Also, if I am to start bitcoin core with -salvagewallet can I do that thru the RPC console or do I run bitcoind and do it from there?

If I am understanding you it would seem that the salvagewallet command should be given before startup? Which would be bitcoin-cli or bitcoind perhaps?


I don't have a backup wallet dat file from before this all started to take place unless bitcoin core does periodic backups on it's own which it probably does not.