Before we dive in, it’s important to note that some of these methods may require administrative privileges or advanced technical knowledge. If you’re not comfortable troubleshooting system files, it’s always best to consult with a professional or seek support from Microsoft.
1. Use the System File Checker (SFC) Tool
The System File Checker (SFC) is a built-in Windows utility that scans your system files for corruption and attempts to repair them. Here’s how to use it:
Open an elevated Command Prompt by searching for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu, right-clicking on the result, and selecting “Run as administrator”.
In the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This will initiate a full scan of your system files.
Wait for the scan to complete. If any corrupted files are found, SFC will attempt to replace them with known-good copies from a cache.
If SFC is unable to fix some files, it will provide details in the CBS.log file located at %WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. You can view this log for more information on the corrupted files.
2. Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Tool
The DISM tool is another built-in utility that can help repair corrupted system files. It’s often used in conjunction with SFC for more comprehensive repairs. Here’s how to use it:
Open an elevated Command Prompt as in Step 1 above.
In the Command Prompt, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This will initiate a scan and repair of your Windows image.
Wait for the process to complete. DISM will download any necessary files from Windows Update to fix corruptions.
If DISM is unable to connect to Windows Update, you can specify a local source folder or installation media instead. For example: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess
After DISM completes, run sfc /scannow again to ensure all corrupted files have been repaired.
3. Run SFC from Safe Mode
If SFC is unable to fix corrupted files while Windows is running normally, you can try booting into Safe Mode and running the scan from there. Safe Mode loads a basic version of Windows with only essential drivers and services, which may allow SFC to repair files that couldn’t be fixed in normal mode.
Restart your PC and boot into Safe Mode. You can do this by pressing F8 during boot (on some systems) or by going to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Restart now under “Advanced startup”.
Once in Safe Mode, open an elevated Command Prompt and run sfc /scannow as before.
If SFC is still unable to fix corrupted files, check the CBS.log for more details on the issues.
4. Perform an SFC Scan Before Windows 10 Starts
If Windows won’t boot at all due to corrupted system files, you can try running SFC from the Windows Recovery Environment (RE). This is a special boot menu that allows you to troubleshoot and repair Windows issues.
Boot from your Windows 10 installation media or recovery drive.
In the Windows RE menu, select “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Command Prompt”.
In the Command Prompt, run sfc /scannow as before to scan and attempt to repair corrupted system files.
If SFC is successful, try booting into Windows normally. If not, you may need to use other recovery options like System Restore or a reset.
5. Replace Corrupted Files Manually
If SFC and DISM are unable to fix certain corrupted system files, you can try replacing them manually. This requires locating a known-good copy of the file and replacing the corrupted version on your system. However, this should only be attempted by advanced users, as improperly replacing system files can cause serious issues.
Identify the specific corrupted file(s) by checking the CBS.log file as mentioned earlier.
Locate a known-good copy of the file, either from another Windows 10 PC with the same version or from a reliable online source.
Copy the file to a temporary location on your PC.
Navigate to the file’s location on your system (e.g. %WinDir%\System32) and replace the corrupted version with the known-good copy.
Run sfc /scannow again to ensure the file has been properly replaced.
6. Use System Restore
If you’re experiencing issues with corrupted system files and none of the above methods have worked, you can try using System Restore to roll back your system to a previous restore point. This will revert your system files, settings, and installed programs to an earlier state, which may fix the corruption issues.
Open the Start menu and search for “Create a restore point”.
In the System Properties window, click “System Restore”.
Follow the prompts to select a restore point and complete the restoration process.
Once the restore is finished, check if the corrupted system file issues have been resolved.
7. Reset Your Windows 10 Installation
As a last resort, if all other methods have failed to fix the corrupted system files, you can try resetting your Windows 10 installation. This will reinstall Windows while preserving your personal files, or you can choose to remove everything and do a clean install.
Open the Start menu and search for “Reset this PC”.
Click “Get started” and select whether you want to keep your personal files or remove everything.
Follow the prompts to complete the reset process. This may take some time as Windows is reinstalled.
Once finished, check if the corrupted system file issues have been resolved. If not, you may need to consider a clean install of Windows 10.