The sfc /scannow command is a well-known way to do an integrity check of all files system of Windows. It can be useful in many scenarios and help you with various Windows problems. So, if for some reason you are not able to start Windows, that is, if for some reason your computer refuses to open, then maybe it's time to run System File Check (sfc).
Fortunately, the sfc command supports offline scanning of a Window installation, even if it does not start correctly. What it actually does is to check all Window files (even dlls) and find it problematic to replace it with the original. All you need is a bootable medium that contains the Window 8 / 8.1 setup setup, in other words the Window 8 / 8.1 installation DVD or a bootable USB stick. In our previous article here, you will find the way to download the iso archive Windows installation.
The steps you should take to run a scan with the sfc command and without the requirement connections with the internet, it is:.
- Put the dvd installation or whatever other bootable installation media you have and boot your computer. (You may need to press some buttons or change the BIOS options to boot from the DVD after
USB, etc.) - When the "Install Window" screen appears, press the keys Shift + F10 together. This will open the command line.
- Type the word in the command line pane notepad and press Enter. Do not close the command-line window. In the notebook that appears, open the menus File -> Open. Make it click on “This Computer” in the left pane of the Open dialog to view your computer's drives. Mark the appropriate letter unitof the disk of the partition where you have installed the damaged Windows. In the image below, it is on the D: drive.
- Now, type the following text at the command prompt:
sfc / scannow / offbootdir = D: \ / offwindir = D: \ Windows
Note that offbootdir contains the drive letter that is found in the damaged operating and offwindir is the folder in which the damaged operating system is located.
Press Enter to execute the command.
When you run the computer normally Windows is usually in C: // Windows. But booting your computer from a bootable dvd or anything other than C: then the letter on the disk where the corrupted operating system is located may no longer be C but some other letter. This is why it is necessary to check the letter of the operating disk.
That's all. Now let the SFC tool perform the audit and correct any integrity issues. It will automatically determine any problems you find. The process will take you about 10 minutes. Just know that if you have inside your computer broken, twisted or anything else in place of normal then sfc will logically see them as corrupted and replace them.
Finally, restart your computer by removing the bootable medium to see if the sfc command has resolved the problem.
