How to Repair Corrupted Windows System Files

David Darlington

Jan 15, 2024 • Filed to: Windows Computer Solutions • Proven solutions

The System File Checker is responsible and built into Windows to scan your Windows System Files for the issue of corruption. Meanwhile, it can also look into other errors, and in case a file has been modified, it can automatically replace the file with the correct version to assist the user.

However, if the SFC command doesn't work, one can opt for the services of the DISM command on Windows 10 or Windows 8 which can help in repairing the underlying Windows system image. However, for the variants that include Windows 7 or earlier, Microsoft offers a downloadable "˜System Update Readiness Tool' instead.

How to Run the SFC Command to Repair System Files

The process has to be carried out from the Administrator Command Prompt window. If you are using Windows 10, you can simply right-click on the Start button, select "˜Command Prompt (Admin)', and if you are using a different version of Windows, you can access it by searching the Start Menu for Command Prompt, right-click over it, and select the option of "˜Run as Administrator'.

You then have to type the following command into the Command Prompt window, and press Enter. This would help you to run a complete system scan:  sfc/scannow

You can then leave the command prompt window open until the command completes its execution. This can take a while depending on the condition of the system. If no error is detected by the command, you'll see a message which would say, "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations".

However, if you see an alternate message which might read, "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them", you have to carry out the reboot in safe mode before doing anything else. For the ones who are using Windows 10, accessing the Safe Mode might be tricky as the booting takes place in a very short amount of time, but it can be done by holding the Shift key while clicking the restart option which will allow them to access the advanced boot options menu. For the earlier variants of Windows, one has to hold up the F8 key while the booting takes place. You then have to run the above command in the safe mode.

How to Run the DISM Command to Fix SFC Problems

For the ones using Windows 10, the deployment image and servicing management tool can help you fix the component store corruption that doesn't allow the SFC command from proper execution. Executing this command is not that difficult, and can be done through following the given steps.

1. To run this command, you have to open the Command Prompt as the administrator. The following command has to be typed following by pressing the "˜Enter' key. DISM will check if the Windows component store for corruption and instantly fix any problem that is detected.
   DISM/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth
2. You then have to allow the command to finish running before shutting down the Command Prompt Window. This can take a while, close to 10 minutes even in rare instances. Don't be alarmed if your progress bar doesn't breach the 20% limit for a long while as it is very normal.
3. In case the DISM command has changed anything, you would have to restart your computer after that. This will allow you to run the SFC command again and thus replace the corrupted files with their right versions.
4. Please note that on the Windows 7 variants and earlier versions, the facility of DISM is not available. Users would have to download and run the "˜System Update Readiness Tool' from the official website of Microsoft and scan their system for corrupted files in an attempt to fix them.

If you are worried about corrupted file harming other critical files on your computer, you can simply perform the system restore.

When Should the Commands be run to deal with Corrupted Files?

The next important question that arises is when we should use these commands. The foremost area to run this command is while troubleshooting a faulty Windows system. If you are getting the blue-screen error, facing issues with your applications crashing, or are not able to access the features offered by Window, the SFC command could prove to be useful. However, if the SFC command is not able to repair any files, running could help ensure that there are no corrupted system files and the troubleshooting of the system can be continued with other methods.

In usual cases, the execution of the DISM command is not necessary. However, if one is unable to get the results through the SFC command, or cannot replace the corrupted file with the correct one, it is only a DISM command that can help. Alongside, System Update Readiness Tool can fix the underlying issue with your Windows system and also ensure that the System File Checker runs properly.

How to Restore System Restore in Windows 10

There can be instances when you have accidentally disabled the system restore option. In the following steps, we shall discuss how to enable the system restore option in Windows 10 and help deal with corrupted files.

• Right-click on Start and open the WinX menu. This is done to check if the System Restore is enabled or not. You have to click on "˜System' to access the Control Panel's System applet.
• System Protection would appear in the left pane. System Properties would open upon clicking it. Protection Settings would appear under the Protection tab.
• The next step in solving the issue of "˜system restore' not working involves ensuring that the Protection is set to "˜On' for the System Drive.
• If it is not set to on, select the System Drive or C Drive and click on the Configure button. This would lead to the following window to open.
• You then need to "˜Turn on the system protection' and select "˜Apply'.
• This should enable the System Restore option on Windows 10.

Starting with SFC, DISM, and eventually System Restore, one can find a solution to repair corrupted files that might be present in their device. The corrupted files should be treated as early as possible, else they can cause more harm to your hard disk. However, if your data has been lost due to corrupted files, you can use the Recoverit Data Recovery software to recover corrupted files.

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