How To Use Sfc.exe To Repair System Files

I ran sfc /scannow with my reinstallation cd and let it run while I was out. I came home and computer had rebooted.

I don't see any fixes and now if I run sfc /scannow it won't run. Just opens a window and closes fast.
I also can't find dllcache directory in windows/system32. crazy.gif Did I mess something up?

I'm trying to fix a neighbors system that had a viruses and several awful malware problems. Got most problems resolved but this scan fails.

The problem seems to be that he has Windows XP Media Center Edition and no CDROMs. I used my slipstreamed XP SP3 but get file errors I can't identify. I copied the Slipstreamed Files from the I386 directory over his C:\windows\i386 files but that didn't help.

Is there any way to determine which files are bad?

Not built into the operating system, no. Honestly, if you're in a scenario where system files got overwritten like this it's probably a better idea to just do an inplace or repair install in any case.

If you need media, unfortunately Media Center Edition cannot be legally distributed with machines, nor can it be purchased at this point. You're going to be better off wiping this machine if at all possible. The manufacturer of the machine should have provided you with either reset DVDs, or would have provided a recovery partition you can access before Windows boots.

Hope that helps,
Billy3

Hi All,
I did the following and this bleeping computer still tells me that I have inserted the wrong CD.
Any more Ideas? Gary@DWS

Hello, all

If you run Windows XP SFC and it asks for your "Service Pack 3 Disk", you can extract the service pack 3 files as follows:

Download the standalone windows XP SP3 package from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en
and save it to your desktop.

Then extract the files from the package by going to Start -> Run and entering:

"%userprofile%\Desktop\WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe" -x:C:\xpsp3

This will place the service pack 3 updates to the i386 folder into your C drive under the folder "xpsp3".

You should then be able to point SFC at this folder for the files it can't find from your windows disk or i386 folder.

Hope that helps,
Billy3

You need to slipstream your CD. You can use NLite to do that.

Billy3

Hello,
I am trying to use SFC.EXE but do not have the OS CDs for this computer. I am trying to follow the instructions in Post #2 but have discovered I have 16 i386 Folders. How can I figure out which one to Copy to the Root? Thank you for any help with this.

Hello,
I am trying to use SFC.EXE but do not have the OS CDs for this computer. I am trying to follow the instructions in Post #2 but have discovered I have 16 i386 Folders. How can I figure out which one to Copy to the Root? Thank you for any help with this.

You need the i386 folder from the actual installation disk. The i386 folders on your actual machine are different. The one on the installation media contains compressed original copies of everything on your machine, while the ones on your machine contain uncompressed copies that may or may not be in use.

You need the original compressed versions for SFC because that's what the tool expects. Given that SFC does it's work by replacing the copies on your machine with the original copies, if you tried to give it a folder containing files that were already on your machine it wouldn't be able to fix the problem anyway; it doesn't magically know how to repair everything.

Billy3

Thank you for your reply.

So if I don't have the Installation CDs for this computer, can I find & use the i386 folder on the Installation CD's I have for other computers? The only problem I see with that is I only have Restore CDs, which was what the instructions in Post#2 were trying to help with, as they probably won't work either?

If I can't use those, then I guess I am left at this process at the end of usasma's Post #2: " If so, there's a couple of more things to try (please post your question in the forums) or you can look to see if your system has a repair or a non-destructive recovery option. This option will leave your programs and data intact while replacing all of the Windows files. This is also the next step if SFC.EXE /SCANNOW doesn't fix the problem."
Can someone help me with what the couple of more things to try are, or how to figure out the repair option mentioned (also - let me know which forum I should post this question in if I shouldn't ask it here)?
Thank you.

The only problem I see with that is I only have Restore CDs, which was what the instructions in Post#2 were trying to help with, as they probably won't work either?

These won't work; generally "restore CDs" have some kind of ghost image of the whole system; not the files from the actual installation media. You need to get a copy of the actual installation media to perform these steps. You might try posting in the relevant forum for your specific issue you're experiencing.

Good luck!

Billy3

but i have a question what happen when you what to use sfc /scannow, and go to registry to change seting there so you do not need the xp cd any more

but find out on how to do it, ther is no SourcePath lisyted in registy


i have use sfc /scannow for a long time, with a home xp cd before sp1,, but i got a new compter with xp home sp2 cd,, and SourcePath is not there

This is the same problem I have. I navigate through the registry and find there is NO "source path" from the Windows, nor from Windows NT, as prescribed from some microsoft article I read yeasterday.

I tried doing the sfc /scannow and it was asking for my installation cd, but started thinking (which USUALLY is a dangerous thing.lol), that the cd is only XPsp1 (or earlier) and I have sp3 installed now, and it kept asking me to insert cd, like it wasn't reading my E drive (D drive is shot but still installed) so I cancelled it, thinking it would place me in a worser place then I am at present.

Have a dell deminsions 4600 2.4 ghz genuine pentium 4, and 2.50 gigs of RAM. Also a 250 gig external HD, and upgraded the power pack.

Any suggestions as how to save my dinosaur?

Thanks

Edit: it IS reading my E drive but, wants the original cd. Not the stand-alone SP3 cd.

Edited by bearman1, 19 January 2012 - 09:39 AM.

hi all, hope someone can help here. I ahve a system that boots past BIOS then Hangs Black Screen.
When I boot from Win XP CD I get to std screen with the R option to put me in DOS. If I enter continue I don't go to the next screen asking me about my current installations of Windows (ie 1: C:\Windows) At that point I get a BSOD. I have a ghost image of this disk, so I can reinstall it anytime. (the image that generates a BSOD) I can boot a BARTPE disk and see the files on the hard drive, so I gather I have somehow corrupted some system files. Any help would be greatly appriciated
Wayne

Edited by zaka, 31 January 2012 - 11:03 AM.

Hellu, yes, i know this is an old thread, but could you link me to a newer thread of this... thing or if there isnt any, answer me! I found out that i have about 200 of those "i386" folders X_X, which ones is/are the right one(s), because most of them are located in the C:\WINDOWS\ folders, whereas others are also in my Java folders and some also in my gaming folders(wtf?), is my Windows very corrupted or is it a common thing, i dont know what to do! Im using a OEM Windows XP Pro SP3, Lenovo ThinkPad T61p | P.S - I didnt read all the posts, cuz its late and i want to go to sleep -.-, at my place that is.

Edited by Zanec, 27 August 2012 - 04:02 AM.

It appears a link in post #2 regarding "slipstreaming sp2" may have changed. Same domain, new page ...

Usasma

Hope you still monitor this post, because I have a couple of questions about the operation of SFC.  I have followed the instruction in your guide, but I am getting "confusing" results. I have XP PRO with SP3, on a Dell Vostro 1500 laptop and Microsoft update says I am up to date.

1. First run of SFC.  For some reason I do not have a C:\i386 folder, but I do have my "original" Dell XP PRO SP# install disk.  The install disk has an i386 folder.  I run sfc and as expected SFC asks for the "Original"  SP3 CD.  I put the CD in, SFC starts reading from the CD.  Probably reads about 30 times, then finishes.   I went back to installing the program, and was still having problems.   As a check, I ran SFC again, and got the same results.  SFC read about 30 times from the "original" CD.

This seems strange – If SFC repaired/fixed some 30 files on the first pass; why would it need to read the original some 30 times on the second pass?  This indicates  a lot of files were not fixed/repaired on the first pass. I would expect maybe 1 or 2 reads on the second pass.  Is this normal operation?  Comments welcome.

1. As an experiment,  I created a C:\i386 folder and copied all of the entries, files and folders from the "original" install CD into the C:\i386 folder.  I changed the registry "SourcePath" according to your instructions.  Rebooted and ran sfc with no other programs running.  SFC started and ran for about 1 minute, then asked for the "Original" install CD.  Sfc read from the CD probably 15 times before it finished.  This seems really strange; since the C:\i386 folder and CD i386 folder contain identical files.  I may have a misunderstanding about the operation of SFC, so your comments are welcome

 

Hello, all

If you run Windows XP SFC and it asks for your "Service Pack 3 Disk", you can extract the service pack 3 files as follows:

Download the standalone windows XP SP3 package from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en
and save it to your desktop.

Then extract the files from the package by going to Start -> Run and entering:

"%userprofile%\Desktop\WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe" -x:C:\xpsp3

This will place the service pack 3 updates to the i386 folder into your C drive under the folder "xpsp3".

You should then be able to point SFC at this folder for the files it can't find from your windows disk or i386 folder.

Hope that helps,
Billy3

 

Um, wont this just create a folder on the root. ... C:\xpsp3 when we are trying to make the folder a sub-directory of the i386 folder (C:\i386\xpsp3) ??????

 

So how do you point sfc to a folder when running xp?