How to Perform Basic Windows Repair

Duration: 45 minutes

Steps: 6 Steps

Is your PC feeling sluggish for no apparent reason? Is it acting a bit quirky, making it tough to pinpoint the issue? Are some Windows features not working or crashing unexpectedly? These signs could indicate that your Windows Operating System is experiencing some corruption. In fact, this could even lead to boot issues. But don’t sweat it! Fixing this is more about some command line magic than hardware tinkering. Trust us, it’s not as daunting as it sounds. Just keep in mind, this kind of troubleshooting might not be for everyone. If you find yourself needing assistance, you can always schedule a repair.

Step 1

If your computer is giving you the cold shoulder and refusing to boot up to Windows, don’t worry! Most commands can still be found hanging out in the Windows Recovery Environment. You’re not alone in this—let’s tackle it together!

– Right-click the Start button (or press Win + X on your keyboard). In the menu that pops up, choose the command line tool it suggests here—could be Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Terminal, depending on your Windows setup. Make sure to run it as an administrator—that’s your admin powers activated and ready to go for the repairs ahead. If you need a hand, you can always schedule a repair.

Step 2

If you are in Windows Recovery, try using the sfc command with these options: sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C: /offwindir=C:\\Windows\\. Just replace C with the letter of your Windows drive – it’s usually C, but double-check if you’re not sure. If you get stuck, take a deep breath and remember you’re doing great! If you need help, you can always schedule a repair

– A window should pop up with some text and a blinking cursor—classic tech vibes. Go ahead and type sfc /scannow, then hit enter.

– The SFC tool is now on the case, scanning your system files and comparing them to the backup versions hiding out on your drive. You’ll see a progress bar as it checks everything out.

– When it’s done, you’ll get a quick summary of what it found. If there were any troublemakers in your files, it’ll let you know if they got fixed or not.

Step 3

Double-check your commands—spelling, spaces, and punctuation all count! A tiny typo can throw an Error 87 your way.

Microsoft suggests running this before SFC if you’re on Windows 8 or newer. It’s like giving your system a warm-up before the big game.

Run SFC if the first round couldn’t fix everything. DISM might have already patched up some of the trouble spots, but SFC will make sure it’s all cleaned up.

– The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool helps fix up the files that SFC checks when scanning your system. It’s like a sidekick to SFC, ensuring everything’s running smoothly.

– In your open console session (like the one from Step 1), type in: dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth. This will compare your system to an online image from Microsoft and fix any issues it finds.

– A progress bar will appear in the console window, letting you know when it’s done. Sit tight, and it will let you know when it’s all fixed up!

Step 4

This guide is mainly for Windows 10, but don’t worry, it works for Windows 8 and 11 too! So, no matter which version you’re rocking, we’ve got you covered.

– The /online option in the DISM command needs Windows Update Service to be running smoothly. If that’s on the fritz, DISM might not work.

– No worries! Just grab a fresh Windows image from Microsoft and use that for the repair instead.

– Not sure how to snag a Windows .iso file? Check out the USB Boot Drive Creation Guide. When you hit Step 6, go for the .iso option and pick where you want it saved.

Step 5

– Once the image has finished downloading, give that .iso file a double click to mount it.

– It should pop up in the sidebar of your File Explorer, looking like a DVD drive. Pay attention to the drive letter Windows assigns it—let’s say it’s the E: drive in this case.

– Now, open your command line window again and type in DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source: E:\Sources\install.wim, then hit enter. Make sure to swap in the correct drive letter that your computer assigned to the source drive.

– Sit tight and wait for the command to run. It’ll let you know if something goes wrong along the way.

Step 6

If the disk you’re checking isn’t labeled as the C drive, just make sure to adjust the drive letter in the command. It’s a simple fix, and you’re almost there!

– Still feeling like your system’s dragging its feet or tossing error messages your way? Let’s give your hard drive a little TLC with a chkdsk check-up.

– Pop open your command prompt and type: chkdsk c: /f /r

– The /f and /r options tell your computer to fix any disk errors it finds and try to rescue data from cranky sectors.

– You’ll see some details about your drive—probably NTFS—and a message saying the disk’s in use. Just type Y and hit enter to let the scan run the next time you restart.

– Restart your computer and let it do its thing. Heads up: this scan can take a while, so grab a snack and let your PC work through it.

Success!

By following these steps, your device will be sporting a much healthier Windows installation, which should help kick those crashing, freezing, or locking issues to the curb. If you still find yourself unable to boot into Windows, it might be time to consider a reinstall as a more effective route. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.