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

 

[richard203]

it worked but the sfcdetails.txt is blank when i opened. o.0

 

[Brink]

Go ahead and run the sfc /scannow command again, then try creating the sfcdetail.txt file again with the one that works to see if it will have anything in it now.

 

[richard203]

Thanks just ran a scan and got the log but dont know what to do. Heres the log.

 

[Brink]

Richard,

Are you currently having any issues?

Here's what is listed as not being able to be repaired below.

2012-01-07 12:15:28, Info                  CSI    0000042f [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-Help-Desk.Resources, Version = 6.1.7600.16385, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"fi-FI", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)
 
 
2012-01-07 12:25:11, Info                  CSI    000005b1 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-License-OEM-UltimateN.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"sv-SE", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)
 
 
2012-01-07 12:27:57, Info                  CSI    000005f2 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-MobilePC-PresentationSettings.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"ja-JP", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)
 
 
012-01-07 12:31:10, Info                  CSI    00000687 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-NETFX35WPFComp.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"ru-ru", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)
 
 
2012-01-07 13:18:11, Info                  CSI    00000cd2 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-Help-Desk.Resources, Version = 6.1.7600.16385, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"fi-FI", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)

 
2012-01-07 13:18:11, Info                  CSI    00000cd3 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-License-OEM-UltimateN.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"sv-SE", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)

 
2012-01-07 13:18:11, Info                  CSI    00000cd4 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-MobilePC-PresentationSettings.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"ja-JP", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)

 
2012-01-07 13:18:11, Info                  CSI    00000cd5 [SR] Cannot verify component files for Microsoft-Windows-NETFX35WPFComp.Resources, Version = 6.1.7601.17514, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture = [l:10{5}]"ru-ru", VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)

 

[richard203]

Ya seems like I missing some windows program like paint, calculator, etc

 

[Brink]

Where did you get your copy of Windows 7 from, and what version and edition is it?

 

[richard203]

My friend helped me install the windows 7 and seems like its ultimate.

 

[GerryR]

Please explain how to get to command line. Right-clicking on the C: drive gets s command line but it's not in DOS, it's still white. I want to get to the DOS box, don't I? Excuse ignorance. I still long for the days of DOS.

 

[Brink]

Hello Gerry,

The link in step 1 or below can help show you how to open a elevated command prompt to be able to do this tutorial with.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/783-elevated-command-prompt.html

 

[Brink]

Where did you get your copy of Windows 7 from, and what version and edition is it?

My friend helped me install the windows 7 and seems like its ultimate.

That's nice of your friend, but where did your friend get your copy of Windows 7 from?

For example, is it retail, a copy of your friends, a torrent copy, etc.....

 

[GerryR]

Brink this is Gerry. I had a company assemble my computer. I chose the microprocessor and 6GB of Corsair 1600 as well as two 500 GB Western Digital hard drives and two DVD recorders. They chose the rest. It's a Gigabyte 333 motherboard. They used and I have a legitimate OEM copy of Windows 7 Home Premium.

 

[Brink]

Sorry Gerry, that was directed to Richard.

 

[GerryR]

Hi Brink, Sorry about that. My system is listed in detail in my profile if you care. I still can't seem to make any progress on the lack of function of Windows Search. I have added "run" to my <start> list. One suggestion was to use the command line (is that run?) and type <sfc/scannow>. I would probably use (I forget the term right now) just to show errors first. Is that a good idea. There's lots of suggestions. I hadn't realized how heavily I leaned on "search". I use "everything" but you can't search inside files with that.

 

[Brink]

No problem Gerry,

Were you able to open a elevated command prompt (see link) to do the tutorial on the first page of this thread?

 

[GerryR]

Thanks Brink. I got an elevated (administrator) command prompt. I then entered sfc /SCANNOW/VERIFYONLY and got an instant reply telling me how to use the command. Unfortunately it told me to do exactly what I had done. I tried it again and there is a blank after sfc and got the same response. One more try and I gave up.

 

[Brink]

You would only type the command below instead and press Enter. OPTION TWO in the tutorial can give you more details on this.

sfc /scannow

 

[GerryR]

That's why I super-cautiously chose the option that I did. I like to know what is going to happen before it happens.

 

[Brink]

 

[GerryR]

So what did I do wrong? It's right off the help screen and your tutorial. I really would like to have Windows 7 search back.

What should I do, yet be cautious?

 

[Brink]

Gerry,

Were you ever able to run the sfc /scannow command?

You might also post some more details about what all is wrong or not working with your search in your original thread below to help everyone understand more about it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/206745-windows-7-home-premium-search-not-working.html