How to Fix Corrupted or Missing Windows Files [2021 Tutorial]
On Windows 10, Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a tool designed for network administrators to prepare, modify, and repair system images, including the Windows Recovery Environment, Windows Setup, and Windows PE (WinPE). However, anyone can also use the tool to fix common problems with the hidden recovery image on your computer.
On Windows 10, when you start noticing random errors, problems booting up, or features not working as expected, there’s a good chance that one or multiple system files might have gone missing or corrupted for unknown reasons. Usually, problems with system files could occur as a result of an issue installing a system update, driver, or application, or while making changes to the installation manually.
If you happen to come across this issue, you can use the Windows 10 System File Checker (SFC), which is a command-line tool designed to scan the integrity and restore missing or corrupted system files with working replacements.
However, if the replacement files inside the Windows 10 image are damaged in any way, the SFC tool won’t work. In this particular situation, you can use the DISM tool to scan and repair the “install.wim” image, which you can then use with SFC to repair your installation.
WARNING: Although these are non-destructive commands, you’ll be making system changes. It’s recommended to create a temporary full backup before proceeding.
➤ REPAIRING YOUR WINDOWS 10 IMAGE WITH DISM
CHECKING ISSUES WITH DISM USING CheckHealth OPTION
To check for issues within the image with DISM, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
3. Type the following command to perform a quick health check and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Once you complete the steps, the command will run and verify if there is any data corruption that needs fixing.
CHECKING ISSUES WITH DISM USING ScanHealth OPTION
You can run DISM with the ScanHealth option instead of “CheckHealth” to perform a more advanced scan to determine if the Windows 10 image has any problems.
To perform an advanced scan with DISM, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
3. Type the following command to perform an advanced DISM scan and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
After you complete the steps, the advanced scan will take several minutes to determine if the local image needs repairing.
REPAIRING ISSUES WITH DISM USING RestoreHealth OPTION
If there are issues, then you can use DISM with the RestoreHealth option, which will run an advanced scan and repair any problems automatically.
To repair Windows 10 image problems with DISM, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
3. Type the following command to repair the Windows 10 image and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
QUICK NOTE: While the command is running, it’s expected to see the process stuck at 20 or 40 percent. After a few minutes, the process will complete successfully.
Once you complete the steps, the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool will connect to the Windows Update servers to download and replace any damaged files in the local image for Windows 10 as necessary.
➤ FIXING CORRUPTED OR MISSING WINDOWS FILES USING SFC SCAN
To repair a Windows 10 installation using the SFC command tool, use these steps:
1. Open Start.
2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
3. Type the following command to repair system files and press Enter: sfc /scannow
4. Confirm result:
● Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations – indicates that the system doesn’t have any missing or corrupted files.
● Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation – indicates that a problem was detected during the scan, and an offline scan is required.
● Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%LogsCBSCBS.log – indicates that SFC detected and was able to fix the problem.
● Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log %WinDir%LogsCBSCBS.log – indicates that you have to repair the corrupted files manually.
If the tool has detected an issue, it’s recommended to run the command at least three times to ensure that all the problems have been corrected.
➤ CLEANING UP WINDOWS COMPONENT STORE (WINSXS)
✓ Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
✓ Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase
✓ Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded
✓ Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
➤ MORE INFORMATION:
✓ shorturl.at/cKYZ6
how to repair windows 7
I guess I am on windows 11 so that's why it is not able to restore files
But I did made a bootable pendrive for windows 11 it does have install.wim and stated the location in disk command but it still shows the error that source file cannot be found
It didn't find naything but i still can't open sea of thieves.
dism hits 100% and then stops with the error "The source files could not be found."
In my lenovo laptop repeated windows file corrupted show after that laptop do not start windows processing how to resolve it and why repeated windows file corrupted please help me
Hi there, great guide but running all these commands has not found any violations, and my October 2020 update will still not install. Any ideas ?
thank you ashley. i'll bookmark this video for future