sfc /scannow issue?

[LokelYokel]

Is there a way of altering the registry to allow sfc/scannow to see two CD
Drives in the same system so it doesn't matter which drive the XP disk is
inserted in when running sfc /scannow? I have two systems, one which appears
to have cached all the files (or at least what appears to be checked and
shows a Service Pack cache path in the registry) and one that is brand new
without downloading any updates yet. The first works just fine, but the
latter will only work if the XP disk is inserted in the correct drive. If
the wrong drive is chosen, XP keeps asking for the CD to be inserted. There
are no service packs downloaded on the second machine but it is the XP OEM
Svce Pack 1 CD that was used to do a clean load.
Is it possible that when I run sfc on the old system, it doesn't even read
from the CD but from the cache on the hard drive, making it appear that it
doesn't matter what drive I put the CD in? If so, for the new system, is my
original question possible?
I hope that all makes sense, but if you need more info, please let me know
so I can post whatever is required. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.

(a very tired...) Tony

P.S. You may wonder why all this. My customer reckons it should be able to
be done. He may be right, he may be crazy.

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi LY - Take a look here, (courtesty of Wesley Vogel), for into on how to
set up sfc /scannow to run from HD instead of CD: (it's easier than my
trying to explain it )

scannow sfc (sfc.exe)
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

Windows File Protection
http://www.updatexp.com/windows-file-protection.html


This is Marc Liron's site and contains a lot of other good info/tips.
Recommended.

--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In

 

[LokelYokel]

Hi Jim,

I appreciate your trouble. I was actually trying to set it up to run from
either of the two drives (one being a DVD burner and the other a CD burner)
instead of the hard drive. I have however discovered that running it from
the hard drive is better anyway since all the updated files (SPs etc) are,
or can be, cached on the hard drive and of course won't be on the CD. I had
previously looked at the site you listed and found it to be more informative
than any manuals I had. My customer has since looked at the registry entries
with me and is happy enough to leave it at one drive. Whew!

What I would like to know if you have some idea of how to do it, is to alter
the registry somehow. I notice that where one location is listed, under
"type" is shown REG_SZ, whereas where multiple sources are listed, under
"type" it reads REG_MULTI_SZ

Is it possible to change to multiple locations so that it doesn't matter
where the CD is inserted? No dramas if it can't be done but curiosity is
getting the better of me. In any case, thankyou for helping.

Regards

Tony

 

[Jim Byrd]

Hi LY - I don't know if it would pick up the other values or not - I don't
recall ever trying to do something like that. I suspect that trying it
might create problems. Be sure that you do a complete Backup using ERDNT or
the like prior to messing with this, and I would advise against it. As a
general rule, DON'T change a value's data type. BTW, you would need to use
Regedt32 to handle REG_MULTI_SZ types.

FWIW, I have found, however, that you do often need to change both the

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\SourcePat
h
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SourcePath

entries in order to get sfc /scannow to work properly from HD, at least on
Win2k platforms.


--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In

 

[LokelYokel]

OK Jim,

I'll take your advice and leave well alone. I know enough to land me in hot
water. Many thanks for your help and suggestions.

Regards

Tony

 

[Jim Byrd]

YW, Tony - Glad I was able to help.

--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In