Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files

System File Checker is a utility in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows system files and restore corrupted files. This article describes how to run the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe) to scan your system files and to repair missing or corrupted system files. If a Windows Resource Protection (WRP) file is missing or is corrupted, Windows may not behave as expected. For example, some Windows functions may not work, or Windows may crash.

Run the System File Checker tool (SFC.exe)

 

To do this, follow these steps:Open an elevated command prompt. To do this, do the following as your appropriate:
Windows 8.1 or Windows 8

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search. Or, if you are using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, and then click Search. Type Command Prompt in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

Windows 10, Windows 7, or Windows VistaTo do this, click Start, type Command Prompt or cmd in the Search box, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

1. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:
   sfc /scannow
   
   
   The sfc /scannow command will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir%\System32\dllcache.
   The %WinDir% placeholder represents the Windows operating system folder. For example, C:\Windows.
   
   Note Do not close this Command Prompt window until the verification is 100% complete. The scan results will be shown after this process is finished.
2. After the process is finished, you may receive one of the following messages:
   • Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.
     
     This means that you do not have any missing or corrupted system files.
   • Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.
     
     To resolve this problem, perform the System File Checker scan in safe mode, and make sure that the PendingDeletes and PendingRenames folders exist under %WinDir%\WinSxS\Temp.
   • Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.
     
     To view the detail information about the system file scan and restoration, go to How to view details of the System File Checker process.
   • Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.

 

How to manually replace a corrupted system file with a known good copy of the file

 After you determine which system file was corrupted and could not be repaired through the detail information in the Sfcdetails.txt file, find where the corrupted file located, and then manually replace the corrupted file with a known good copy of the file. To do this, follow these steps:

Note You may be able to get a known good copy of the system file from another computer that is running the same version of Windows with your computer. You may perform a System File Checker process on that computer to make sure the system file that you intend to copy is a good copy.

1. Take administrative ownership of the corrupted system file. To do this, at an elevated command prompt, copy and then paste (or type) the following command, and then press ENTER:
   takeown /f Path_And_File_Name
   Note The Path_And_File_Name placeholder represents the path and the file name of the corrupted file. For example, type takeown /f C:\windows\system32\jscript.dll.
2. Grant administrators full access to the corrupted system file. To do this, copy and paste (or type) the following command, and then press ENTER:
   icacls Path_And_File_Name /GRANT ADMINISTRATORS:F
   Note The Path_And_File_Name placeholder represents the path and the file name of the corrupted file. For example, type icacls C:\windows\system32\jscript.dll /grant administrators:F.
3. Replace the corrupted system file with a known good copy of the file. To do this, copy and paste (or type) the following command, and then press ENTER:
   Copy Source_File Destination
   Note The Source_File placeholder represents the path and file name of the known good copy of the file on your computer, and the Destination placeholder represents the path and file name of the corrupted file. For example, type copy E:\temp\jscript.dll C:\windows\system32\jscript.dll