CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202)Software TroubleshootingMedium
A Windows 10 PC free of malware experiences frequent application crashes. A technician suspects a corrupted protected system file is the cause. Which command should the technician run FIRST to attempt an automatic repair?
- Adism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
- Bbootrec /fixboot
- Cchkdsk /f
- Dsfc /scannow
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. sfc /scannow
The System File Checker (sfc /scannow) scans and repairs corrupted protected system files using a locally cached copy. DISM is typically used afterward only if SFC cannot repair the files because the local component store is also damaged.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. DISM restores the Windows image itself; it's usually run only if sfc fails.
- B. bootrec /fixboot repairs the boot sector, not general system file corruption.
- C. chkdsk /f fixes file system/disk errors, not corrupted OS files.
sfc /scannow
A Windows command-line utility that scans all protected system files and replaces corrupted versions with cached correct copies.
- Must be run from an elevated Command Prompt
- Uses a local cache to restore correct file versions
- If it fails, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth first, then retry sfc
Memory trick: 'S'FC = 'Save the File Cache' — checks files first