Windows: Repair broken system files

On Windows, you can repair broken system files without reinstalling the system. We will show you how to do this here.

Repair broken Windows system files

Windows includes a so-called system file checker (SFC), with which you can check the system files and restore them if necessary. You must start the program from the command prompt with administrator rights:

1. Click the Windows Start button at the bottom left of the screen.
2. Enter the command "cmd" in the search field. In Windows 8, type the string directly on the home screen.
3. Right-click the search hit "cmd.exe" or "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator". Confirm the security question with "Yes".
4. At the command prompt, type "sfc / scannow" and press Enter.
5. Should Windows discover defective system files, they will be repaired automatically. In most cases, the system restores the original file from a cache folder in the Windows directory. In individual cases, however, you must insert the Windows installation DVD.

However, you are still far from exhausting the prompt: In another practical tip, we have summarized other useful commands for the prompt.