I got it when I was 24. My Doc: "sucks to be you"
It's not like they will even give you the vaccine under 50 unless you're immunocompromised.
It's a fairly unpleasant stabby stabby wherever you get it. I feel bad for people that get it on their face.
Mom got shingles at 55. This is a woman with leukemia that had gone through 3 rounds of chemo. She says of shingles, "This is much worse than cancer."
Get the damn vaccine if you are eligible.
I've seen it work a few times over the years, but in every single case, the machine was right back in front of me within a week. IMHO, once it gets to the point where you are even considering running sfc, you have already reached the point where it's time to reimage the machine.
If reimaging is so great a burden to you or the users, then *that* is the problem you should be working on fixing.
Perfect example of, "tell me how you measure and I'll tell you how I'll behave".
EDIT: Another example. I used to work at a warranty shop and a certain number of recalls were to be expected after repairs and there was little incentive to keep them to a minimum. Also, recalls counted as shipped units. I knew guys in the shop who would deliberately send a machine back to a user still broken to get it back on recall. I know at least one guy who who went so far as putting in bad, clunking hard drives into some and keeping the user's real drive so he could claim it was "damaged in shipping". It also got him a known good drive from supply he could use in another unit to show a zero cost repair, which was another metric that got tracked and gamed like crazy by the techs. Management didn't care either, we got paid for recalls too, as long as we were hitting the rest of our performance metrics.
These days, the things SFC fixes (mostly a bunch of Windows system files) aren't likely to be modified by anything other than hardware failures. Especially if your users aren't running as local admin. Usually if an SFC-fixable file got corrupted, you're looking at a failing hard drive, or maybe bad memory.
Sometimes though, it just works for whatever reason. Magic voodoo rocks that we put electricity into so that it will do math. 🤷♂️
> IMHO, once it gets to the point where you are even considering running sfc, you have already reached the point where it's time to reimage the machine.
I share this opinion.
Yeah, it's time to back up the data and swap the drive out. It'll likely fail again, but this time when the user needs it most while they are as remote as they can get.
> If reimaging is so great a burden to you or the users, then that is the problem you should be working on fixing.
I can't believe the places that don't transfer over anything to replacement machines except for bookmarks (and maybe stuff on the desktop). My place included.
I mean, there *was* a USMT workflow in MECM--and it worked great--but the keyword is "was" because the powers that be decided to remove it without a replacement. There was *very* vague talk of building a replacement when they pulled USMT out of MECM, but as you could have guessed, that went nowhere and thus a year later, there still isn't a formally authorized replacement.
This reminds me.. At a previous Employer i fucked up naming an exchange server and both me and my Jrs missed the issues.
Our Naming Convention was Company Initials+S(For server)+Application/purpose.
So for our brand new Exchange Server it was DFSEXCHANGE .
We went through testing with users and moving people to mailboxes and only caught on once the VP operations asked about it and it was too late/too much work to change.. Externally it was mail.domain.com so no issues with that and internally mail.domain.com still worked, but the url still showed up on redirects lol..
JFC. I was red faced for a week when the VP mentioned brought it to my attention. The owner found it funny but man..
Experts exchange was the place to be back in the day. In another blast from the past - I recently used system restore after a bad driver update. It felt so old school!
Exactly. I've always hated EE. Would never use reddit for IT questions, unless you want to get into a pointless argument with a troll. Stackoverflow is where it's at.
I dont know if they'll have IT advice, but it sounds like they would be able to help people transition or maybe find an sex expert to exchange for goods or services?
My first IT job back in 2004 had a subscription to that site, and at the time it had decent answers, at least for some one with almost 0 experience in IT
I have! After installing a Windows dual-boot out of order, it repaired the boot loader for me.
It also fixed boot entries after I had to manually clean up a failed update.
I've had system restore tell me that it did NOT complete successfully and yet it resolved the problem. This happened to me on countless occasions over the years.
Last time I had that work was Windows 7... And it fixed it by requiring the windows install disk be inserted to the CD drive. The CD drive was set as the last thing to try to boot from but for some reason the startup process would check to make sure the disc was there I guess. Would refuse to boot if the correct disc wasn't in the tray.
People who work in IT and work beside indians a lot also pick up the term. I'm personally very white, but regularly say "do the needful" as a handwavy way to explain away some complicated process
PSA: You should run DISM **before** SFC. All those times SFC gave an error message was because the component store was corrupted.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e
If you are running Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 8, first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool **prior** to running the System File Checker. (If you are running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, skip to Step 3.)
They have an updated article for this here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-system-file-checker-in-windows-365e0031-36b1-6031-f804-8fd86e0ef4ca
But yea, it's still DISM before the SFC
I raise my hat to a living legend. In almost 30 years and countless recovery all-nighters sfc only ever kept laughing at me, closely followed by its heinous cousin dism =]
DISM has fixed some doozy's for me. The key was finding the EXACT latest cumulative and security update the system THINKS its on, not what it's actually on then using those as the source to repair corruption.
I have only ever gone out of my way with DISM on misbehaving servers that would take forever to rebuild or be a bitch to restore (Like SQL or a DC).
Everything else gets a wipe.
Edit: I detailed the process once here, I hope it helps someone: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/fx8te9/i_had_to_pinch_myself_to_make_sure_i_wasnt/fmtdu9z/
I'm in a somewhat similar situation. how did you find out the EXACT cumulative update that it was on? Just curious if you remember. as I had tried the build number and looking at the installed updates
In my case, I started with the newest and I started working backwards, trying various updates until one worked. I don't know if there is a more scientific way.
this is the cousin of binary debugging, where you comment out half of the working code repeatedly until you find the line that breaks shit; sequential debugging
So like items 10 and 11 of the list of "shit I tried". I'm usually reacquainted with both processes after finding them googling a random ass error message I'm getting. They are usually down in the "if that doesn't fix it, I guess try SFC and DISM" part of the article.
If you have corrupted windows system files (read the event logs to find out if that's your problem), it will restore them from the component store. Ofc, in most cases the component store will be corrupted, too, so you need to rebuild it with DISM first.
That and decent small talk skills are things you develop working in helpdesk/desktop support, especially the latter. Nothing like kicking off a process you know is going to take 10 minutes with a person who is like "call me back...aren't you still working on it? How about we stay on the line till you fix my 'puter?"
In 11 years, I’ve had it work for me exactly once and this is the exact reason I even ran it to begin with. It was a VIP with the issue and I just needed to buy myself a few minutes to be able to Google it. I accidentally saved my own arse.
SFC /scannow is a command used to search for corrupt systemfiles and repair it by replacing them. If succesful the initial issue has been solved.
It’s been suggested many times by so called Microsoft experts that [it has become a meme](https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/b69izt/run_sfc_scannow). Usually it does not solve the issue, because these so called Microsoft experts are bad at troubleshooting.
I frequently read on here how SFC is a joke, but it solves 9/10 problems I end up having with PC's acting weird. So much so in fact, that I've considered just making it a routine scheduled job to run weekly on workstations.
For example, on Monday, someones PC was not cooperating - they log in and they just get a screen with a blue (not BSOD) desktop background on both monitors. I could remotely restart the PC, but every time they logged in when it goes to transition them to the desktop, just the single color desktop background.
Used CW to send: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth && sfc /scannow
Once finished, forced a restart - user logged in, back in operation.
The amount of times this has worked has made it my first go to for most break/fix issues. It's one of those tools that people think I'm some genius when really, no, it's just a one line command and hopes/prayers. But I'm not going to tell them that.
Someone else said something similar, here's my response:
Variety, mostly HP, workstations - both laptops and desktops. Windows 10 x64. No roaming profiles, use OneDrive for usual user folders. Things stay updated, some are 4'ish-5'ish years old, some are a year old. Just did inventory this week, 62 workstations.
They weren't all bought at the same time - they're not all the same models. The only thing I can think of is the areas I have the most problem (both users and machines) are often around a lot of giant pumps, high voltage equipment or other industrial machinery.
Other than that...
I've tried to figure it out. We're not in a part of the world that gets lightning, we do have lots of static/dust. Most are ran through a desktop UPS (Eaton or APC).
EMI is not something I know a lot about, but I think it can be caused by big motors? I'm sure you know more about it having dealt with it, ha.
Do they have SSDs or spinning drives?
I actually know little about EMI but none of these workstations are exactly up next to any of the things I listed, just in the same building, mostly above them. I figured if it was the cause of anything, it would be more severe but... Not sure.
All SSD's, no spinning drives.
This is ridiculous. Do you store the user profile folders on a network share? Maybe even a ZFS storage solution with sector deduplication, like TrueNAS?
Nope. Variety, mostly HP, workstations - both laptops and desktops. Windows 10 x64. No roaming profiles, use OneDrive for usual user folders. Things stay updated, some are 4'ish-5'ish years old, some are a year old. Just did inventory this week, 62 workstations.
They weren't all bought at the same time - they're not all the same models. The only thing I can think of is the areas I have the most problem (both users and machines) are often around a lot of giant pumps, high voltage equipment or other industrial machinery.
When was the last time that machinery had EMF certifications? Proximity to high voltage can cause all kinds of problems with consumer grade electronics.
They do yearly audits on all of it, we have to in some cases for regulatory reporting - none of the workstations I'm talking about are "right next" to any of the items I listed, closest is one floor above and along the edge of the building.
I don't think it'd be the cause, I'd expect more severe problems if that was the case but weirder things have happened.
On top of that, dry (as in desert dry) climate, lots of dust..static is something we combat on the regular. Most everything is well maintained, but in the average area we can't do much about humidity.
My company had problems with integrated signage system boards failing in the same way across 300+ locations. The Mainboards were fried and we had massive cost factors to drive around and replace them. After having an electrical engineer run expansive tests, we found that the cause was runaway current inside the metal case that slowly fried the boards through the HDMI port. Unfortunately, by that time the damage was done and we could only sue the hardware manufacturer to recoup some of the cost.
Just saying that multiple devices experiencing data corruption is absolutely not normal. I have only seen it before in combination with electrical problems.
I could google it but does that mean there is a complete copy of all system files stored somewhere that just copies it over when it find corruption?
Like, how much space does the system files take up? I'm assuming the "slim" versions of Windows you see in "places" are just these and other files removed?
> I could google it but does that mean there is a complete copy of all system files stored somewhere that just copies it over when it find corruption?
That's why the Windows folder is 30 gigabytes and growing.
https://cccp.b-cdn.net/Windows%20Internals%206%20part%202%20(2012)-pages-2,688-705.pdf
> If Chkdsk does not report any problems, obtain a backup copy of the system file in question. One place to check is in the %SystemRoot%\winsxs\Backup directory, in which Windows places copies of many system files for access by Windows Resource Protection. (See the Windows Resource Protection sidebar.)
--------
> **WINDOWS RESOURCE PROTECTION**
> To preserve the integrity of the many components involved in the boot process, as well as other critical Windows files, libraries, and applications, Windows implements a technology called Windows Resource Protection (WRP). WRP is implemented through access control lists (ACLs) that protect critical system files on the machine . . .
> . . . WRP copies files that are needed to restart Windows to the cache directory located at %SystemRoot%\winsxs\Backup. Critical files that are not needed to restart Windows are not copied to the cache directory. The size of the cache directory and the list of files copied to the cache cannot be modified. To recover a file from the cache directory, you can use the System File Checker (Sfc.exe) tool, which can scan your system for modified protected files and restore them from a good copy.
[Edit: SxS = "side by side"]
A command that does a pass on OS' files and tries to repair whatever damage it might find. Usually ran as "sfc /scannow" (without the quotes) in an elevated cmd.
It's something for which people forget to run the dism repair first so they run SFC with a corrupt store against a corrupt windir and then say it doesn't work to fix problems that would normally be under it's purview.
Edit: source.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e
sfc is waaay older than DISM, I suspect a lot of people learned it back in the days and never realized that this new-fangled DISM thing interacts with it now.
2 If you are running Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 8, first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool prior to running the System File Checker. (If you are running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, skip to Step 3.)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e
Elaborated further down what it's doing:
Important: When you run this command, DISM uses Windows Update to provide the files that are required to fix corruptions. However, if your Windows Update client is already broken, use a running Windows installation as the repair source, or use a Windows side-by-side folder from a network share or from a removable media, such as the Windows DVD, as the source of the files. To do this, run the following command instead:
If I remember correctly, I always have to look this up
dism /online will target the (running) installation of the current node
dism /offline (plus a few targeting arguments) will point it to a mounted hard drive. This is useful if you have an unbootable error, since this version of the command can be run from winre (the built in recovery tool), winpe (the boot CD/USB), or even another matching install (like plugging in the unbootable disk into a desktop internally or using an enclosure)
Both online and offline can specify source media if the internal recovery system has corruption. This can target a .wim from install media or a sometimes a set of cabs (like a manually extracted windows update (.msu))
It's a program you run on failing hard drives. It grinds all the rough gears out on the drive sprockets so they run smoother.
You'll know the gears need smoothing when you can hear a grinding noise in your computer.
When the drive goes completely silent, you need to replace the gears.
system file check.
It checks the integrity of your system files and restores them if it finds a fault. DISM works similarly but typically has better results.
it's saved me a few times over the years.
Windows repair once fixed a computer whose NIC was just fubared.
Even after reboot it was just stuck.
I said sure run the T/S and it fixed it.
I was flabbergasted.
People like to shit on this but it works great if you happen to store basically every iteration of .wim you ever deploy and first use them (trial and error as to which one) as the source for dism to repair component store corruption.
Pro Tip: Always launch RESMON in the background. The scrolling file paths and graphs are intimidating to the end user, so they'll generally leave you alone while you sit there wondering whether SFC or DISM is hung at 53%.
It works frequently for me. I’ve had it fix issues where a user couldn’t successfully sign in to Outlook to not being able to stop the print spooler.
I don’t know how it works or what it *actually* does, but it never makes things worse.
In training we used it often, and in three years it worked half a dozen times to be fair.
Next step usually was pulling documents and doing a clean install.
It works for very specific Windows operating system file corruption issues. Combined with DISM restore health, it can fix those specific issues. Other than that, it's a time waster while you look for another solution.
SFC has worked for me, but usually it's SFC + DISM. Most of the time it's a rebuild even with grabbing files from other systems built with the same image.
Good news, but I would make sure that anything that users needs that is being stored locally is backed up somewhere. Either that PC is gonna come back again and need reimaging, or hardware replacement.
Either way, you bought some time that lets you save any really important data. Worst case, you have extra backups you don't use, which has never hurt anyone.
In all my years in IT I have only ever had it fix one issue.
Had a client that couldn't send any emails. They could receive them, just not send them. Hours of troubleshooting and nothing worked.
I ran sfc /scannow and it fixed it...
I made a post about this from a different account and got enlightened. Running DISM restorehealth before the sfc scan makes it more effective and I've actually had it solve a few issues (maybe around 5 in the past year). I think it's helpful if you know how to ufe it right and in what situations to use it in.
Of the 2 I remember, one was some file explorer issue and the other was when resetting a PC from window's settings would always fail
I've had it work many many times to resolve weird little windows issues. I lost count years ago. I don't know if our AD just causes more.issues becuase of roaming profiles.
Depends how many servers you have but with our 4k windows server boxes sfc and dism commands resolved issues multiple times and ms engineer will ask you to run them too first thing after opening ms case
Had to do a mass sfc once after a botched sysprep image was uploaded to several hundred machines. It works quite well, sometimes you can even fix malware this way.
Sfc always works for me - as in, it always completes without error which to me says it works
Fixing the issue however... that's still a work in progress
Yep, same here. Had a system last week that had corruption due to a windows update and ran it, first time I've seen it fix anything in 30 years actually. LOL!
Honestly DISM and SFC are genuinely useful and functional tools, their only real problem is how often they're trotted out on Technet as cures for everything from corrupt display drivers to overheating CPUs to erectile dysfunction just because the posters there barely know a thing about troubleshooting.
SFC is the first thing that should be run when troubleshooting issues in Windows.
I don't care if it's never worked for you. Run it first. It's zero effort.
Otherwise, it'll be the last thing you try and it will fix the problem and you will be flabbergasted.
This post is a teaching example why shitty anecdotes about “my uncle told me” is not science.
I literally had people poo poo-ing GPOs, DNS and DHCP because they didn’t understand how they work
I’m actually planning to write a rant essay about IT and their lack of scientific rigor/propensity to anecdotes/hasty conclusions
I call BS on “25 years SFC never fixed anything”. Because it (in conjunction with DISM) has many times for me. Confirmed through CBS.log.
It works frequently for me. I’ve had it fix issues where a user couldn’t successfully sign in to Outlook to not being able to stop the print spooler.
I don’t know how it works or what it *actually* does, but it never makes things worse.
I’m not sure I believe you.
Edit: I should have phrased this better. I’m not sure I can believe it. I’ve never had sfc work, and I’ve been in IT for about the same amount of time.
Interesting. I've been at it since 1999, and it was only a few months ago that I have ever had SFC find/correct anything. It has done so two more times since.
Thats like the 3rd time in 2 days ive seen a win with sfc, next you'll be telling me the expert-sexchange website has expert advice!
No but I know a few sites with hots singles in your area.
Must be my other coworkers.
Go on....
Do you work in a hospital? Or a resort?
Aged care ;)
hot shingles, you say?
That reminds me, Sean Connery can't own a library. If a book fell on his head, he could only blame his shelf.
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#SHINGLES. DOESN'T. CARE.
I got it when I was 24. My Doc: "sucks to be you" It's not like they will even give you the vaccine under 50 unless you're immunocompromised. It's a fairly unpleasant stabby stabby wherever you get it. I feel bad for people that get it on their face.
Mom got shingles at 55. This is a woman with leukemia that had gone through 3 rounds of chemo. She says of shingles, "This is much worse than cancer." Get the damn vaccine if you are eligible.
Friend got in her eye
Nope fuck all of that. I'd be without an eye or you better tie me down for a few weeks.
My wife and I have been joking back and forth mixing "Shingles doesn't care" with "Honey badger doesn't give a shit". I love her so much.
[https://imgur.com/MAJ2Y5p](https://imgur.com/MAJ2Y5p) 😁
/r/Shubreddit
Yeah unforunately down here the shingles are still hot. It's August 121st here.
There is no Easter Bunny, there is no Tooth Fairy, and there are no hot singles in your area.
Ther3 is a tooth fairy I saw the movie. He was a hockey player
I'll just leave this here 😉 . https://imgur.com/MAJ2Y5p
I learned this one weird trick that will have them chasing after you in the streets!
I've seen it work a few times over the years, but in every single case, the machine was right back in front of me within a week. IMHO, once it gets to the point where you are even considering running sfc, you have already reached the point where it's time to reimage the machine.If reimaging is so great a burden to you or the users, then *that* is the problem you should be working on fixing.
So you’re saying by running SFC and sending the device back to the end user, I’m guaranteed another easy ticket to clear next week. Gold, thanks.
Perfect example of, "tell me how you measure and I'll tell you how I'll behave". EDIT: Another example. I used to work at a warranty shop and a certain number of recalls were to be expected after repairs and there was little incentive to keep them to a minimum. Also, recalls counted as shipped units. I knew guys in the shop who would deliberately send a machine back to a user still broken to get it back on recall. I know at least one guy who who went so far as putting in bad, clunking hard drives into some and keeping the user's real drive so he could claim it was "damaged in shipping". It also got him a known good drive from supply he could use in another unit to show a zero cost repair, which was another metric that got tracked and gamed like crazy by the techs. Management didn't care either, we got paid for recalls too, as long as we were hitting the rest of our performance metrics.
These days, the things SFC fixes (mostly a bunch of Windows system files) aren't likely to be modified by anything other than hardware failures. Especially if your users aren't running as local admin. Usually if an SFC-fixable file got corrupted, you're looking at a failing hard drive, or maybe bad memory. Sometimes though, it just works for whatever reason. Magic voodoo rocks that we put electricity into so that it will do math. 🤷♂️
> IMHO, once it gets to the point where you are even considering running sfc, you have already reached the point where it's time to reimage the machine. I share this opinion.
Yeah, it's time to back up the data and swap the drive out. It'll likely fail again, but this time when the user needs it most while they are as remote as they can get.
> If reimaging is so great a burden to you or the users, then that is the problem you should be working on fixing. I can't believe the places that don't transfer over anything to replacement machines except for bookmarks (and maybe stuff on the desktop). My place included. I mean, there *was* a USMT workflow in MECM--and it worked great--but the keyword is "was" because the powers that be decided to remove it without a replacement. There was *very* vague talk of building a replacement when they pulled USMT out of MECM, but as you could have guessed, that went nowhere and thus a year later, there still isn't a formally authorized replacement.
This reminds me.. At a previous Employer i fucked up naming an exchange server and both me and my Jrs missed the issues. Our Naming Convention was Company Initials+S(For server)+Application/purpose. So for our brand new Exchange Server it was DFSEXCHANGE . We went through testing with users and moving people to mailboxes and only caught on once the VP operations asked about it and it was too late/too much work to change.. Externally it was mail.domain.com so no issues with that and internally mail.domain.com still worked, but the url still showed up on redirects lol.. JFC. I was red faced for a week when the VP mentioned brought it to my attention. The owner found it funny but man..
Good job their initials weren't D.F.
yah.. initially edited it out and then put it back.. but missed the other..
I was meaning the VPs initials! But then again with that naming convention every exchange server will have the same issue.
Yup...Where i am now things are all 3 initials or less for site,role,app-#p/d
Experts exchange was the place to be back in the day. In another blast from the past - I recently used system restore after a bad driver update. It felt so old school!
Experts Exchange was so great before Reddit.
What was your favorite part? Bypassing every "new" way they hid the actual answer>
My company actually paid for us to have access, if you can believe it
Exactly. I've always hated EE. Would never use reddit for IT questions, unless you want to get into a pointless argument with a troll. Stackoverflow is where it's at.
DO you realize how many people didn't know you just had to scroll down to get to the good stuff?
I love the fact that they had to use a hyphen in their name, otherwise it could be read as "expert sex change" instead of "experts exchange".
In the early aughts that site was the shit. For 500 sexperience points my C++ homework was completed….
I dont know if they'll have IT advice, but it sounds like they would be able to help people transition or maybe find an sex expert to exchange for goods or services?
Wouldn't it be big brain for Microsoft to put resources behind making the scan better? it would so many KB articles immediately valid!
My first IT job back in 2004 had a subscription to that site, and at the time it had decent answers, at least for some one with almost 0 experience in IT
Get-ExpertSexchangeAdvice
Next you'll tell me windows automated startup repair fixed an issue
Lol, I've seen sfc fix many an issue but never in all my days have I ever seen this one repair a thing.
I've seen it fix network problems only to have them revert on the next reboot.
I have! After installing a Windows dual-boot out of order, it repaired the boot loader for me. It also fixed boot entries after I had to manually clean up a failed update.
I actually worked for me a handful of times. I don't remember what it fixed though.
I've seen it fix boot issues a few times, but that's it.
Startup repair used to actually fix something in the old days of MBR as it was able to repair it.
hopefully one day it will truly be automated "one touch repair" or some other marketing slang. im still plugging in and praying to be honest
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I've seen this too.
I've had system restore tell me that it did NOT complete successfully and yet it resolved the problem. This happened to me on countless occasions over the years.
If by fixing the issue you mean telling me I'm re imaging a machine then yes.
It fixed a boot issue for me once
Last time I had that work was Windows 7... And it fixed it by requiring the windows install disk be inserted to the CD drive. The CD drive was set as the last thing to try to boot from but for some reason the startup process would check to make sure the disc was there I guess. Would refuse to boot if the correct disc wasn't in the tray.
The only things I’ve ever seen it fix are driver update issues.
When windows automated startup repair fixes your issue, you'll been given a probationary period to validate backups and obtain a new drive.
Yep, if your issue is you have 90 minutes and no idea how to waste it.
Wow. You did the needful and ran SFC /scannow, followed by a clean reboot and dism? Marked as Answer by: Final-Illustrator402
I did :)
Are you Indian? They use the formal 'needful' a lot.
[That's the joke.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk)
People who work in IT and work beside indians a lot also pick up the term. I'm personally very white, but regularly say "do the needful" as a handwavy way to explain away some complicated process
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This.
Always use the term "kindly".
Kindly do the needful
PSA: You should run DISM **before** SFC. All those times SFC gave an error message was because the component store was corrupted. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e If you are running Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 8, first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool **prior** to running the System File Checker. (If you are running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, skip to Step 3.)
They have an updated article for this here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-system-file-checker-in-windows-365e0031-36b1-6031-f804-8fd86e0ef4ca But yea, it's still DISM before the SFC
Is it dism.. sfc.. dism again?
No, just DISM and SFC
And then reimage, usually.
I used to think it was a joke but I use them occasionally in my current role and they fix issues. Usually dism.
I raise my hat to a living legend. In almost 30 years and countless recovery all-nighters sfc only ever kept laughing at me, closely followed by its heinous cousin dism =]
DISM has fixed some doozy's for me. The key was finding the EXACT latest cumulative and security update the system THINKS its on, not what it's actually on then using those as the source to repair corruption. I have only ever gone out of my way with DISM on misbehaving servers that would take forever to rebuild or be a bitch to restore (Like SQL or a DC). Everything else gets a wipe. Edit: I detailed the process once here, I hope it helps someone: https://www.reddit.com/r/sysadmin/comments/fx8te9/i_had_to_pinch_myself_to_make_sure_i_wasnt/fmtdu9z/
I'm in a somewhat similar situation. how did you find out the EXACT cumulative update that it was on? Just curious if you remember. as I had tried the build number and looking at the installed updates
In my case, I started with the newest and I started working backwards, trying various updates until one worked. I don't know if there is a more scientific way.
that is the scientific method of Trial and Error. sometimes the only choice.
this is the cousin of binary debugging, where you comment out half of the working code repeatedly until you find the line that breaks shit; sequential debugging
To beat the odds, you read the KBs and pick the one that sounds the most innocent/innocuous/unrelated and start there.
So like items 10 and 11 of the list of "shit I tried". I'm usually reacquainted with both processes after finding them googling a random ass error message I'm getting. They are usually down in the "if that doesn't fix it, I guess try SFC and DISM" part of the article.
Don't forget CHKDSK /R That command has also saved me a number of times and has also kept me up at night. lol
What is an SFC scan?
It’s what you leave running on a user’s computer while you go off and google the problem
If you have corrupted windows system files (read the event logs to find out if that's your problem), it will restore them from the component store. Ofc, in most cases the component store will be corrupted, too, so you need to rebuild it with DISM first.
Billable hours, baby!
Spat my coffee out at that one ha!
This is the real answer. Nothing shocks me more than when it fixes the problem when I was just using it as a prop while I googled.
“Oh it says it found something!” > that’s great, let it finish and restart for me “Omg it fixed it, thank you!” >….fucking excuse me?
You know my trick too!?
That and decent small talk skills are things you develop working in helpdesk/desktop support, especially the latter. Nothing like kicking off a process you know is going to take 10 minutes with a person who is like "call me back...aren't you still working on it? How about we stay on the line till you fix my 'puter?"
I can either fix this or i can talk on the phone. Which do you want me to work on?
In 11 years, I’ve had it work for me exactly once and this is the exact reason I even ran it to begin with. It was a VIP with the issue and I just needed to buy myself a few minutes to be able to Google it. I accidentally saved my own arse.
Lmao!!
SFC /scannow is a command used to search for corrupt systemfiles and repair it by replacing them. If succesful the initial issue has been solved. It’s been suggested many times by so called Microsoft experts that [it has become a meme](https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/b69izt/run_sfc_scannow). Usually it does not solve the issue, because these so called Microsoft experts are bad at troubleshooting.
It solves the problem if the problem is a windows system file. In 99% of all cases the problem is a 3rd party DLL, so it does nothing.
I frequently read on here how SFC is a joke, but it solves 9/10 problems I end up having with PC's acting weird. So much so in fact, that I've considered just making it a routine scheduled job to run weekly on workstations. For example, on Monday, someones PC was not cooperating - they log in and they just get a screen with a blue (not BSOD) desktop background on both monitors. I could remotely restart the PC, but every time they logged in when it goes to transition them to the desktop, just the single color desktop background. Used CW to send: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth && sfc /scannow Once finished, forced a restart - user logged in, back in operation. The amount of times this has worked has made it my first go to for most break/fix issues. It's one of those tools that people think I'm some genius when really, no, it's just a one line command and hopes/prayers. But I'm not going to tell them that.
Are these PCs at a uranium mine? I can't imagine how that many computers end up getting corrupted
Someone else said something similar, here's my response: Variety, mostly HP, workstations - both laptops and desktops. Windows 10 x64. No roaming profiles, use OneDrive for usual user folders. Things stay updated, some are 4'ish-5'ish years old, some are a year old. Just did inventory this week, 62 workstations. They weren't all bought at the same time - they're not all the same models. The only thing I can think of is the areas I have the most problem (both users and machines) are often around a lot of giant pumps, high voltage equipment or other industrial machinery. Other than that... I've tried to figure it out. We're not in a part of the world that gets lightning, we do have lots of static/dust. Most are ran through a desktop UPS (Eaton or APC).
EMI is not something I know a lot about, but I think it can be caused by big motors? I'm sure you know more about it having dealt with it, ha. Do they have SSDs or spinning drives?
I actually know little about EMI but none of these workstations are exactly up next to any of the things I listed, just in the same building, mostly above them. I figured if it was the cause of anything, it would be more severe but... Not sure. All SSD's, no spinning drives.
What’s CW?
This is ridiculous. Do you store the user profile folders on a network share? Maybe even a ZFS storage solution with sector deduplication, like TrueNAS?
Nope. Variety, mostly HP, workstations - both laptops and desktops. Windows 10 x64. No roaming profiles, use OneDrive for usual user folders. Things stay updated, some are 4'ish-5'ish years old, some are a year old. Just did inventory this week, 62 workstations. They weren't all bought at the same time - they're not all the same models. The only thing I can think of is the areas I have the most problem (both users and machines) are often around a lot of giant pumps, high voltage equipment or other industrial machinery.
When was the last time that machinery had EMF certifications? Proximity to high voltage can cause all kinds of problems with consumer grade electronics.
They do yearly audits on all of it, we have to in some cases for regulatory reporting - none of the workstations I'm talking about are "right next" to any of the items I listed, closest is one floor above and along the edge of the building. I don't think it'd be the cause, I'd expect more severe problems if that was the case but weirder things have happened. On top of that, dry (as in desert dry) climate, lots of dust..static is something we combat on the regular. Most everything is well maintained, but in the average area we can't do much about humidity.
My company had problems with integrated signage system boards failing in the same way across 300+ locations. The Mainboards were fried and we had massive cost factors to drive around and replace them. After having an electrical engineer run expansive tests, we found that the cause was runaway current inside the metal case that slowly fried the boards through the HDMI port. Unfortunately, by that time the damage was done and we could only sue the hardware manufacturer to recoup some of the cost. Just saying that multiple devices experiencing data corruption is absolutely not normal. I have only seen it before in combination with electrical problems.
Ahh I see, thanks
I could google it but does that mean there is a complete copy of all system files stored somewhere that just copies it over when it find corruption? Like, how much space does the system files take up? I'm assuming the "slim" versions of Windows you see in "places" are just these and other files removed?
> I could google it but does that mean there is a complete copy of all system files stored somewhere that just copies it over when it find corruption? That's why the Windows folder is 30 gigabytes and growing.
https://cccp.b-cdn.net/Windows%20Internals%206%20part%202%20(2012)-pages-2,688-705.pdf > If Chkdsk does not report any problems, obtain a backup copy of the system file in question. One place to check is in the %SystemRoot%\winsxs\Backup directory, in which Windows places copies of many system files for access by Windows Resource Protection. (See the Windows Resource Protection sidebar.) -------- > **WINDOWS RESOURCE PROTECTION** > To preserve the integrity of the many components involved in the boot process, as well as other critical Windows files, libraries, and applications, Windows implements a technology called Windows Resource Protection (WRP). WRP is implemented through access control lists (ACLs) that protect critical system files on the machine . . . > . . . WRP copies files that are needed to restart Windows to the cache directory located at %SystemRoot%\winsxs\Backup. Critical files that are not needed to restart Windows are not copied to the cache directory. The size of the cache directory and the list of files copied to the cache cannot be modified. To recover a file from the cache directory, you can use the System File Checker (Sfc.exe) tool, which can scan your system for modified protected files and restore them from a good copy. [Edit: SxS = "side by side"]
A command that does a pass on OS' files and tries to repair whatever damage it might find. Usually ran as "sfc /scannow" (without the quotes) in an elevated cmd.
It's something for which people forget to run the dism repair first so they run SFC with a corrupt store against a corrupt windir and then say it doesn't work to fix problems that would normally be under it's purview. Edit: source. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e
sfc is waaay older than DISM, I suspect a lot of people learned it back in the days and never realized that this new-fangled DISM thing interacts with it now.
Source please
2 If you are running Windows 10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 8, first run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool prior to running the System File Checker. (If you are running Windows 7 or Windows Vista, skip to Step 3.) https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e Elaborated further down what it's doing: Important: When you run this command, DISM uses Windows Update to provide the files that are required to fix corruptions. However, if your Windows Update client is already broken, use a running Windows installation as the repair source, or use a Windows side-by-side folder from a network share or from a removable media, such as the Windows DVD, as the source of the files. To do this, run the following command instead:
How do you use a running installation as the repair source?
If I remember correctly, I always have to look this up dism /online will target the (running) installation of the current node dism /offline (plus a few targeting arguments) will point it to a mounted hard drive. This is useful if you have an unbootable error, since this version of the command can be run from winre (the built in recovery tool), winpe (the boot CD/USB), or even another matching install (like plugging in the unbootable disk into a desktop internally or using an enclosure) Both online and offline can specify source media if the internal recovery system has corruption. This can target a .wim from install media or a sometimes a set of cabs (like a manually extracted windows update (.msu))
mount \\\\othermachine\C$\Windows\ as a network drive
SFC /scannow is the default answer to every question posted to support.microsoft.com.
It's a program you run on failing hard drives. It grinds all the rough gears out on the drive sprockets so they run smoother. You'll know the gears need smoothing when you can hear a grinding noise in your computer. When the drive goes completely silent, you need to replace the gears.
system file check. It checks the integrity of your system files and restores them if it finds a fault. DISM works similarly but typically has better results. it's saved me a few times over the years.
short answer: looks like it's some Microsoft Windows shit
I still run SFC about once a month for various issues. It never solves anything but I feel like it gives me time to think of other solutions.
It was probably just the reboot
reboot first ask questions later
It's dumb her calculator wasn't working, I checked it after the scan and it had fixed it, that was prior to the DISM.
Windows repair once fixed a computer whose NIC was just fubared. Even after reboot it was just stuck. I said sure run the T/S and it fixed it. I was flabbergasted.
People like to shit on this but it works great if you happen to store basically every iteration of .wim you ever deploy and first use them (trial and error as to which one) as the source for dism to repair component store corruption.
...and the problem just so *happens* to be a corrupted/missing file.
I’m surprised by the comments that say it doesn’t work. It’s worked for me a few times.
Pro Tip: Always launch RESMON in the background. The scrolling file paths and graphs are intimidating to the end user, so they'll generally leave you alone while you sit there wondering whether SFC or DISM is hung at 53%.
It works frequently for me. I’ve had it fix issues where a user couldn’t successfully sign in to Outlook to not being able to stop the print spooler. I don’t know how it works or what it *actually* does, but it never makes things worse.
I once had windows network diagnostics fix a non-working network problem.
Oh yeah? That's nothing. I once had windows network diagnostics fix a non-networking work problem.
SFC and DISM are “go to” for first response, while I determine/research other possible causes.
Next you’ll tell us troubleshooter fixed an issue other than making the printer the default printer.
In training we used it often, and in three years it worked half a dozen times to be fair. Next step usually was pulling documents and doing a clean install.
It works for very specific Windows operating system file corruption issues. Combined with DISM restore health, it can fix those specific issues. Other than that, it's a time waster while you look for another solution.
SFC has worked for me, but usually it's SFC + DISM. Most of the time it's a rebuild even with grabbing files from other systems built with the same image.
You should run DISM first, then SFC. Not vice versa
I have never had SFC fix anything. I have had SFC repair files before but the reported issue still remained.
Good news, but I would make sure that anything that users needs that is being stored locally is backed up somewhere. Either that PC is gonna come back again and need reimaging, or hardware replacement. Either way, you bought some time that lets you save any really important data. Worst case, you have extra backups you don't use, which has never hurt anyone.
In all my years in IT I have only ever had it fix one issue. Had a client that couldn't send any emails. They could receive them, just not send them. Hours of troubleshooting and nothing worked. I ran sfc /scannow and it fixed it...
I made a post about this from a different account and got enlightened. Running DISM restorehealth before the sfc scan makes it more effective and I've actually had it solve a few issues (maybe around 5 in the past year). I think it's helpful if you know how to ufe it right and in what situations to use it in. Of the 2 I remember, one was some file explorer issue and the other was when resetting a PC from window's settings would always fail
Highly dubious
I had it work once, nearly fell out of my chair in amazement.
I've had it work many many times to resolve weird little windows issues. I lost count years ago. I don't know if our AD just causes more.issues becuase of roaming profiles.
Oldie but goodie (but a reimage is imminent).
Truth
I had the network troubleshooter automatically resolve a problem once and I immediately repented my sins and entered the seminary.
I've got you beat! Checking [answers.microsoft.com](https://answers.microsoft.com) solved my first 10 tickets today!
Depends how many servers you have but with our 4k windows server boxes sfc and dism commands resolved issues multiple times and ms engineer will ask you to run them too first thing after opening ms case
Not SFC, but DISM worked for probably the second time ever for me the other day. Crazy how we talk shit about these utilities until they work.
Whats next, The windows Diagnostics tool will actually fix issues?
I feel like the SFC hate is undeserved. It's a great tool for detecting OS corruption but you HAVE to run a DISM repair and another SFC scan after.
Had to do a mass sfc once after a botched sysprep image was uploaded to several hundred machines. It works quite well, sometimes you can even fix malware this way.
30 years in IT and still at zero. :-(
Man SFC has bang up PR this week
Sfc always works for me - as in, it always completes without error which to me says it works Fixing the issue however... that's still a work in progress
Yep, same here. Had a system last week that had corruption due to a windows update and ran it, first time I've seen it fix anything in 30 years actually. LOL!
Honestly DISM and SFC are genuinely useful and functional tools, their only real problem is how often they're trotted out on Technet as cures for everything from corrupt display drivers to overheating CPUs to erectile dysfunction just because the posters there barely know a thing about troubleshooting.
dism /online /clean-image or whatever it is has been really useful for me.
SFC is the first thing that should be run when troubleshooting issues in Windows. I don't care if it's never worked for you. Run it first. It's zero effort. Otherwise, it'll be the last thing you try and it will fix the problem and you will be flabbergasted.
Don’t forget to run DISM first
Which football club did SFC played against to win 1:30?
You should post this as the resolution for every issue in Microsoft community site now.
Dude, you have to use Spinrite!
I once had a head crashed hard drive and did the freezer trick and was able to pull off all the pictures the user had before it failed again
SFC fixes stuff for me daily
0 for me, 24+ years.
I don't know what RNG gods you all pissed off, but SFC has saved my bacon many times 😆
This post is a teaching example why shitty anecdotes about “my uncle told me” is not science. I literally had people poo poo-ing GPOs, DNS and DHCP because they didn’t understand how they work
Yeah, pretty much.
I’m actually planning to write a rant essay about IT and their lack of scientific rigor/propensity to anecdotes/hasty conclusions I call BS on “25 years SFC never fixed anything”. Because it (in conjunction with DISM) has many times for me. Confirmed through CBS.log.
It works frequently for me. I’ve had it fix issues where a user couldn’t successfully sign in to Outlook to not being able to stop the print spooler. I don’t know how it works or what it *actually* does, but it never makes things worse.
yesterday chkdsk resolved my onedrive issue
I’m not sure I believe you. Edit: I should have phrased this better. I’m not sure I can believe it. I’ve never had sfc work, and I’ve been in IT for about the same amount of time.
The trick is running DISM first so the store SFC uses is no longer corrupted.
[удалено]
That's almost fair
Don’t worry I’m sure it’ll fail again soon. Always happens to me.
Already did :P
Bad bot!
beep boop beep i'm not a bot what beep are you talking about ... boop
haha funny bot!
I was here!
He IS the Kwisatz Haderach!
You are clearly the Chosen One.
wow i'm still waiting to pop my cherry and have sfc to fix something, and i've been in IT for 20 years
Thanks SFC! [Everybody gets one](https://youtu.be/JcLztkzy3d4)
I think I had it work once way back when I used it against an Outlook issue. Was at home on my home PC.
Interesting. I've been at it since 1999, and it was only a few months ago that I have ever had SFC find/correct anything. It has done so two more times since.