SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

How to Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker​

   Information

The sfc /scannow command (System File Checker) scans the integrity of all protected Windows 7 system files and replaces incorrect corrupted, changed/modified, or damaged versions with the correct versions if possible.

   Tip

If you get the Windows Resource Protection Could Not Start the Repair Service error when trying to run SFC, then make sure that the Windows Modules Installer service is enabled, click on Start, and set to Manual.

Services - Start or Disable

OR

Copy and paste the command below in the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. After the Windows Modules Installer service has started, try running the SFC command again

net start trustedinstaller

   Note

The KB3022345, KB3035583, and KB3068708 updates will cause SFC to give you a false mismatch message in SFC for files related to these updates.

You can safely ignore these results in your SFC details since it will not affect SFC from being able to repair other system files.

   Warning

Be aware that if you have modified your system files as in theming explorer/system files, running sfc /scannow will revert the system files such as explorer.exe back to it's default state. Make the appropriate backups of your system files that you have modified for theming if you wish to save them before running sfc /scannow.

:note: For the updated Windows 10 tutorial, please see - SFC Command - Run in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Tutorials

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Run the SFC /SCANNOW Command at Boot
• Option Two: To Run the SFC /SCANNOW Command in Windows 7
• Option Three: How to See and Read Only the "SFC" Scan Results from the CBS.LOG

OPTION ONE

To Run the SFC /SCANNOW Command at Boot

1. For how, see METHOD TWO at this link: SFC /SCANNOW : Run in Command Prompt at Boot

   Note

Using OPTION TWO below is recommended if able.

If you would like to get help with your SFC issue, then be sure to upload and attach your sfcdetails.txt file from OPTION THREE below in your post.

OPTION TWO

To Run the SFC /SCANNOW Command in Windows 7

1. Open an elevated command prompt or an elevated PowerShell, and do step 2 or 3 below for what type of scan you would like to run.


2. To Scan and Repair System Files
NOTE: Scans the integrity of all protected system files and repairs the system files if needed. Please see red WARNING box at the top of this tutorial.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type sfc /scannow, press Enter, and go to step 4 below. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: This may take a little bit to finish.


3. To Only Verify if the System Files are Corrupted
NOTE: Scans and only verifies the integrity of all proteced system files only. This command will not change your system files as in the red WARNING box at the top of this tutorial.
A) In the elevated command prompt, type sfc /verifyonly, press Enter, and go to step 4 below.
4. When the scan is complete, hopefully you will see all is ok like the screenshot below.

   Note

• If SFC could not fix something, then run the command again to see if it may be able to the next time. Sometimes it may take running the sfc /scannow command 3 or more times to completely fix everything that it's able to.
• If not, then download and run the 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) System Update Readiness Tool for your same installed 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7, restart the PC afterwards, and try the sfc /scannow command again.
• If still not, then try using OPTION ONE above to run the sfc /scannow command at boot.
• If still not, then you can attempt to run a System Restore using a restore point dated before the bad file occured to fix it. You may need to repeat doing a System Restore until you find a older restore point that may work.
• If still not, then you can use the steps in the TIP box in the OPTION THREE section below to manually replace the files that SFC could not fix if there are not to many fix.
• If there are to many files to manually fix, or you prefer not to use OPTION THREE below, then you could do a repair install without losing anything.

If you would like to get help with your SFC issue, then be sure to upload and attach your sfcdetails.txt file from OPTION THREE below in your post.

5. When done, close the elevated command prompt.

OPTION THREE

How to See and Read Only the "SFC" Scan Results from the CBS.LOG

   Note

When SFC runs, it logs it's actions into the C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. The steps in this option will show you how to see only the specific SFC entries with the [SR] tags in this CBS.log. This can be helpful to show you what files SFC could not fix automatically if you wanted to try and manually replace them.

1. Open an "elevated command prompt" (right click -> Run as administrator).

2. In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: This will place a sfcdetails.txt file on your desktop with only the SFC scan result details from the CBS.LOG in it.

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log >"%userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt"

3. Close the elevated command prompt.

4. Open the sfcdetails.txt file on your desktop to see the SFC scan details in the CBS.LOG.

5. You can safely delete the sfcdetails.txt file afterwards if you like.

   Tip

If you need to replace a corrupted system file that SFC cannot fix, then this will show you how to by extracting a new copy directly from your Windows 7 installation DVD.

Extract Files from Windows 7 Installation DVD

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Run the System File Checker in a Command Prompt at Boot
• How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7
• How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7
• How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7
• How to See Windows 7 Reliability and Problem History with Reliability Monitor
• How to Extract Files from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
• How to Troubleshoot a Problem by Performing a Clean Startup in Windows 7 or Vista

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Thank you Brink, Snick & NoelDP


First in response to Brink



Checked Device Manager - default view (Devices by type). No entries were expanded out (which would have yellow exclamation points), then on View menu, checked "Show hidden devices", found "Non-Plug and Play Drivers" expanded out with yellow exclamation point on "aoddriver" which refers to "aoddriver2.sys which if I'm not mistaken is the AMD Fuel Overdrive driver



Ran "eventvwr.msc" Expanded out "Windows Logs" to "System", scrolled down through events and found an "Error" with red exclamation point, Source - Service Control Manager, Event ID - 7000 :

The AODDriver4.1 service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the path specified.

Searched registry for AODDriver4.1 entry. Found at :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\AODDriver4.1]

and

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\AODDriver4.1]

and

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\services\AODDriver4.1]


The Value data for the ImagePath Value name for all three entries is:

\??\C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Fuel\amd64\AODDriver2.sys




That folder, subfolders and file no longer exist. The wrong version of AMD Catalyst drivers (which included the Overdrive driver) were installed by mistake and then uninstalled late last year and evidently left an orphan in the registry.




In response to NoelDP


Thank you for your thoughts regarding .NET I am also not very good at repairing .NET




In response to SNICK


Thank you for your evident expertise with this issue.



I downloaded and ran SURTx64. I have attached the CheckSUR.log




Thanks to all of you for your help.


admjgreer

 

[Brink]

AODDriver4.1 is for AMD Overdrive, but I don't think this is related to the issue found by SFC.

If you don't use it, you could uninstall it.

If you do, then you could see if reinstalling the latest version may help.

OverDrive™ Technology to Overclock CPU and Fan Control | AMD

 

[Snick]

@admjgreer


Would you please post cbs folder, if its over 8 MB you'll have to upload it to a cloud storage service. Limit here 8.95 MB zip, 8.0 MB rar.

 

[Snick]

Well, admjgreer, only had one of your manifests, had to sleuth the others!
Please download View attachment CheckSUR.zip extract CheckSUR folder and paste to: C:\Windows\Temp
Run SURT again, when it completes, post CheckSUR.log and CBS.log both at: C:\Windows\Logs\CBS

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Snick


My CBS folder is 56 MB.

I don't use a cloud service as I have not needed one.


Will the cbs.log and checksur.log suffice ?



cbslog.zip and checksur.log are attached.


Thanks


admjgreer

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Snick


Attached screenshot of CBS folder. If you don't need all of the files, tell me which ones you need.


admjgreer

 

[Snick]

Yes, those two for now thank you, hopefully the cbs.log will go back far enough.

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Hi Snick


How's it going? Do you need any more information? I'll bet you're buried with work.



Thank you again for your help.



admjgreer

 

[Snick]

admjgreer
Sorry, yes busy...
Could you post your CBS folder including CBS.Persist.cab files please.
Upload limit here is 8 MB for zip/compressed folder.
You'll have to use OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, A-Drive, i.e. a cloud storage site.

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Thanks SnickI'll be out of town till Saturday May 4.
Will get back to it after then.
admjgreer

 

[admjgreer]

Hi Snick. I have zipped my cbs folder and uploaded it my google drive. How do I share it with you?
admjgreer

 

[Brink]

Hi Snick. I have zipped my cbs folder and uploaded it my google drive. How do I share it with you?
admjgreer

If the ZIP file is less than 8.95 GB, you can directly upload and attach it in your post here.

 

[admjgreer]

The zipped file (CBS folder.zipx) is 30.6 MB.

 

[admjgreer]

Hi Snick
I have never used a cloud storage service before as I have not had a need to do so. So uploading my CBS folder.zipx to google drive was a new procedure for me and I don't know how to share it either. Please forgive me if I sound stupid. When you get a chance, please write back with instructions. Thank you. admjgreer

 

[Snick]

Google Drive is cloud storage.
How to Share Google Drive Files & Folders with a Link
On SevenForums you create some text, highlight it, paste the link into the box that appears when you click the world icon which is below the smiley face. Your linked text should appear as the link I provided above, those were the steps I took except I used the address for the page.

 

[admjgreer]

Hi Snick


the link to my CBS folder.zipx



CBS folder.zipx - Google Drive


admjgreer

 

[admjgreer]

Hi [MENTION=527653]Snick[/MENTION]


Any progress ?


admjgreer

 

[admjgreer]

Hi Snick


The problem has been resolved. My Bitdefender Total Security 2019 was about to expire so I uninstalled it and now sfc /scannow completed; Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.


I hope this is helpful to others.


Thank you for your help


admjgreer

 

[chuckhig]

Thank you very much for this information.

 

[RoWin7]

I've used sfc /scannow when I knew there were problems in the OS, and it never shows anything. Recently I downloaded some software that screwed up various system functions, but sfc found nothing wrong. I removed the software and used a System Restore, but this is always my experience with sfc. It's happened before.