SFC SCANNOW Finds Corrupted Files But Unable to Fix [Solved]

6 Ways to Fix SFC/SCANNOW Cannot Repair Error

We often run System File Check to scan for and restore corrupt Windows system files. What if at the end of the run you see this message: Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Don't worry if you receive the SFC SCANNOW cannot repair the error message. You can find solutions here to repair SFC cannot fix corrupted file error and make SFC working again.

SFC /SCANNOW Finds Corrupted Files But Unable to Fix 

SFC is short for System File Checker. This command scans all protected system files for corruption. It attempts to repair it by copying a cached copy of each corrupted file from the system32\dllcache folder.

To run SFC/SCANNOW:

Step 1. Press Win + X to bring up the Power User menu and select "Command Prompt".

Step 2. Type: sfc /scannow and hit "Enter".

However, some people are complaining that SFC finds corrupted files but unable to fix it. They receive the error - Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log.

"I received this message in Windows 10.  When I ran sfc /scannow to find and repair corrupted files on my PC, this error popped up. 'Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example, C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not supported in offline servicing scenarios.' How can I solve this issue and repair corrupted files on my PC?"

If you want to fix SFC SCANNOW not working error, follow these solutions below.

Fix 1. Run SFC Alternative to Check and Repair Hard Disk

When you encounter the error, the very first thing to do is check your computer condition. If your computer is unable to boot, you should repair the error with a WinPE bootable disk to boot from it. Then, run SFC/SCANNOW alternative - Qiling partition tool. 

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

This software can check and fix the hard drive errors if SFC/SCANNOW fails to work. What's more, it can partition a hard drive and merge partitions with easy steps. Boot from Qiling Partition Master WinPE bootable disk. Then, follow these steps below:

Step 1. Right-click the target partition that has a problem. 

Step 2. Choose "Advanced" > "Check File System". 

Step 3. In the Check File System window, check the "Fix the error on the disk" option.

Step 4. Click "Proceed" to check errors on your partition.

• Free Download
• Windows 11/10/8/7, 100% Secure

Fix 2. Repair SFC/SCANNOW Cannot Fix error with an Installation Disc

If your computer fails to boot when you receive the error, you should create a Windows 10/8/7 repair disc. Windows 10 allows you to create a recovery drive (USB) or system repair disc (CD or DVD) that can be used to troubleshoot and restore your computer. Each type of recovery media gives you access to Windows' advanced startup options. The system repair disc has existed since Windows 7. The system repair disc brings your computer back to the same condition in which you created the repair disc. When your PC is unbootable and get the SFC/SCANNOW cannot repair the error, follow this method immediately.

Step 1. Insert CD/DVD into DVD-ROM or connect external DVD drive to another bootable computer.

Step 2. Click "Control Panel" on the computer screen, then click "Backup and Restore (Windows 7)".

Step 3. Click "Create a system repair disc" from the left column to open the repair disc creation window. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a system repair disc.

Step 4. Put the disc in your optical drive and restart to boot from the DVD. You may have to change the boot settings in your BIOS if booting from a CD/DVD is not enabled. 

Step 5. On the "Install Windows" screen, make the appropriate selections for language, time, and keyboard, and then click "Next".

Step 6. On the next screen, click "Repair Your Computer". Do not click "Install now". Then, click "Next", and select "Command Prompt" or whichever option you wish to apply.

Step 7. Type the following command and hit "Enter".

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=d:\ /offwindir=d:\windows

D: is the Windows drive. You can change your drive according to your needs.

After the steps, you can boot to your computer as usual. Then, you can try SFC/SCANNOW again to see whether it works or not.

Fix 3. Run DISM Command If SFC Cannot Repair Corrupted Files

System File Checker is a utility built into the Operating System that will check for system file corruption The sfc /scannow command scans the integrity of all protected operating system files and replaces incorrect, corrupted, changed, or damaged versions with the correct versions where possible. When this command cannot repair the damage DISM should be run to fix as many errors as possible.

Step 1. Press Win + R to open Run dialog and type: cmd to open "Command Prompt".

Step 2. Type the following command and hit "Enter".

• To check the health:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

• To scan the health:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

• To restore the health:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth 

Step 3. Reboot PC to keep all changes and make SFC into working again.

After running DISM, you can re-run SFC just to check.

Fix 4. Run SFC in Safe Mode If SFC Cannot Repair

If Windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them, you can run SFC in Safe Mode to fix the error.

Step 1. Press Windows key and R key together to launch Run box.

Step 2. Type msconfig in the box and hit "Enter" to continue.

Step 3. Go to the "Boot" tab, tick on "Safe boot" and click "OK" to continue.

Step 4. Restart your computer to apply this change. Click "Restart" to continue.

Step 5. The computer will boot in safe mode and you can input SFC scannow command again to check whether the issue Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation is solved.

Fix 5. Check the Log Files to Fix SFC/SCANNOW Not Working

Microsoft Windows Resource Checker (SFC.exe) program generates the log file in Windows. Open the CBS.log file and view details of the corrupted files and replace the corrupted file with a known good copy manually. Navigate to C:\Windows\Logs\CBS you will be able to see and open the SBS.log file. Check if it shows some errors or a message. Then, manually replace a corrupted system file with a known good copy of the file.

You may be able to get a known good copy of the system file from another computer that is running the same version of Windows as your computer. You may perform a System File Checker process on that computer to make sure the system file that you intend to copy is a good copy.

Step 1. Take administrative ownership of the corrupted system file. To do this, at an elevated command prompt, copy and then paste (or type) the following command, and then press "Enter":

takeown /f Path_And_File_Name

Step 2. Copy and paste the following command to access the corrupted system file, and then press "Enter".

Path_And_File_Name /GRANT ADMINISTRATORS: F

Note: The Path_And_File_Name placeholder represents the path and the file name of the corrupted file. For example, type icacls C:\windows\system32\jscript.dll /grant administrators:F.

Step 3. Replace the corrupted system file with a known good copy of the file. To do this, copy and paste (or type) the following command:

Copy Source_File Destination

If the steps above don't work, you may need to reset or reinstall Windows.

Fix 6. Try Reset This PC or Fresh Start on Windows 10

This method is available when your PC can still boot properly. Being capable of solving most system problems, it won't be different from a clean install of Windows 10 via an installation CD.

Step 1. Go to "Start" > "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Recovery".

Step 2. Under "Reset this PC option", tap "Get Started". 

Step 3. Click either "Keep my files" or "Remove everything", depending on whether you want to keep your data files intact. Either way, all of your settings will return to their defaults, and apps will be uninstalled. 

Step 4. After the process, a window will pop up, saying that your apps will be removed. Click Next to go on.

Step 5. In Ready to reset this PC interface, click the Reset button to reinstall Windows 10 without CD or personal file loss.

You can also install Windows 10 to get a fresh start.

Conclusion

The System File Checker is a convenient tool to check whether there is a corruption for system files. However, if it is not working, you may receive an error message Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation. But you can fix the error with these solutions above.

SFC Scannow Related Questions

If you still have a question, refer to this part. You can get your answers here.

How do I fix SFC Scannow?

It depends on your computer situation. If it cannot boot, the only way to fix the error is to use an installation disc. If your PC can boot, as usual, the SFC/SCANNOW errors can be ignored. You are advised to run the CHKDSK command to avoid further problems.

How do I fix corrupt SFC Scannow files in Windows 10?

The files are log files. You don't need to fix them. You can directly delete them or ignore the corruption.

What is SFC Scannow?

SFC is short for System File Checker. This command scans all protected system files for corruption. It attempts to repair it by copying a cached copy of each corrupted file from the system32\dllcache folder. 

What should I do to run after SFC Scannow?

To run SFC/SCANNOW:

Step 1. Press Win + X to bring up the Power User menu and select Command Prompt.

Step 2. Type: sfc /scannow and hit Enter.

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