system file checker

[charles cashion]

I am running (crawling) Windows XP w/all recent
updates on a ThinkPad R40.

Normally, when you click on something,
you expect a response in less than a few seconds.
My problem is that clicking on something might
not produce a response for almost a full minute.
And while waiting, I can hear the hard drive
thrashing.

I have scanned for virus and spyware.
Now I want to run system file checker (sfc).
I understand that sfc will require that
I insert my Windows XP cdrom. But my
cdrom is a little over a year old. It has SP2
but in the last year, I must have updated at
least 50 files.

My question...
What is going to happen if sfc compares
an older cdrom version of a file with a recent
updated version of a system file?

Thank you,
Charles

 

[db]

sfc is like an windows repair install.
it only focuses on the authenticity
of "windows system files".

my guess is that if all you
are experiencing is a slowness,
that it is not an issue of corrupted
system files. but it won't damage
your o.s. if you wanted to proceed
with "sfc" or with a "repair" anyways.

if after you do an sfc or repair
install, a program ceases to function
then it was likely the culprit
and should be avoided.

if the sfc or repair doesn't fix
your issue, then it is likely an
issue with pc maintenance and
configuration...

- db
I am running (crawling) Windows XP w/all recent
updates on a ThinkPad R40.

Normally, when you click on something,
you expect a response in less than a few seconds.
My problem is that clicking on something might
not produce a response for almost a full minute.
And while waiting, I can hear the hard drive
thrashing.

I have scanned for virus and spyware.
Now I want to run system file checker (sfc).
I understand that sfc will require that
I insert my Windows XP cdrom. But my
cdrom is a little over a year old. It has SP2
but in the last year, I must have updated at
least 50 files.

My question...
What is going to happen if sfc compares
an older cdrom version of a file with a recent
updated version of a system file?

Thank you,
Charles

 

[Wesley Vogel]

My question...

What is going to happen if sfc compares
an older cdrom version of a file with a recent
updated version of a system file?

cdrom or CD-ROM drive is what you stick a CD (Compact Disk) into.

If the System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been
overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the cache
folder (either %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or
%Systemroot%\ServicePackFiles\i386) or the Windows installation source files
(the CD) and then replaces the incorrect file. If the files are newer in
either %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or %Systemroot%\ServicePackFiles\i386
SFC will use those instead of what's on the CD.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Poprivet]

cdrom or CD-ROM drive is what you stick a CD (Compact Disk) into.

If the System File Checker discovers that a protected file has been
overwritten, it retrieves the correct version of the file from the
cache folder (either %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or
%Systemroot%\ServicePackFiles\i386) or the Windows installation
source files (the CD) and then replaces the incorrect file. If the
files are newer in either %Systemroot%\System32\Dllcache or
%Systemroot%\ServicePackFiles\i386 SFC will use those instead of
what's on the CD.

In

But ... he'll be left with a bunch of hot fixes that might need to be
installed. right? Or wrong?
I feel pretty sure the time I used sfc I had to reapply a bunch of
updates.

Pop`

 

[Guest]

It is my experience that SFC uses the latest hotfixes. Any need to re-apply
an update would make me think the update had been the corrupt file.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Description of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 System File Checker
(Sfc.exe)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310747

HOW TO Verify That Windows File Protection Is Running
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814597

Description of the Windows File Protection Feature
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222193

Registry Settings for Windows File Protection
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/222473

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In