Author Topic: Can't run the sfc /scannow command in Win 7 (Read 69298 times)

frank14612 · « **on:** April 01, 2012, 03:24:12 pm »

I have Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I haven't been able to run sfc /scannow for about 6 months now, though I've tried many, many times. I always use the elevated command prompt.

Here is the message I always get:

"Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service.

C:\Windows\system32>"

That's it, no other helpful words.

I've googled all over and tried all the remedies proposed by various Microsoft MVPs and other qualified helpers on other forums, but nothing has yet enabled me to run the system file checker.

I've also run all the fixes in the Tweaking.com Windows Repair Custom Mode folder, but nothing changes.

I'd like to avoid doing an "in-place" system re-install. I just discovered this forum and thought I'd try once again.

Can anyone help? Thanks.

Frank D

chris635 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 01, 2012, 09:01:49 pm »

I recently had this problem on my laptop (go ahead and laugh Shane

). It was a bad hard drive. Try checking the disk for bad sectors. Lets just hope I'm wrong (as usual).

Chris

frank14612 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 02, 2012, 08:23:01 am »

Thanks for your reply, Chris.

I've been running the built-in HP-sponsored PC Doctor (hardware diagnostics, at http://www.pc-doctor.com/) frequently, and chkdsk when indicated, and there have been no reports of any problems with my C: drive.

I find it disappointing that the very item that Microsoft includes in its operating system (sfc) to prevent the OS from accumulating defects is itself defective, and there's no error message or system-generated advice as to what's wrong or how to fix it. It's like a black hole, as if your car's engine develops a knock and your mechanic, the dealer and the manufacturer all admit they don't know what the problem is and advise you not to try to get it fixed, but to get a new car (i.e., reinstall your OS).

Frank

Shane · « **Reply #3 on:** April 02, 2012, 12:45:49 pm »

Give this a try

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139810-sfc-scannow-run-command-prompt-boot.html

and

http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/fix-for-error-windows-resource-protection-could-not-start-the-repair-service-when-running-sfc-in-vista/

Shane

frank14612 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2012, 04:06:04 pm »

Shane, thanks for the advice.

1) After running the procedure at the first link you posted (using a full install DVD with SP1), I ran the command "sfc /scannow /offbootdir=d:\ /offwindir=d:\windows" at the prompt. However, I got the same message as always: "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service." Then I got a message that said (in effect) "we couldn't find any problems with your system drive, would y0u like to restart from a System Restore?", to which I replied, no thanks, and when I rebooted to Windows, everything was back to where it was (i.e., sfc still would not run). But now something new popped up: a dialog box that said:

========================================
Proxy Authentication

Your proxy server requires a username and password. Contact your network administrator for the correct settings and supply your proxy username and password in the "Connection" section of Settings.

Proxy server: 0.0.0.0:0

Username:

Password:

Retry Cancel
===================================

I never had or needed a proxy server before, I don't have a username or password for such a thing, and I couldn't get rid of this mindless dialog box, so I did a System Restore to back before I had run the procedure above. Everything after the S.R. is back to normal.

2) Followed the procedure in the second link, but -- as seems to be par for this course -- sfc still did/does not work.

I will just give up on sfc for now and wait for something to happen that definitely requires an in-place reinstall of Windows.

Thank you for your help!

Frank D

chris635 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2012, 04:44:28 pm »

yeah chkdsk didn't find any problems for me either. I had to run the "scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" option in tools from the C drive properties. If you run this, it will take sometime. The bigger the drive the longer it will take. If it doesn't work then maybe a clean install is in the future.

Chris

Shane · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2012, 10:55:53 pm »

A repair install is always a middle ground option as well

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

Shane

Bubba Euler · « **Reply #7 on:** April 25, 2012, 01:34:19 pm »

Shane, don't you remember how you told me to solve this SAME problem? You told me to perform an UPGRADE using my Win 7 HP x64 disk, which I had to download from a "source not to be mentioned". It worked and did not have to fully load Win 7 HP x64 and re-install all my other "stuff".

Bubba Euler

frank14612 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 25, 2012, 02:02:41 pm »

Quote from: Bubba Euler on April 25, 2012, 01:34:19 pm

Shane, don't you remember how you told me to solve this SAME problem? You told me to perform an UPGRADE using my Win 7 HP x64 disk, which I had to download from a "source not to be mentioned". It worked and did not have to fully load Win 7 HP x64 and re-install all my other "stuff".

Bubba Euler

Bubba,

Thanks, I appreciate the confirmation. Everything has been running A-1 tip-top, so I'm holding off indefinitely on an in-place upgrade until and unless something else makes it necessary. It's nice to know that when that happens, it will work "as advertised."

Frank

Shane · « **Reply #9 on:** April 25, 2012, 04:49:57 pm »

I try to have the repair install be the last resort if I can. Normally prefer to find the and fix the problem if we are able

Shane

Bubba Euler · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2012, 02:11:14 pm »

Frank, I'm glad everything else in Win 7 is working, as WAS mine, as well. The in-place Up Grade worked easily and the only "problem" I had was that my "Protected Folder", which is protected from without, not from within the OS, had all of its contents re-located in the Temp Files produced by the Win 7 Up Grade. I simply found them and moved them back into my "Protected Folder". I had to tell IObit where the file(s) were placed. HA!

Thank you, Shane!! And God bless you and your family and your coffee maker...

JeR · « **Reply #11 on:** April 30, 2012, 09:48:34 pm »

Try running the sfc /scannow as the Administrator. To run CMD as Admin, type CMD in the search box, right on CMD at the top of menu. Click on Run as Administrator, the sfc /scannow worked.

If something does not work without Admin then exit the CMD and restart using the Admin. Some times call the leveled CMD.http://www.tweaking.com/forums/Smileys/smillhey/sarcastic.png

frank14612 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 01, 2012, 07:20:34 am »

JeR,

Thank you for your suggestion. However, I have always used the CMD command as an Administrator. In my original post I said, "I always use the elevated command prompt." In practice, the term "using the elevated command prompt" means the same as "running as Administrator." Sorry for the confusion. By the way, I still have the problem, but I've learned to live with it. When things get to be unlivable I'll do the in-place upgrade.

Frank