SFC /Scannow won't start

pokeefe0001 · 24 Sep 2016

I tried to run SFC /Scannow but got the error message "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service".

I saw on the web that this usually indicates that the Windows Module Installer and/or Trusted Installer is not running. The Windows Module Installer was running but I issues the start for it anyway. It didn't help. I rebooted. Still couldn't run SFC.

Windows: Fix Error
suggested the following procedure:

Select “Start” and type “CMD“.
Right-click “Command Prompt” then choose “Run as administrator“.
If prompted, enter a username and password that grants admin rights to the computer.
Type “sc config trustedinstaller start=auto“, then press “Enter“. You should get a “SUCCESS” message.
Type “net start trustedinstaller“, then press “Enter“. You should receive a message that the service was started.

All that worked as described, but SFC still refuses to start.

Do I have any choices short of clean reinstall? I did a clean install of 1511 (actually, to of them) but just an upgrade-in-place for 1607. I have a lot of software installed and reinstalling them after a clean reinstall takes more time than I can afford right now.

dalchina · 24 Sep 2016

Hi,

"If you get the Windows Resource Protection Could Not Start the Repair Service error when trying to run SFC, then make sure that the Windows Modules Installer service is enabled and set to Manual."
(from Brink's Tutorial on SFC)

If that doesn't help you might try Tweaking.com's cautious repair tool; use only the relevant repair for services (26, possibly 27).

There are other possible repair options, so don't despair yet.

pokeefe0001 · 24 Sep 2016

Module Installer was not the problem so I tried the Tweaking.com tool. Repair services 26 &27 didn't help.

It looked like one of the preliminary tests in the tool was an execution of SFC and it ran fine. I thought maybe it was because I was in Safe Mode, but that was not the case. SFC/Scannow still refuses to start even in Safe Mode.

DISM next, or is it even an option if SFC won't start? (Sorry if that is a dumb question.)

Update: Some serious user stupidity here. I've been trying to run SFC from a desktop icon (using Run as administrator). It fails to start that way. However, it runs ifI use the Command Prompt (Admin) from the right-click Start menu. So I obviously have something wrong with my desktop icon. I just recreated icon from the Apps list and it works now. I guess I'll mark this "Solved".

dalchina · 24 Sep 2016

Thanks for letting us know.