Disappearing hard drive space with SFC /Scannow

The DISM command can be run offline too, and may be able to repair things sfc cannot.

You'll need the install media for the same version of Windows (1703, 1607, etc.) as is installed on the PC you are trying to repair. If that is 1703 you can easily make the install media (a USB would probably be the most convenient to use) with the Media Creation Tool. With a bit of fiddling you can get a .iso of 1607 direct from Microsoft too. For 1703 and 1607 the install media will contain both Home and Pro.

The install media will contain either an install.esd or install.wim. If it's the bootable USB made by the MCT it will be .esd. DISM can use either. You can boot from the USB and select the 'repair this PC' option to get to a command prompt.

When you boot from a USB the drive letters assigned to the drives may well be different. See this post for an example of using DISM offline, and the next couple of posts for clarification of finding the correct drive letters, and the command to use .esd instead of .wim. Note the need to use an index number 1 or 2 in the command. This specifies the edition, 1 is for Pro and 2 is for Home. Adding the /limitaccess parameter to the DISM command line will prevent it trying to check online for updates.

This is very interesting.

I need the anniversary edition. I used the window 10 media creator from microsoft, but i believe that the CREATOR edition it downloads?

how do i point the dism to the boot on my usb in window pre installed enivornment(i used Kyle version)?

goldenstar said:

I need the anniversary edition. I used the window 10 media creator from microsoft, but i believe that the CREATOR edition it downloads?

Yes, the MCT makes Creators Update media (1703). To get the Anniversary Update (1607) ISO direct from Microsoft, use Edge and go to the Download Windows 10 page where you would normally download the MCT. Now press F12 to use the F12 Developers Tools. On the Emulation tab, set 'User agent string' to 'Apple Safari (iPad)'. The page will change to this one offering a choice of ISOs to download.



Alternatively, if you still have an old copy of the MCT that made 1607 media it will still do so. You can tell the version of the MCT by looking at the Details tab on its Properties. The version matches the build number of the media it creates, for 1607 that's 14393. (For Creators update that would say 15063.)

Oddly enough, the WinSXS is indeed getting larger each time i use sfc /scannow (it failed to fix the corruption). I did confirm it.

The strange thing is when i tried to search by date of modification(like today), i could not find the files that was added or modified.

I will try Bree suggestions. His suggestion is the best so far!

Bree, thank you for taking the time to write this. I can't believe there are good people like you helping others :).

goldenstar said:

Oddly enough, the WinSXS is indeed getting larger each time i use sfc /scannow...
The strange thing is when i tried to search by date of modification(like today), i could not find the files that was added or modified.

It depends on how you were determining the 'size' of WinSxS, File Explorer can be misleading ...

...it can appear that more than one copy of the same version of a file is stored in more than one place on the operating system, but there’s usually only one real copy of the file. The rest of the copies are just “projected” by hard linking from the component store.... Some tools, such as the File Explorer, determine the size of directories without taking into account that the contained files might be hard linked. This might lead you to think that the WinSxS folder takes up more disk space than it really does.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...-winsxs-folder

It may well be that sfc /scannow had duplicated some hard links, making WinSxS appear larger without actually growing in size. This effect can lead to some amusing side-effects :)
Cleaning up 3.99TB space on a 100GB HDD?

Bree said:

It depends on how you were determining the 'size' of WinSxS, File Explorer can be misleading ...
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...-winsxs-folder

It may well be that sfc /scannow had duplicated some hard links, making WinSxS appear larger without actually growing in size. This effect can lead to some amusing side-effects :)
Cleaning up 3.99TB space on a 100GB HDD?

How do fix this if sfc /scannow duplicates hard links?

goldenstar said:

How do fix this if sfc /scannow duplicates hard links?

Once you can boot into a working windows, use Disk Clean up and its 'clean up system files' button. That should fix it.

I got an error while trying Bree commands,

Cannot access files of scratch directory. Make sure you have permission.


Another question: If i RESET my pc from window 10 boot, does it really delete all my files(documents and pictures)?