Does sfc /scannow really help?

[PoPPeR]

I've been desktop support for over 10 years in large corporations 10k+ employees. never once did I had a good experience sfc /scannow fixing anything.

anybody out there find it help resolved your problem? if so, please list your problem and if sfc /scannow really fixed it.

thanks

 

[theog]

Yes, it can work or show what files that are bad.

 

[PoPPeR]

i've not seen it show anything. all i see is a progress bar, once it complete, it just close the progress bar screen. does it create a log file somewhere?

 

[BunBun]

Yes it does create a log. Can't remember where. If you run it from a command prompt window (not the run command) it should tell you where it saves the log.

Also I had a situation just last week where the theme.dll files in Win 7 got corrupted and sfc /scannow found it and replaced them fixing my problems.

 

[Barman58]

Check out option two here ....

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[PoPPeR]

i don't see an option to save to log file

C:\>sfc /scannow ?
Microsoft(R) Windows XP Windows File Checker Version 5.1
(C) 1999-2000 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved
Scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Mi
crosoft versions.
SFC [/SCANNOW] [/SCANONCE] [/SCANBOOT] [/REVERT] [/PURGECACHE] [/CACHESIZE=x]

/SCANNOW Scans all protected system files immediately.
/SCANONCE Scans all protected system files once at the next boot.
/SCANBOOT Scans all protected system files at every boot.
/REVERT Return scan to default setting.
/PURGECACHE Purges the file cache.
/CACHESIZE=x Sets the file cache size.
C:\>

 

[theog]

May be this will help.

 

[PoPPeR]

i've seen adviced on this forum to run sfc /scannow, and that's it. no other detail and to look at the log file nor next action. so the user assume that sfc /scannow is suppose to resolve things...but if you're telling me to llook at the log file to for clues of what could be the problem, then that's another step for the trained eyes.

 

[Barman58]

The SFC / SCANNOW does actually perform some repairs automatically the point of the log file is to inform you of what was repaired so as to possibly prevent a future recurrence of the same issue and also to allow you to take further action on those files which for some reason could not be automatically repaired. If SFC has files that it cannot repair then this will be clearly noted in the exit message.

 

[Tepid]

Also keep in mind that you should not run sfc /scannow just for the heck of it.
Only run it if you are actually having problems.

Yeah,, log searching can be a strain for the uninitiated.

Try this

Copy the code and paste to notepad and save as whatever.cmd then run it

sfc /scannow

echo **************************************
echo ****Please Wait for Scan to finish****
echo ****..............................****
echo *****Then hit any key to continue*****
echo ****..............................****
echo **************************************
pause

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log > "c:\CBS Results.txt"
"c:\CBS Results.txt"

This the location of the log file...

%windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log

 

[Greg S]

Also keep in mind that you should not run sfc /scannow just for the heck of it.
Only run it if you are actually having problems.

Yeah,, log searching can be a strain for the uninitiated.

Try this

Copy the code and paste to notepad and save as whatever.cmd then run it

sfc /scannow
 
echo **************************************
echo ****Please Wait for Scan to finish****
echo ****..............................****
echo *****Then hit any key to continue*****
echo ****..............................****
echo **************************************
pause
 
findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log > "c:\CBS Results.txt"
"c:\CBS Results.txt"

This the location of the log file...

%windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log

I agree with the warning and with that in mind, I would change the sfc command to verifyonly instead of scannow, then read the log file to see what's corrupt or what couldn't be replaced and go from there.

 

[PoPPeR]

well, i just had explorer.exe error and it won't go away. i'll go end it in task manager, restart, error reappear. i ran sfc /scannow, ran the command to search for log, but unable to find log.

so i went ahead log on in safe mode, use different account, and no error. so i created another account, restart normal mode, and was able to log in without error

another fail attempt from sfc /scannow ...that's 100% of the time that it has not helped me. I'm a tech for 10-12 years, not once has sfc /scannow did anything for me. too bad

 

[Tepid]

That is correct.

sfc /scannow does not always work.

I have had it work for me in the past. It all depends on what is wrong, how badly files are messed up, and probably which files are messed up.

 

[Ritter197]

My latest Start up and Install Files dated 7-3-2012 are sent, Karl in Md.