System File Checker with Scannow

sfc /scannow

Oddly, the System File Checker, sfc, with Win XP is not an option that shows up in the Start/App Programs\Accessories\System Tools list

• Start/Run . . . cmd
• then enter:  sfc /scannow

NOTE1:  unfortunately it does not work in Safe Mode (because the RPC Call service is disabled), which is the mode you may need to use if you cannot boot XP normally !!

NOTE2:  many people claim that you can copy the I386 XP install folder to a hard drive and edit the registry so that WinXP will not ask you to insert the CD and SFC will run fast.  IT DOES NOT WORK - IT ALWAYS ASKS FOR THE CD !!!


Possible Problems and Fixes

1)  the RPC server is unavailable

Start/Run . . . services.msc
start the RPC Call service

2)  When you run sfc /scannow (or sfc /scanboot) it asks for the XP CD.  However, after you insert the CD, it keeps asking for it - to "retry" inserting the CD.  This happens even after rebooting. The CD is readable through explorer, so there's apparently no problem with the CD.  

• copy the I386 folder from the CD to a different hard drive. Then edit the registry
• the Windows XP source files location information is stored in the following registry location and can be modified to point to the drive letter of a volume that has an I386 flat folder of the installation files or change the SourcePath value in the registry to point to a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path instead of a mapped network drive.  The SourcePath value is located in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup

Example:

If the I386 directory is at C:\I386, the SourcePath value would be C:\.

If the I386 directory is at \\Servera\w2kflat\I386, the SourcePath value would be \\Servera\W2kFiles.

After you restart the computer, WFP and SFC /SCANNOW uses the new source path instead of prompting for the Windows 2000 installation CD-ROM.