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The cause of a broken cord is obvious. The cause for a failure to retract could be a broken spring, tangled or frayed rope, or some other mechanical failure. A broken spring will require total disassembly of the starter mechanism - fortunately there really isn't that much involved.
With some designs, it is possible to replace the cord without fully disassembling the starter mechanism - by threading the cord in and tying a not in the end - but after rotating it several turns to put the proper tension on the spring. This is relatively safe but may be frustrating as 3 hands are sometimes needed.
Where safe disassembly is not obvious, I would recommend that you refer to a book on lawn mower or small engine repair from the library or the service manual for the mower, if possible. You may be able to find specific step-by-step instructions which will minimize your risk of injury from an encounter with an uncontrolled spring.
WARNING: Take extreme care should you need to disassemble the portion of the starter that includes the mainspring - that can be nasty.