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Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files how to fix

Running system file checker results, "windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them"? Here How to repair the corrupted files found by sfc /scannow.

Steve Ballmer

November 16, 2024

The system file checker utility also known as SFC utility or sfc scannow allows Windows users to scan for and restore corrupt missing Windows system files. Whenever you experience some Windows functions aren’t working or Windows crashes, we recommend run System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files. But there are some situations that it cannot deal with and the SFC scan results, “Windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them“.

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.

Contents

1 How to view the SFC log file
2 How to repair the corrupted files found by sfc /scannow

How to view the SFC log file

When you run the SFC command the details of the System File Checker are stored in the CBS.Log file. To view the SFC log file you’ll need to make a readable copy on your desktop following the steps below.

Open the command prompt as administrator,
Type command findstr /c:”[SR]” %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log >”%userprofile%\Desktop\sfclogs.txt” and press enter key
Look at your desktop screen, a new notepad file stored there with the name “sfclogs”
Open the sfclogs.txt located on the desktop with Notepad to view all the details of the scanned system files and information for files that couldn’t be repaired.

How to repair the corrupted files found by sfc /scannow

When you run the sfc /scannow command the SFC utility scans all protected system files, if found any problem, it will attempt to replace the problematic files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir%\System32\dllcache. Most of the time sfc utility restores the corrupted system files with the correct ones, but for some reason, your system files are heavily damaged or missing time might result unable to fix them. Here some applicable solutions that help repair the corrupted files found by sfc /scannow.

Make sure your computer has the latest Windows updates installed
Temporarily disable third-party antivirus software (If installed) and perform sfc scan.

Run SFC command in safe mode

Start Windows in safe mode, and run the sfc /scannow command this will help if any third-party addon prevents sfc utility to restore or repair corrupted system files with the correct one.

Press Windows key + R, type msconfig.msc and click ok,
Move to Boot Tab, Checkmark on Safe Boot option (refer image below) click apply and ok
Restart your PC to boot Windows into safe mode.

Now open the command prompt as administrator,
Type sfc command sfc /scannow and press enter key,

Let the scanning process complete 100% and check if this time sfc utility repaired the corrupted system files. or there is no more “Windows resource protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them”

Run DISM restore health command

Next, run the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) utility that helps repair the Windows image. Well, the sfc utility uses locally stored copies (which may be already corrupted) to replace corrupted files, But DISM uses the Windows update component to get their job done. only you need to make sure you have a working internet connection before run the DISM command.

Search cmd on start menu, right-click on the command prompt select run as administrator,
Type the command DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press the enter key,
Let the scanning process complete 100%, depending on your PC configuration it might take more than 15-30 min.

Note: If you notice DISM scan stuck around 30% don’t worry and please do not close the window it’s normal behaviour and the progression with resume after a few minutes.

Once the scanning process 100% complete run the sfc /scannow command and check if there is no more corrupt files found by sfc utility. If still encountering the “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them” error apply the next solution.

Run check disk command

Several Windows users report, running the check disk command before sfc utility helps them get rid of this problem.

Open the command prompt as administrator,
Type command, chkdsk c: /f /r and press enter key,
Type Y and press enter when ask for confirmation to run the check disk command on the next start,
Close everything and restart your PC to check and repair possible errors on your hard drive.
Once done reboot your PC and again run the sfc /scannow command

Run SFCFix Tool

Also, you can download and run third-party SFCFix Tool which scans your windows for corrupted system files and will restore/repair these files which System File Checker failed to do so.

Download the SFCFix Tool from here.
Then open the command prompt as administrator
Type SFC /SCANNOW to run the system file checker utility.
while running the process launch the SFCFix.exe.

The SFCFix will complete and report on whether it found any corruption, the log file saved to your Desktop, called SFCFix.txt. Open the log file that gives technical details on any problems that were found