sfc /scannow and SP2

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dingo
  • Start date Start date
D

Dingo

I started to run "sfc /scannow" just to check my OS. It says it
verifies WinXP "protected files". It then says it needs to restore some
dll's and asks for the original WinXP disc. (which is three years old).
I ran about a third of the program and then aborted the process and ran
a 'system restore' to just before I started sfc. It occurred to me that
this utility might screw up the changes that SP2 has made to my system.
Does anyone know if scannow can cause a problem due to SP2 ? Thanks.
Dingo
 
The reference table for the latest XP modules will be updated from
Hotfixes and Service Packs. SFC /Scannow is still overrated as a
system maintenance tool. It's Windows File Protection that does the
work. Whenever a system "Monitored" file is replaced by whatever,
WPA silently puts back the tabled version.

There is a hierarchy to how XP finds it's modules. 1st it looks in the
in the Dllcache folder. When you run SFC /Scannow it repopulates
this folder with the latest versions. If a Service Pack has been applied
it will default to that as it's source point. (ServicePackFiles folder.)
after looking in DllCache.

Any files not found there will then fall-back to the original source media
(CD-ROM). Because most installs are from a CD, the Registry key
for CDInstall is set to a value of 1. The SourcePath key will point to
the CD-ROM drive letter.

You can setup your system so the i386 folder is on a hard drive.
Then you change the SourcePath/CDInstall keys to reflect those
changes. Afterwards, any SFC operations will look for files in the
hard drive locations (Dllcache, ServicePackFiles & i386) and not
request or search for a CD.

NOTE: DllCache will probably have upwards of 500 Megabytes of
data in it. I redirect that folder to another partition to keep
the XP instance smaller. On some tight space installs, I'll
do a SFC /Purgecache command and purposely keep it
empty.
 
Don't forget...
If the i386 folder is on the hard disk then it should be slip-streamed with WinXP SP2.

Dave




| The reference table for the latest XP modules will be updated from
| Hotfixes and Service Packs. SFC /Scannow is still overrated as a
| system maintenance tool. It's Windows File Protection that does the
| work. Whenever a system "Monitored" file is replaced by whatever,
| WPA silently puts back the tabled version.
|
| There is a hierarchy to how XP finds it's modules. 1st it looks in the
| in the Dllcache folder. When you run SFC /Scannow it repopulates
| this folder with the latest versions. If a Service Pack has been applied
| it will default to that as it's source point. (ServicePackFiles folder.)
| after looking in DllCache.
|
| Any files not found there will then fall-back to the original source media
| (CD-ROM). Because most installs are from a CD, the Registry key
| for CDInstall is set to a value of 1. The SourcePath key will point to
| the CD-ROM drive letter.
|
| You can setup your system so the i386 folder is on a hard drive.
| Then you change the SourcePath/CDInstall keys to reflect those
| changes. Afterwards, any SFC operations will look for files in the
| hard drive locations (Dllcache, ServicePackFiles & i386) and not
| request or search for a CD.
|
| NOTE: DllCache will probably have upwards of 500 Megabytes of
| data in it. I redirect that folder to another partition to keep
| the XP instance smaller. On some tight space installs, I'll
| do a SFC /Purgecache command and purposely keep it
| empty.
|
| | > I started to run "sfc /scannow" just to check my OS. It says it verifies
| > WinXP "protected files". It then says it needs to restore some dll's and
| > asks for the original WinXP disc. (which is three years old). I ran about
| > a third of the program and then aborted the process and ran a 'system
| > restore' to just before I started sfc. It occurred to me that this
| > utility might screw up the changes that SP2 has made to my system. Does
| > anyone know if scannow can cause a problem due to SP2 ? Thanks. Dingo
|
|
 
Yes good point - Even if you upgraded to SP2, you should
slipstream your install disk. Then copy i386 back to the disk
drive. Thanks.
 
Thanks guys ! Good advice. A bit techy for me.
Can you direct me to a source to tell me how to -'slipstream my install
disk and copy i386 back to the disk drive"? Thanks. Dingo
 
Download the fulle 260MB WinXP SP2 EXE file.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...be-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&DisplayLang=en

You can see the Switch parameters by executing;
WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe /?

Assuming the i386 directory is in the root of drive "C:" (c:\i386)

WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe -u -s:c:\

Dave




| Thanks guys ! Good advice. A bit techy for me.
| Can you direct me to a source to tell me how to -'slipstream my install
| disk and copy i386 back to the disk drive"? Thanks. Dingo
|
|
| R. McCarty wrote:
| > Yes good point - Even if you upgraded to SP2, you should
| > slipstream your install disk. Then copy i386 back to the disk
| > drive. Thanks.
| >
|
|
 
Dingo said:
I started to run "sfc /scannow" just to check my OS. It says it
verifies WinXP "protected files". It then says it needs to restore some
dll's and asks for the original WinXP disc. (which is three years old).
I ran about a third of the program and then aborted the process and ran
a 'system restore' to just before I started sfc. It occurred to me that
this utility might screw up the changes that SP2 has made to my system.
Does anyone know if scannow can cause a problem due to SP2 ?
Click to expand...

When you install SP 2 it makes a folder of files -
Windows\ServicePackFiles to be used for purposes like this in
preference, before going back to original CD if one is not found. As
long as that is still there with its registry reference at
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
for ServicePackSourcePath
it will be OK
 
When you install SP 2 it makes a folder of files -
Windows\ServicePackFiles to be used for purposes like this in
preference, before going back to original CD if one is not found. As
long as that is still there with its registry reference at
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
for ServicePackSourcePath
it will be OK
Click to expand...

Hellom
I too, want to Slipstream SP2, but I, being a novice am kind of
confused with the terms used. I d/l'd Autostreamer and installed it.
This is an OEM install of Windows XP home on my computer with the
recovery partition being on the D: drive. All of the Windows files to
reinstall are there. This being the case, I don't have a install CD,
so, the other selections in the Autostreamer pgm are either "I want to
specify my own local windows share" or "I want to manually customize
my installation." Which option would I choose as I haven't got the
Windows CD, and what is a "windows share" and where is it as it asks
for a location. Also, I removed the SP2 files from the computer, but
d/l'd the full version of the SP to use for the slipstream Would this
be allright to use for the slipstream?
Thanks!
Driver
 
Thanks Bill. The autopatcher is more my speed! Dingo
Click to expand...


I've got a machine that came with only a "recovery CD". The system
has a C;\i386 folder. If I slipstream into that folder and then burn
it to CD and use it with SFC, will it complain ?
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

Sfc and sfc /scannow? 22
SFC /scannow 5
sfc /scannow 2
sfc /scannow 13
SFC/scannow 7
Cannot run sfc /scannow? 2
System File Checker Question 12
sfc /scannow 3

Back
Top