose GPT, UEFI, and NTFS.
Once the usb drive is created, reboot the target system and go into the BIOS to disable Secure Boot. Reboot the Target system and boot using UEFI/USB. (Since you are altering the BIOS at this step, you will need to do the BitLocker Recovery once you boot into the DaRT recovery image.)
When prompted, Choose keyboard layout, Select Troubleshoot and Select MS DaRT
At this point, the BitLocker Recovery will appear.
You will now be able to run some of the DaRT analytical tools, crash analyzer, disk wipe and sfc.
Usage
When booting into the DaRT recovery image, click Yes to initialize network connectivity if applicable
Select the appropriate keyboard layout
Choose Troubleshoot
Choose Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset
Then click Windows 10
The recovery toolset menu will appear. Click on the tools needed for your scenario
Brief descriptions of each tool are listed below. Click here for more detailed information
- Registry Editor
- View/modify registry settings
- Locksmith
- Change local account passwords
- Crash Analyzer
- Analyzes the memory dump file to identify the cause of a crash. Requires Debugging Tools for Windows
- File Restore
- Search for and recover deleted files. It provides likelihood of recoverability for files found
- Disk Commander
- Repair volumes, the MBR, and partitions
- Disk Wipe
- Sanitize hard disks (up to 4 passes)
- Computer Management
- View System Information (msinfo32.exe)
- Access event viewer logs
- View autoruns
- View drivers
- View and modify services
- Access the disk management console
- Explorer
- Access Windows file explorer to view file properties and open, delete, and rename files and folders. Files can also be copied to another drive for recovery
- Solution Wizard
- Offers solution options and resolution tasks based on problem scenarios such as:
- System will not start correctly
- Data on the system needs to be salvaged
- Cannot log in because of a lost password
- Some other problem
- Offers solution options and resolution tasks based on problem scenarios such as:
- TCP/IP Configuration
- View and edit the TCP/IP configuration of the local network adapter for the recovery session
- Hotfix Uninstall
- SFC Scan
- Run a System File Check on the system’s hard disk
- Search
- Search for files and copy them to another drive for recovery
- Remote Connection
- Enable remote support for the recovery session. A network connection is required for this tool to be available