How to Run SFC and DISM to Repair Windows 11

How to Run SFC and DISM to Repair Windows 11

When Windows starts crashing, settings pages won't open, updates fail or the Start menu stops responding, damaged system files are a common cause. Windows 11 has two built-in repair tools for that:

• DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) checks and repairs the Windows component store, the stock of original files Windows keeps.
• SFC (System File Checker) compares the protected system files in use with that stock and replaces any that are damaged or changed.

Neither tool touches your documents, photos or installed apps. Run them in the order below.

Step 1: Open an Administrator Terminal

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. Choose Terminal (Admin) (on some versions Windows PowerShell (Admin), or search for Command Prompt, right-click it and choose Run as administrator).
3. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.

Both commands below work in Command Prompt and PowerShell. Keep a laptop plugged in while they run.

Step 2: Run DISM

Type this command (note the space before each /) and press Enter:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

DISM may download clean files through Windows Update, so stay connected to the internet. The progress bar can pause for several minutes, often at 20% or 62%. That's normal; don't close the window.

When it finishes you should see The restore operation completed successfully or The operation completed successfully.

Step 3: Run SFC

In the same window, type:

sfc /scannow

(There's a space between sfc and /scannow.) Wait until it says Verification 100% complete. You'll get one of these results:

Message	What it means	What to do
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.	System files are fine.	Look elsewhere (drivers, apps, hardware).
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.	Fixed.	Restart and check whether the problem is gone.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.	Some files couldn't be repaired.	Run DISM again, restart, then SFC again.
Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation.	SFC couldn't run.	Run it again from Safe Mode.

Restart the PC after any repair, even if nothing asks you to.

Where to See What SFC Changed

SFC writes its details to the log file C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. It's long and technical, but you can open it in Notepad and search for "Repairing" or "Cannot repair" to see which files were involved. You don't need it for the fix itself.

If DISM Fails

• Error 0x800f081f or "The source files could not be found": DISM couldn't get clean files. Check the internet connection and that Windows Update works (Settings > Windows Update), then try again. If Windows Update itself is broken, see Windows Update stuck or failing.
• Stuck for over an hour with no change: restart and run it again. Close other heavy programs first.
• Access denied: the window isn't running as administrator. Go back to Step 1.

If SFC Can't Run or Keeps Failing

1. Run it in Safe Mode. Fewer programs run there, so files are less likely to be locked. See how to start Windows 11 in Safe Mode; use Safe Mode with Networking so DISM can reach Windows Update.
2. Check the drive. Damaged files can be a sign of a failing drive. Run chkdsk C: /scan in the admin Terminal to check the file system without taking the drive offline. Back up first if you see disk errors.
3. Use System Restore to go back to a point before the problem began; see how to use System Restore in Windows 11.
4. Repair install: in recent Windows 11 versions, Settings > System > Recovery offers Fix problems using Windows Update (reinstall now), which reinstalls the current Windows version and keeps your files, apps and settings. Back up first anyway.

When to Use SFC and DISM

Good times to run them:

• After a blue screen or repeated crashes (see our BSOD guide).
• When built-in apps, Settings pages or the Start menu stop opening.
• After malware was removed, since it may have changed system files.
• When Windows Update keeps failing with the same error.

They won't fix hardware faults, a driver bug or a broken third-party program, but they rule out one big cause in under an hour, without risk to your files.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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See Also:sfc dism windows 11 repair