System file checker

Question

SFC prompts me to insert the Windows XP Pro disc.  I don't have a Windows disc, just a reinstallation disc from Dell.  When I insert it, SFC does not appear to extract any files.  This happens about Five times before SFC ends.  SFC does not say what files it is looking for, as Windows 98 did, so I can't simply extract one.  There are similar issues mentioned in the Microsoft help files involving the XP Pro, and XP Home disc.  They do not address the Dell reinstallation disc. What is the answer here?  All anybody can suggest so far is a complete re-install.  This seems crazy as there is already a system in place to replace missing or damaged files.  I just need Dell to tell me how to make their disc readable by Windows.

Denny Denham · Answer

themazama,

The Dell CD is contains exactly the same Windows XP as a retail disk. SFC neither tells you what it is looking for nor whether or not it found something. It merely runs to completion. If you are missing a file, you can easily extract one but not through SFC as was the case with Win9X systems. Instead the expand command is used at the command prompt.

GreyMack · Answer

Can you verify that the Dell-branded OEM Windows installation CD is labeled as the XP Pro SP2 version?

Which reminds me, there were some reports of mis-labeled CDs from Dell, indicating Pro when they were Home. I'm not sure how to most easily detect such a discrepancy, and it may not be related to your problem, but I'm on my third cup of coffee.

GM

themazama · Answer

themazama,The Dell CD is contains exactly the same Windows XP as a retail disk. SFC neither tells you what it is looking for nor whether or not it found something. It merely runs to completion. If you are missing a file, you can easily extract one but not through SFC as was the case with Win9X systems. Instead the expand command is used at the command prompt. Thanks for the rapid reply.  What happens is I start SFC and it runs for 80 to 90 percent if its completion, then stops and prompts me to insert the Windows XP Pro disc.  When I insert my Dell reinstallation disc and press OK, I get the same message.  I keep hitting OK for 5 or 6 times, then SFC ends. You would assume that the necessary files were extracted, but running SFC again produces the same results. There is never a message about what files it needs so I can't utelize the expand command.

themazama · Answer

Can you verify that the Dell-branded OEM Windows installation CD is labeled as the XP Pro SP2 version?

Well, It really should be the Media Center Edition, as that's what I have, and that's what it says on the reinstallation DVD.

Which reminds me, there were some reports of mis-labeled CDs from Dell, indicating Pro when they were Home. I'm not sure how to most easily detect such a discrepancy, and it may not be related to your problem, but I'm on my third cup of coffee.

GM

The Media Center Edition seems to get lost in the shuffel.

Denny Denham · Answer

themazama,

I assume you are issuing the command sfc /scannow. Why are you running system file checker? Did you receive an error message indicating there were missing or corrupted system files on your computer?

themazama · Answer

I assume you are issuing the command sfc /scannow. Why are you running system file checker? Did you receive an error message indicating there were missing or corrupted system files on your computer?   My McAfee virus scan indicated that it had detected the Vundo trojan, and had deleted files to remove it.  This happened a couple of three times before I found out that the popup I was getting was a fake.  I searched for and downloaded a couple of programs to remove the trojan, Vundo has been removed, so I ran sfc/scannow from the command prompt.  The rest is above.

sparkenh · Answer

themazama,

If your PC has C:\I386 folder, do this:

Run Regedit, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Setup

Double-click the value name SourcePath and change the value to C:\

Restart and run SFC /SCANNOW. It won't ask for the XP CD.

If there is no C:\i386 folder, copy the i386 folder from your DVD to C:

themazama · Answer

themazama,If your PC has C:\I386 folder, do this:Run Regedit, navigate to:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SetupDouble-click the value name SourcePath and change the value to C:\Restart and run SFC /SCANNOW. It won't ask for the XP CD.If there is no C:\i386 folder, copy the i386 folder from your DVD to C:   OK, I'll give this a try tomorrow, I've got the grandson over tonite and he is wearing me out.

themazama · Answer

OK, I'm back and still working on the system file checker.  I did the regedit thing and the line was already as described above, I did not have to change it.    SFC does not run to completion, it siops about 6 or 7 times and prompts me to insert the XP Pro disc, which is already in the drive.  I can open and close the drive bay, or click a button that says 'Retry' and the computer acts as if it is loading something, then stops again an asks for the disc again.  As I said I repeat this half a dozen times before sfc completes.   I can start and run sfc a second time and the whole process is repeated, leading me to believe nothing was installed the firdt time.   If I new what files it was looking for, as in Windows 98, I could install them with the expand (?) command.  But it does not let me know this.  Therefore I don't know if it is looking for the same file each time it stops, as in Windows 98, or if I actually have several files in need of replacement.   BTW, sfc prompts me to insert the XP Pro disc, and I have the media center edition.  System information thinks I have XP Pro.  Are Media Center and Pro editions the same?

sparkenh · Answer

Edit: When the value of the SourcePath is C:\ and the SFC still asks for XP CD, it means there is no C:\i386 folder or the files are probably corrupt/damaged. The solution is to to copy the i386 folder from Media Center DVD to C: and then run SFC /SCANNOW.

The alternative solution is to change the Sourcepath entry to the correct DVD drive letter, e.g., D:\ or E:\. Insert the Media Center DVD with I386 folder to the DVD drive and run SFC /SCANNOW

I hope this works.

Message Edited by sparkenh on 08-15-200611:29 AM

Windows General

System file checker

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