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Sometiones users are facing the ‘SFC Scannow not Working’ issue in Windows 11/10. System File Checker, which is what SFC stands for, is a tool that comes with all modern versions of Windows. This tool can be used to fix registry data and check to see if system files are broken. SFC works with Windows Resources Protection to keep your important system files and registry keys safe.
The command prompt makes it easy to run the SFC. It allows you to scan and restore corrupted Windows system files. In Windows Vista, Windows 10 or 11, the system file checker is built into Windows Resources Protection (WRP), which is used to protect registry keys and folders along with important system files. You can also go to the official Microsoft support site for more information about this error.
Ways to Fix ‘SFC Scannow not Working’ issue in Windows 11/10
Use the DISM Tool
You can use the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool instead of the SFC scan. This tool comes with Windows 11 and is meant to fix any system files that are broken. Use it like this:
- Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
- Enter the following command: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
- This command will scan your system for any corrupted files and attempt to repair them.
- Once complete, restart your computer and try running sfc scannow again.
Check Hard Disk For Errors
If SFC scannow isn’t working, it could be because the hard disc is corrupt or broken. Follow these steps to check the hard disc for errors:
- Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin).
- Enter the following command: chkdsk /f
- This command will scan the hard disk for any errors and attempt to repair them.
- Once complete, restart your computer and try running sfc scannow again.
Run Command Prompt in Safe Mode
If none of the above work, let’s try to fix the health of our system. To do this, we use the dism command, which looks through all of Windows for broken files. If any are found, it will try to fix them all.
- Navigate to Run by pressing Window Key + R. Here, type msconfig and hit enter.
- Next, navigate to the Boot tab.
- Under Boot options, tick the Safe Boot feature. Also, make sure Minimal is selected.
- Then, click on Ok.
- Now, a dialogue box asks you to restart your PC. So, click on Restart.
- Once your PC turns on, launch Command Prompt and check if the scan command works.
FAQ
Does SFC Scannow work on Windows 11?
How do I use Windows 11’s SFC and DISM Scan? On Windows 11, you can use the command prompt, PowerShell, or the Windows Terminal to run the SFC/scannow command. If Windows 11 doesn’t work, you can start it up again using the command prompt.
What happens if SFC Scannow fails?
With an Installation Disc, you can fix the SFC/SCANNOW Cannot Fix error. If you get the error and your computer won’t start up, you should make a Windows 10/8/7 repair disc. Windows 10 lets you make a recovery drive (USB) or system repair disc (CD or DVD) that can be used to fix problems and restore your computer.
What to do if SFC Cannot repair?
You can try the following things to fix the problem “sfc scannow could not repair some files”: Check for and fix errors on the hard drive. Run the DISM Command to fix files that are broken. Use safe mode to run sfc/scannow.