System File Checker

[rapier57]

Again, Spools, good job! And, my thanks. Great information. I have a co-worker who will need this tomorrow, I think. She's been fighting her workstation for some time, now.

[aeallison]

Originally posted here by rapier57
Again, Spools, good job! And, my thanks. Great information. I have a co-worker who will need this tomorrow, I think. She's been fighting her workstation for some time, now.

I would have thought, considering your M$ background, that you would have known this routine and informed your friend of this already. Are you not her Systems Admin?

[rapier57]

aeallison : She is a co-worker (another sys admin), not a subordinate or client. Spools' reminder about SFC may help save her some time and frustration, yes.

The only problem with using SFC is that you will then have to go back through the updates. So, it isn't always indicated. In our environment, it may be simpler and more effective to just re-image the machine.

[the_JinX]

hey I remember this tool..

Used it a long time ago..

But I'm with rapier57 on this one.. It will make you re-do them pesky updates..

[aeallison]

Originally posted here by rapier57
aeallison : She is a co-worker (another sys admin), not a subordinate or client. Spools' reminder about SFC may help save her some time and frustration, yes.

The only problem with using SFC is that you will then have to go back through the updates. So, it isn't always indicated. In our environment, it may be simpler and more effective to just re-image the machine.

Hmmmm... Ok, then whats the point in using the SFC? I usually keep M$'s patches, etc. on CDs. It doesn't take all day to install them, and in most cases we have more than adequite bandwidth to patch them online, though this is not my preferred method. As an admin myself I do understand the work involved to keep a network running at peak performance, but your post indicated that your co-worker has been banging her head on the wall for some time now. I pride myself in my knowledge of computers and networking, I have never yet been beaten by a computer. JMHO

[rapier57]

Well the details of her travails are a bit off-topic, but here goes anyway. She's been installing, updating. uninstalling and re-installing various academic applications and clients for several of the tools (i.e.; Maple, CMT, SAM) used in the classrooms here. You, know, testing to make sure they work and play well in the environment. Most of these don't and most don't clean up after themselves well during uninstall. It also turns out that Maple 9.0 and 9.1 were buggy.

Now, Windows Update no longer works, several other things are broke. A fresh image will probably be the best solution. It just means that she has to back up some stuff beforehand and then re-install some specific apps afterward. It would save time and energy if SFC worked in this case. It didn't.

I had to reimage my own box a while back. An administrative tool (I can't remember the tool, sorry) install/uninstall left me with no Windows Update and other features not working. A repair from the install CD didn't work, either. So, blow it away and burn down a fresh image.

Now, I'm keeping some of the admin tools on different machines (since I now have a few spares floating around).

SFC will probably work most effectively on a system that has experienced some recent erratic behavior or virus infection, or file corruption. I would say that SFC would be the tool to try first if it is important to try to get the system functional with the current configuration.

It isn't the only tool. Doing a system restore may work in most cases where you have a reliable restore point. You will lose whatever system configuration/installation changes you made after that restore point.

[spools.exe]

i would diffinately give the SFC a try. If that doesn't work then if it was me i woul reinstall windows after a nice reformat.

[jinxy]

Just a quick question related to this topic does any one no if its possible to turn off xp/2000 system file protection?