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

 

[RoWin7]

Actually, it's Rochelle.
Many thanks

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Rochelle.

 

[Jwasya01]

Hi there Brink..
I really need you help..
I've just did sfc/ scannow and found some problem with it.
But after i restarts the win it goes blank and only mouse cursor.
I cannot get in even on safe mode.
Could you please help me..

 

[Brink]

Hello Jwasya01, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If it doesn't eventually startup after sitting for a bit, then you might see if you may be able to boot from Windows 7 installation media or a system repair disc to do a system restore using a restore point dated before this happened.

:ar: System Repair Disc - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Jwasya01]

Hi Brink,
I've done that but no luck, i haven't create the restore point ��..
And i've try the sfc scannow clean image, but it say some pending and need to restart. Restarted several time but no luck.
And i've done to sfc /scannow / revertpendingactions but still no luck..
Btw for info im using thinkpad x240 win7 32, i dont have the recovery cd, and some how my pre installation on my drive is not working.
Is there any other option?
Thanks

 

[Brink]

In that case, you should be able to order Windows 7 recovery media from Lenovo below for your ThinkPad x240 laptop.

:ar: How can I create, or order Recovery Media from Lenovo

 

[NoelDP]

Hi Brink,
I've done that but no luck, i haven't create the restore point ..
And i've try the sfc scannow clean image, but it say some pending and need to restart. Restarted several time but no luck.
And i've done to sfc /scannow / revertpendingactions but still no luck..
Btw for info im using thinkpad x240 win7 32, i dont have the recovery cd, and some how my pre installation on my drive is not working.
Is there any other option?
Thanks

The pending/ restart scenario may have a simple solution.

Try this...
Open an Elevated Command Prompt, and run the following commands...

REG LOAD HKLM\COMPONENTS C:\Windows\System32\config\COMPONENTS
REG DELETE HKLM\COMPONENTS /V PendingRequired


reboot and then attempt Windows Update again.

Here are some instructions to make life easier
1) To open an Elevated Command Prompt Window (the ECP window), click on Start, All Programs, Accessories – then right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator. Accept the UAC prompt.
2) To run the commands easier, highlight the block of commands, and right-click on the highlight – select Copy. In the CP Window, click on the black/white icon at top left – select Paste. The commands will run but may not complete the last command, so hit the Enter Key once.

 

[RoWin7]

I know there are problems in my system, and sfc keeps saying it's clean.

 

[Brink]

I know there are problems in my system, and sfc keeps saying it's clean.

Hello Rochelle,

What sort of problems are you noticing?

 

[RoWin7]

Re: the HP machine in my sig:
For many months I couldn't install updates. After Repair Install, finally got Nov in. Now it's happening again.

I couldn't install the update program for my GPS, Garmin Express. It kept asking for the latest .NET, although I already had it. I finally got it going on my other machine, the Gateway in my sig. Identical OS.

Sometimes when installing a program, it tells me it can't find one of the unzipped files, but it's right there.

Flash is acting strangely, but on the Gateway it's fine. Same OS, same programs, same games

About 6 weeks ago, I did an sfc and a Repair Install. Now and then I try the sfc again, and I get a clean report.

I'm planning on making the Gateway my primary computer, using it for work and important stuff, meanwhile try another Repair Install on this one.

The bottom line is: I don't think sfc always works right.

 

[Brink]

SFC is only for repairing corrupted or modified Windows system files.

I hope the repair install will help.

 

[torchwood]

Hi @RoWin7

Thats the 2nd post ive seen in a week re Garmin Update causing . NET problems, shoot over to their forum see if theres any feedback


Roy

 

[RoWin7]

SFC is only for repairing corrupted or modified Windows system files.

I hope the repair install will help.

I did the Repair Install about 6 weeks ago too. That's supposed to replace corrupted files. Nothing is fixed except that I was able to install the Nov update.

I'm not having any of these problems on the newly-installed Gateway, identical OS, so it's this machine. SFC says my files are fine. I patted it on the head and gave it a Hershey's chocolate kiss.

 

[RoWin7]

Hi @RoWin7

Thats the 2nd post ive seen in a week re Garmin Update causing . NET problems, shoot over to their forum see if theres any feedback
Roy

I presume my.NET is working fine with who-knows-what Win does with it. Garmin chat couldn't help, and I tried installing the next-to-last version and the one before that, but nada. That's why it's good to have 2 or 3 machines. I don't feel desperate if something goes wrong. I'm going to start doing my work on the Gateway, and use this one as backup.

 

[admjgreer]

Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

First, let me thank you for your help.

I run C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow periodically as a checkup. In the past, I have always seen the following result :

Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.


This time I received a result that indicates there is a problem which I am at a loss to explain or resolve. I have run sfc /scannow several times and continue to see the same result on screen as well as in the sfcdetails.txt file.

The result I received is as follows:


C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Verification 100% complete.
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

C:\Windows\system32>

I have attached the sfcdetails.txt file.

Thank you for any help that you can provide.

 

[Brink]

Hello [MENTION=544629]admjgreer[/MENTION], and welcome to Seven Forums.

Your sfcdetails log reports this below. It appears to be a driver issue that reinstalling the driver may help.

Cannot verify component files for c801f401a6eb25564cbd5e9ec745fc06, Version = 6.1.7601.24255, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:b03f5f7f11d50a3a}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, manifest is damaged (FALSE)

 

[admjgreer]

Re: Windows Resource Protection unable fix some corrupt files

Hello Brink


Thank you for your reply.


Which driver needs to be reinstalled ?


Thank you again.


admjgreer

 

[Brink]

You can check in Device Manager to see if any of your devices are reporting an issue. If one is, check to see if there is a newer driver version from the device manufacturer's website.

 

[Snick]

@admjgreer, not necessarily drivers! And not!

Cannot verify component files for [B]c801f401a6eb25564cbd5e9ec745fc06[/B]

or amd64_c801f401a6eb25564cbd5e9ec745fc06_b03f5f7f11d50a3a_6.1.7601.24255_none_9ec760324a3907d8.manifest
If this file is damaged or missing in winsxs/Manifests folder sfc /scannow will fail on repair.
Would you please download, run SURTx64 and post CheckSUR.log when it completes.
Temporary location: C:\Windows\Logs\CBS

 

[NoelDP]

That file is part of the November 2018 update for .NET - but I've never been much good at repairing .NET errors as they need a little more TLC than most