Several years have passed since its appearance, but with the updates implemented by Microsoft, Windows 11 has not lost its modernity and remains a very stable operating system. However, it does not stop showing annoying behavior from time to time such as the appearance of blue screens, blockages that do not usually respond to user commands, among others.
All of these negative situations can be caused by corruption or damage to system files, often caused by hardware conflicts, incorrect software or driver installations, viruses, etc. And they lead to a reboot of the system with the consequent loss of information and progress of ongoing tasks.
To fix these errors, Windows 11 has two built-in tools specifically dedicated to repairing damaged or corrupt system files: System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool (DISM). Both have the peculiarity that they are not executed from the main Windows interface, but from the command line.
What is System File Checker and how to run it?
System File Checker (SFC) is a command-line utility that has the function of analyzing and repairing operating system files that for some reason may be damaged or modified. To run this tool, you need to follow the following procedure which starts by opening a command prompt window.
Click Start, place your cursor in the search box, and type “command prompt” (without quotes). When the Command Prompt app appears, click Run as administrator.
Type the command sfc /scannow and press the Enter key. This command will start scanning and, if necessary, repairing system files, which may take a few minutes. When the operation is completed, it will generate a message indicating the result.
If it does not detect anything abnormal, it will tell us that no integrity violations were found.
In the opposite case; It will tell us that the damaged files were repaired or that it could not be done. In both cases it will say that there are informative details in the CBS.log file, both about the repaired files and about the files that were left unrepaired.
What is DISM command line tool and how to run it to repair Windows 11?
The DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool is another command-line utility that is used to repair the operating system. When executed with the online /cleanup-image /restorehealth switches, it verifies whether the existing Windows installation matches the copies of Windows 11 available on Microsoft servers.
This tool can be useful when System File Checker has failed to fix corrupted Windows 11 files. To run this tool, you will also need to open a command prompt window with administrator permissions, type the command dism /online / cleanup-image /restorehealth and then press the Enter key.
This command will proceed to start Windows scan and repair, which may also take a few minutes. At the end of the process, it will show us a message indicating the result of the operation. If there has been success, it will inform us with a message on the screen. And if you have not been able to repair the system, you will still let us know. In both cases, it will make available the DISM.log file, which contains the details of the operation performed.
The SFC and DISM commands can help us fix many of the common errors that affect Windows 11, as they repair the operating system files. However, they are not infallible. Fortunately, in cases where its execution is unsuccessful, it is possible to execute alternative methods such as scanning for viruses or malware, updating Windows, restoring the system, reinstalling Windows, disconnecting peripherals, checking the hardware, updating drivers, uninstalling unnecessary programs, ventilate the equipment well, etc.