Solved sfc /scannow - What is ndfhcdiscovery.dll?

Lately my laptop has been hanging and going to a blackscreen and I've had to manually turn off. Ran malwarebytes and nothing. Removed itunes (it causes issues sometimes) - no difference. sfc /scannow wouldn't run and got stuck at 50%.

So did disk check. That said

"Windows replaced bad clusters in file 23105 of name \windows\winsxs\AMC995~1.175\ndfhcdiscovery.dll"

Ran sfc \scannow again. It wouldn't complete again.

Inserted Windows 7 disk to do a repair - said it found nothing to repair.

Ran sfc \scannow again - it said

"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. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log"

Checked on Windows modules installer was started ran again. Same message.

Looked at CBS log (attached) seems to be a problem with ndfhcdiscovery.dll

Is hard drive failing or is it a Windows corruption, or a virus? Hard drive was new a year ago - not that that means much lol.

Might be coincidence but it's only been doing it since last lot of Windows updates. I just did the important ones and an MSE update.

Hi Hazel,
can you try and run
KB947821, post the log.

if that doesn't work try this
http://www.sysnative.com/niemiro/apps/SFCFix.exe

Roy

Thanks. Tried to run KB947821 and a message popped up saying "This update is not applicable to your computer".

Attached SFC fix log

Hi Hazel,
Have you installed any printers lately?
tha main dll from network discovery looks for other wifi equipement, might even be picking up your neighbours.
whats showing in devices and printers are they all yours?


If you navigate to that folder is there a standalone entry for that file name
I DONT have it on mine

Roy

Hi. No just our usual printer. Although recently, Windows updates had an optional driver update for the printer. I didn't install it - maybe I should

Just my laptop and our HP printer showing on devices. Maybe it's a virus? After doing Windows updates the other day I did an MSE scan and a message came up at the start that it was likely there was a virus and this would show in results. Nothing showed in results so I ran Malwarebytes and nothing showed there either.

Maybe I should just reinstall from last system image. It would be nice to know what ndfhc discovery is though - nothing comes up much on google.

Am going to try installing the optional HP driver update on Windows updates, along with another optional update (roll up).

The HP driver update failed to install. Windows update said it was an unknown error.

Could it be something to do with Windows updates done the other day? I only just did the March updates a few days ago.

Hi Hazel,
OOOH your a good girl, images are great,

can you run this tool Farbar, (frst) wanna see if it finds anything
Farbar Recovery Scan Tool Download

copy/paste the 2 logs

Roy

Will do. Posted at the same time. HP driver update on Windows updates failed to install. I've done back-ups of all files too System image isn't that recent though unfortunately - about 6 months ago.

Here it is. Only other new thing I've used sometimes recently is a usb mouse. Can't find the second file. After scanning it said there was FRST Additions as well but can't find it. Found it.

Found it

Hi Hazel,
Im NOT a security expert,
but there is an entry for an alledged pendrive virus dated 2016
a really strange download file, same time as a Harry Potter one.
plus some other weird and wonderfull entries.
I would STRONGLY suggest you post in the am i infected sub-forum at BleepingComputers
(read the tutorial first),
note they do tend to be very busy

However
IM more concerned that your HDD might be failing, your restore points are not being created due to an I/O problem.
Please run chkdsk /r
and memtest86
RAM - Test with Memtest86+


Roy

Thanks very much. The laptop is on it's last legs. The new hard drive last year was a reconditioned one as this stupid Sony machine would only accept an identical size/type hard drive (long story). The Harry Potter downloads were photos from an image site linked from Warner Bros studio. Drive is quite full and far too much stuff on it. I might just reinstall. Also have a new (second hand) laptop on it's way as right mouse click has gone which is annoying. Not sure what the pendrive issue could be - I rarely use one, but regularly swap sd cards.

I also think the hard drive might be failing. Had no issues until the last week though. I really appreciate you taking the time, thanks. But would rather wipe and reinstall than try and find a virus lol. Or possibly restore from system image, run the tests again and see what's different. If I do have a virus then it seems that MSE isn't enough.

Will do the memtest and chkdsk /r though - RAM has been in about 5 years. Will have to leave it till tomorrow now.

Hey just thought about the pendrive thing in 2016! I had a horrendous Landlord who came in and I suspect had access to the Laptop. He was trying to illegally evict us and there was a court case going on - we got moved without it going to court in the end. Could it be spyware?

I ran Memtest for one pass and zero errors. Decided to reformat and install from last clean system image (done when new hard drive was put in last year). It is just Windows 7 updated to that point, no files or other programs. Ran sfc /scannow and all fine. Just doing Windows updates now. Not too many. I am not doing any optional ones just yet. There is an optional one KB4012218 I want to check out first. If all gets up and running I'll do disk check again.

Apparently it's a windows file used for network discovery and diagnostics. Hardware problem can affect it. So it could well be the drive. When I'm up and running will do disk check again. But am also leaving all the optional telemetry updates off this time in case it was anything to do with that.

Update. It seems something corrupted Windows. I decided to do a clean install and all is tickety-boo now. Gained a lot more storage space, it's running faster, hard drive is fine, have less programs on now.