To repair the component store in the Windows installation you’re currently using, open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator and run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. DISM scans for component-store corruption and attempts repairs using an available repair source. If the command succeeds, run System File Checker when troubleshooting the Windows Update or component-store errors covered by Microsoft’s guidance.
Run DISM against the running Windows installation
- Open the Start menu and search for Command Prompt or PowerShell.
- Select Run as administrator. Approve the User Account Control prompt if it appears.
- Enter this command and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth - Wait for DISM to finish. Microsoft says the operation takes several minutes; the actual time can vary. Do not close the window while it is running.
/Online means the target is the currently running Windows image; it does not mean DISM is downloading the repair files. /Cleanup-Image selects image cleanup and recovery operations, and /RestoreHealth scans for component-store corruption and performs repair operations automatically. See Microsoft’s Repair a Windows Image and DISM command-line options.
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Choose the right DISM check
You can run RestoreHealth directly for the repair procedure. The other commands answer different questions; they are not additional repair steps that must always precede it.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth |
Checks whether corruption has already been recorded and whether the image is considered repairable. It is a quick status check, not a full scan. |
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth |
Scans the component store for corruption; the scan can take several minutes. |
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth |
Scans for component-store corruption and attempts repair automatically. |
These command descriptions are documented by Microsoft in its DISM servicing options.
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Understand where DISM gets repair files
When you omit /Source, DISM uses the configured repair source; Windows Update may be used for an online repair. On a managed computer, policy may specify a repair source, so behavior can differ from a personal PC. Microsoft explains source configuration in Configure a Windows Repair Source.
Use a mounted Windows image as a local source
If you have a suitable Windows image mounted and its Windows directory is available, specify that directory as the source. Microsoft’s example is:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:testmountwindows /LimitAccess
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Replace C:testmountwindows with the actual Windows directory in your mounted image. The source must be suitable for repairing the target installation; a USB drive by itself is not a repair source. In this example, /LimitAccess prevents DISM from contacting Windows Update, so use it only when the specified source or a configured policy source is intended to provide the needed files.
When you specify multiple /Source locations, DISM uses files from the first location where they are found and ignores later locations. Refer to Microsoft’s repair guidance and Repair-WindowsImage reference for source and parameter details.
Repair an offline Windows image instead
If the Windows installation you need to repair is offline but accessible, target its image path with /Image: rather than using /Online. Microsoft’s example syntax is:
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DISM /Image:C:offline /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:testmountwindows
Replace C:offline with the offline Windows image path and the source path with a suitable known-good mounted Windows directory. Do not use the running-system command unchanged when the intended target is an offline image. Microsoft documents this distinction in Repair a Windows Image.
What to do after DISM finishes
For the component-store and Windows Update errors addressed in Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance, run System File Checker after DISM:
sfc /scannow
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator for this command as well. Microsoft recommends the DISM-then-SFC sequence for those cases in Fix Windows Update corruptions and installation failures.
If RestoreHealth fails
A failed or incomplete RestoreHealth run does not establish that the component store was repaired. Check %windir%LogsCBSCBS.log for servicing errors to investigate why the operation did not complete. If the log points to missing source files, verify that your specified source is suitable and reachable, and check whether a repair-source policy applies on a managed device. Microsoft’s repair guidance says a non-repairable image in an image-servicing context should be discarded and recreated; that is not a blanket instruction to delete or replace a personal Windows installation.
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