Use DISM to Repair Windows 10 Image  

Hi Matthew,
Before starting I'm running Diskpart followed by 'list vol' command to ensure using correct drive letters.
In recovery mode drive C is one of the system reserved partitions and D is DVD drive.

When I checked the Dism log it shown that it is scanning the image correctly finding over 200 corrupted/missing files which leads me to believe that the first part of the syntax is correct.

Get-wiminfo is also working correctly identifying the source file together with all the versions of windows on it- as I'm looking to fix the Pro version the index in my case is :3, nonetheless I've tried using all 6 indexes available on the install.wim.

Solti said:

Not a desktop per se, can access the files on it through the command prompt in the recovery mode (or through the separate system which I set up on the other drive), nothing else.

Have you tried running DISM from the separate system to repair the unbootable system?

Yes, I have indeed. I've installed the same build on my spare hard drive and tried to run DISM from there- with pointing the source to Wim file and to the actual clean system- but both have failed (with checking the correct drive letters are used prior to running it). I have also allowed it to install all the required updates and re-run DISM again, but it failed as well. Out of curiosity I ran DISM for the clean system and it worked as intended leading me to the thought, that even though the builds seem to be the same, there may actually be some differences which prevent DISM from running correctly, or the system is so corrupted that it cannot be really fixed.

Solti said:

got error that couldn't access image

What was the exact error message? Perhaps we can google it.

Solti said:

I've installed the same build on my spare hard drive and tried to run DISM from there

I think it does not matter whether it is the same build. The screenshot in my post #811 was taken on Windows 10 version 1903, while Dism /Image:C:\ contained version 20H2.

Matthew Wai said:

What was the exact error message? Perhaps we can google it.

It was: error 2. Cannot access image.
But it was only when adding the 'offline' pointing to the image (/image:f:\offline)

I think it does not matter whether it is the same build. The screenshot in my post #811 was taken on Windows 10 version 1903, while Dism /Image:C:\ contained version 20H2.

Most of the problems I've seen people have had were related to using the .wim file (or esd) from different build- I've tried 4 different ones, including the newest available from MS server's. Not sure if it is a 'must' but I was checking every piece of advise available in Google

When I said "the same build", I was not referring to the WIM/ESD file used to repair the image. I was referring to the version of Windows on which DISM ran.

Also, I wonder whether "couldn't access image" refers to the image in the ISO file or the image on the unbootable system. Perhaps Google can give a clue.

Would you consider running DISM on Windows PE? How to use DISM in WINDOW PE environment?
If not, you may have to give it up.

Oh, I got it. So I have tested 3 versions of 19041 build (installed on a spare drive one after another)- in first case it was thexact same one, other 2 were slightly never, with the latest one having even an updates version of DISM, and tried to run it from here, but the result was always exactly the same.

As far as I've seen on another forums error 2- cannot access image refers to the copy of windows to be repaired, in the end without the 'offline' addition it did manage to scan it, just not to fix it.

By Windows PE you mean the installation/repair menu of the windows (when booted from installation media, going to 'repair my computer option)? If so, I've done that as well.

Thanks for all the hints, very much appreciated. I finally managed to convince the owner of this pc to reinstall the system so hoping it will go smooth from now on.

Thanks again

Solti said:

By Windows PE you mean the installation/repair menu of the windows (when booted from installation media, going to 'repair my computer option)?

No, I don't mean the menu. Windows PE is very different from installation media.
This is Windows PE: Win10XPE - Build Your Own Rescue Media
This is my customized Windows PE: https://mega.nz/file/NA4gySCb#47N9L8...6oIdbX2myPJZIQ