Windows 8 Anyone run a System File Check on their systems lately?

Saltgrass

Excellent Member
Microsoft Community Contributor
I have two Windows 8 systems, which only run basically to get updates. But neither one has exhibited any problems.

On the 18th, I did a system file check on one system to test something. The result I got was rather unexpected. It took the SFC around 15 minutes to get to the "Verification 100% complete" message and another 12 minutes for it to tell me there were unrepairable files. There were many perceived problems, as you can see from the SFC extracted log entry below.

[SR] Committing transaction
[SR] Cannot commit interactively, there are boot critical components being repaired
[SR] Repairing 11474 (0x0000000000002cd2) components
[SR] Beginning Verify and Repair transaction

Since one system had done this I checked the other one and it was fine, with no errors. But two days later, after doing an update, it showed the same problem with 11666 components involved.

I checked for a virus with MSE and Malwarebytes and nothing found.

Since it is highly improbably this many files could have been corrupted, I suspect it is something regarding the SFC utility, or the database it uses to check the system. Any thoughts or experiences with this?

SFC could not repair the install, even after rebooting several times..but DISM (/RestoreHealth switch) repaired it in one run with a reboot required. The first system that I repaired with DISM is still showing clear, but I am waiting for any responses before I repair the second one, in case something needs to be tested.

Thanks for reading...
 
Hi

I ran SFC /scannow a few days ago and it came up clean.
That's all the info on this I have.

I'll try it again when I get time.

Mike
 
Hey Clark... thanks for the post.
So I did a System File Check
Which took approximately 9 minutes to arrive at 100% complete and then another 13 minutes to produce the results which were a bit disturbing.
And yes this is a 256 gig Samsung SSD for what that may be worth.
 

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One of my systems is an SSD and the other is not. I do not think it is showing actual file corruption...but perhaps database changes.

And Trouble, if you extract the SFCdetails.txt from the CBS.log, or even search the CBS.log for "repaired" or more of my message, you may see the same thing as my message. I believe the text file created with the following command in my case had around 12,000 entries and was 34 MB in size.

findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log >"%userprofile%\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt"

I am leaning toward one of the last updates as responsible...but not sure how to check. I might end up uninstalling the last updates, if I can, to see if that might help.

But again, running the DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth command should get your system back to normal...
 
should get your system back to normal
Thanks for that, but as far as I can tell my system is "normal". Normal in the sense that it is not exhibiting any other symptoms that I can see. No update errors or anything else, that I can find.
As a matter of fact I would have probably remained blissfully ignorant of this issue had it not been for your post.
I have a full system image from the 10th (day before last update Tuesday) Which I suppose if I get desperate I can go to and test SFC again. But with 8.1 public preview just a few days away I suspect that a lot of my time and attention will go towards that.

P.S. By the way my find string search of the CBS.log file produced a text file that was almost 65 megs. So there are a lot of "maybe" problems, but I actually suspect it's relatively benign or else I think I'd be seeing something impacting the system somewhere, somehow.
 
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:) OK, I'll admit... You peeked my interest.
So I went ahead and restored the image from the 10th (prior to the latest round of updates) and that produced this (see attachment) when I ran the System File Checker

So I'm guessing that your original premise regarding those updates is probably spot on.
Regards
Randy
 

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Thanks for doing that, Randy. I had checked and the update I believe to be responsible (KB2821895), and it was not uninstallable.

I agree that your system will be fine without doing anything to repair the SFC scans, but I suppose a question comes up. Will this situation interfere with the install of 8.1 or was something done to enhance the 8.1 install?

Anyway, something to think about the next few days. :devilish:
 
the update I believe to be responsible (KB2821895)
With that bit of information, I proceeded to install all critical updates to catch up my old image install to current status, excluding the update you mention above.
With everything up to date except the particular one I ran System File Checker again and again it finished finding no violations.
Then I installed KB2821895, which required a reboot and afterwards ran System File Checker again and all the previous errors returned.
So I guess that more or less confirms your suspicions.
Now to get my image that I created before all this started back on and I'll do the
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Looks like we're not the only ones
KB2821895 Windows 8 x64 Update 06.11.2013 problem - Microsoft Community
 
Hi

I'm getting the same thing, I ran SFC /scannow, it hung at 100%, when I restarted it, I got the message Repair in Progress, reboot your computer to complete.

I did it said it was updating and restarted after the update process, I'm running it again now.

I'm going to check and see where it updated and if I have a restore point before that point.

Mike

It looks like the update installed on my computer on 06/14./13.

I'll look and see if I have a restore point before that.
 
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Hi again.

Did the same thing when I ran SFC /scannow for the second time.
Did the Windows update thing again.

I don't have a restore point before that, that will work, it refused to run the only one I had.

Well my computer is running fine, I guess I'll wait and hope that Microsoft comes up with a fix.

A lot of people are reporting this.

Mike

Ok I see there is a fix, I'll wait until Randy reports and then run it.
 
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Randy, good job tracking that down the problematic Update and confirming the other threads comments. I was a little disappointed to see that thread was started 4 days before I even knew there was a problem, but as long as folks know about it I suppose it is good. Some folks seemed to be having a more severe problem than just a SFC situation.

I will leave my two systems as they are and see if the 8.1 update is effected either way, assuming Microsoft doesn't publish a fix before it comes out.

There were some other interesting conditions that are being discovered. The DISM /ScanHealth switch never reported any problems with the system. The /RestoreHealth switch always seems to report repairs had been made, even after previously completing repairs.
 
Just a final report. Latest image restored, DISM utility ran, all good and well, SFC report no violations (again).
So that was fun. Was wondering what I was going to do with my Saturday. :)
 
Hi

Thanks Randy that worked.
Everything is back to normal.

I think I found an answer to where my restore points kept disappearing to out of this, as well.

Mike
 
" Was wondering what I was going to do with my Saturday"

You can borrow a couple of my five grandchildren. I am inundated.
My children seem to have lots of cash and plenty of time to travel!!!!
 
You can borrow a couple of my five grandchildren.
Thanks, but no thanks.
I have six of my own and my hands are full. Fortunately my wife still thinks she's 29, so she does most of the heavy lifting, running the perpetual take me here bus. :)
 


:) OK, I'll admit... You peeked my interest.
So I went ahead and restored the image from the 10th (prior to the latest round of updates) and that produced this (see attachment) when I ran the System File Checker

So I'm guessing that your original premise regarding those updates is probably spot on.
Regards
Randy


I lol'd at the video until I ran myself for the first time in a long while

Code:
C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow


Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.


Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.


Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some
of them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For
example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not
supported in offline servicing scenarios.


The system file repair changes will take effect after the next reboot.

Great!
 
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I suppose the good news is I left one system un-repaired and have not seen any problems with Windows Update or any programs.

When the official 8.1 update comes out, if it installs correctly, it will probably clear up the situation.
 
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