Run DISM first, then System File Checker (SFC), from an administrator Command Prompt. DISM repairs the Windows image; SFC then scans protected system files and can replace damaged files with cached copies. The sequence can help with system-file corruption, but it is not a fix for every Windows problem.
Before you start
Microsoft recommends installing the latest Windows updates and restarting before running SFC. You’ll also need administrator access for the commands.
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- Install available Windows updates and restart your PC.
- Search Windows for Command Prompt, select Run as administrator, and approve the prompt.
Run DISM, then SFC
Keep the commands in this order: DISM prepares the Windows image and its repair files; SFC checks protected system files. Microsoft’s instructions say DISM may take several minutes. Do not close the Command Prompt while either operation is running.
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- At the elevated Command Prompt, enter
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealthand press Enter. Wait for DISM to finish and report successful completion. By default, it obtains the files it needs through Windows Update. - After DISM succeeds, enter
sfc /scannowand press Enter. Leave the window open until verification reaches 100%, then read the final message.
Type the spaces exactly as shown, including the space before each slash in the DISM command and the space between sfc and /scannow. Microsoft describes SFC this way: “The sfc /scannow command will scan all protected system files and replace corrupted files with a cached copy.”
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What the SFC result means
| Message | Meaning | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations. | SFC found no missing or corrupted protected system files. | Retry the task that led you to run the scan. If the issue remains, investigate it as a separate Windows problem. |
| Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation. | The scan could not complete as requested. | Try running SFC in Safe Mode. Also check that %WinDir%WinSxSTempPendingDeletes and %WinDir%WinSxSTempPendingRenames exist. |
| Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. | SFC repaired the corrupt files it found. | Retry the task that originally failed. |
| Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. | Some detected corruption remains unrepaired. | Review the SFC log for details. If the problem persists, follow Microsoft’s repair or Windows recovery guidance. |
Review the SFC log if files remain unrepaired
Microsoft documents extracting SFC-related entries from the CBS log to a text file on your desktop. Run this in Command Prompt:
findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%LogsCBSCBS.log >"%userprofile%Desktopsfcdetails.txt"Open sfcdetails.txt and use the date and time recorded in the entries to identify the latest scan; the file can include entries from earlier SFC runs as well. Avoid manually replacing protected files as a first step. That is an advanced escalation, not the normal repair sequence.
If DISM cannot get repair files
DISM normally uses Windows Update as its repair-file source. If the Windows Update client is broken, Microsoft documents using a suitable Windows installation or a Windows side-by-side folder on network storage or removable media instead. The source must actually contain appropriate repair files for the Windows image being repaired; arbitrary installation media or a made-up folder path is not enough.
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Replace C:RepairSourceWindows below with the real location of a suitable source before running the example:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccessFor details on choosing a repair source, see Microsoft’s Windows image repair instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Retry the task that exposed the problem
After the repair sequence, retry the operation that originally failed. If you ran these commands because Windows Update was having trouble, try Windows Update again. DISM and SFC address Windows image and protected system-file issues; they do not establish the cause of every update failure or other Windows symptom. For broader update troubleshooting, use Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooting guidance.
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