Problems caused by sfc /scannow

I recently recommended someone to use sfc /scannow on his XP SP2 system. It seems, as a result (or maybe just coincidentally?) he lost all his network settings. Frantic use of restore points got them back, so no permanent damage done - but I feel mortified that I recommended a procedure which may have been unsafe, without issuing an appropriate 'health warning'.

So... does anyone know of any problems which can be cause by sfc /scannow? I've spent the last half hour searching, and I can't find any posts anywhere which relate such problems (although the volume of posts regarding needing the installation CD 'problem' may well be obscuring the occasional post about problems caused by sfc...)
David

 

David, I've never had sfc /scannow cause me any trouble other than nagging me for the CD.

Furthermore, I've never had it help me in any way that I could ever detect. XP is very robust and the Protected System Files are extremely hard to corrupt or delete without XP instantly replacing them.

SFC Info

That link may help you understand the process better and possibly offer some relief from the frequent CD request. I found that having the I386 folder on my C: drive was the answer for me when I used SFC. YMMV

 

Thanks guys - that's what I suspected (and also that it's rarely much help to run sfc /scannow, anyway!)...
David

 

I have used scannow with both SP1 and SP2 and have never had a problem. There is no way to know if it replaces any files because there is no log you can check. However, after you run it you know your system files are not corrupted; thus, if you still have a problem it is not the window files.
I had the experience where a grandson had acquired several viruses found with NAV, and when I tried to run scannow to check the files it would not run. Only after I did a non-destructive restoration of windows would it run again.
So I think scannow does serve a purpose even though it is non-specific - if it runs it means your window files are OK.

 

Hi ackerberg,

Actually there is - the system will log changes in the Event Viewer > System.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles,
Thanks for the info.