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

 

[Brink]

Hi Brink,
Try to use: “SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker”
Some time ago I do not have good experience using this method, special with: Aero, Window Color, Sounds.
With sounds you help me in “How to Change the Windows 7 Start up Sound”
Before I start my work I was looking for your:
"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".
How to make backup on my system, to be sure that “Aero” and “Window Color” come back after sfc /scannow ? Can I use “Restore Point”, or “System Restore”? Or make backup “C:” in additional hard disk?
When I finish my sfc /snannow work, how I can back to my modification before work?
Wish you all the best. With my best regards
stasioau

Hello Stasioau,

You could use step 3 in OPTION TWO to only verify if there are any corrupted or modified system files instead. This way your modified system files will not be changed.

 

[VistaKing]

Stasioau

You could find the theme you were using in this location

C:\Windows\Resources\Themes

   Note

You will have to patch the 3 .DLL Files using the Universal Theme Patcher

3 DLLs files

themeservice.dll
themeui.dll
uxtheme.dll

 

[stasioau]

Brink and VistaKing,
Thanks so much. All my questions been explained.
Wish you all the best,
stasioau

 

[Brink]

Glad we could help Stasioau.

 

[saadq]

Thanks alot

 

[Brink]

Welcome to Seven Forums Saadq.

 

[marcadam]

unable to repair after power outage

Good Afternoon,
win 7 x64 Ultimate

Ran sfc after power outage.
System seems to be working fine but i ran sfc /scannow anyway several times and still getting errors.

If possible, can you review the log file and let me know if I should go to any length to repair...

 

[Brink]

Hello Marc, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Sure thing. You could use OPTION THREE to upload your sfcdetails.txt file with the details.

 

[marcadam]

Thank you, trying again to upload log.

looks like I might have problems.
monitor sleeps after 5 minutes and wont come back.
changed power settings to never for everything

 

[Brink]

Marc,

If you are not having any issues, then I wouldn't worry about it for now. If you are, then you may need to do a repair install to fix these unrepairable system files.

 

[marcadam]

OK
I will do that.
I thought maybe you might be able to tell from the unable to fix list what may be a problem.

Thank You

 

[Brink]

Nar, it's only a problem if you are actually having a problem.

 

[Nio]

Hi,
I would like to know whether this will fix the missing cleanup.dll error.
I get this kind of error after removing some malwares from my lappy.

 

[Brink]

Hello Nio, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Windows 7 does not come with a cleanup.dll file by default.

In this case, I would recommend that you create a new thread in our System Security forum with details about this issue to help make sure that your system is clean.

 

[Snukye]

Hello,


I tried to run : sfc/ scannow but it says that i need to be an administrator to do this. But i am one! Anyone could help me, please? I have the issue with windows opening every folder in a new windows instead of the same window and this could help me alot!

 

[newpgm]

Type "cmd" in search pgms & files then right click on it from the list & left click "Run as Administrator".

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

 

[ozelot]

hi,
i ran a sfc scan telling me that there are corrupted files which cant be repaired.
i checked on the CBS.log but only found 4 entries all related to a file called
PINTLGB.IMB
i dont know what to do next since i dont have a win7 installation DVD with me. im currently living in cambodia and my DVD is at home
right now im trying to fix a problem with my internal DVD/BD-Rom drive...thats why im trying to fix the sfc entries as far as i can.
it would be great if someone could just have a short look on my cbs.log?
i realy dont know how to do to solve my problem.
thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Ozelot, and welcome to Seven Forums.

From the blue Note box under Option Two, you could download and run the 64-bit (x64) System Update Readiness Tool to repair the component store, restart the PC afterwards, and try the sfc /scannow command again to see if may be able to repair the system files.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[ozelot]

Thanks, that was fast
i tryed allready this option 2.
but since it still wasnt able to fix the file i ran sfc /scannow some more times afterwards, without results.
the logfile doesnt look ok to me, many strange entries, although it only finds 1 corrupted file,
but im not that familiar with this matter.

 

[Brink]

Did you already install the 64-bit (x64) System Update Readiness Tool when you previously gone through Option Two?

The log file you posted is the full CBS.LOG file instead of the sfcdetails.txt file created from Option Three. The sfcdetails.txt file only contains the details from the SFC scan, and not any of the other system information not from the SFC scan.