Arie's Registry Hack for SFC

surferdude2--Amen!

 

Hey Dude: What you say makes perfect sense to me, and even shows that MSFT/XP set up the OS to deal with different install methods with some logic.

My Service pack install/cache/source path all conform to your interpretation of how the registry deals with the different ways the OS/Service Packs might arrive at the machine.

And, using Ari's registry hack (after messing up and being strightened out by you) I can now run sfc without a CD.

Thanks for putting so much thought and effort into this explanation/interpretation. (Raining here too, again!)

Take care,

Martin

 

Hi all!

I decided to validate Arie's suggested tweak a couple of steps further. I copied my i386 folder to my second HD, the E:\ drive and then deleted it from the C:\ drive completely. Then I ran SFC /SCANNOW to test. It asked for the install CD pretty soon after beginning. I cancelled out and opened Regedit. I edited the SourcePath string under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup key and changed the C:\ to E:\ and OK'ed and closed out Regedit.

Then I ran SFC /SCANNOW to test the results. Sure enough, it ran all the way through without asking for the install CD.

Now, I reasoned that if it can find and use the i386 folder when it's on another drive, it might find it on a burned CD. I burned the i386 folder to a CD and edited the Registry Key to change the E:\ to D:\ (my cd-rom drive). Then when I ran SFC /SCANNOW, if asked for the install CD. I offered it my burned CD with the i386 folder on it. It continuously rejected any attempt to make it use that CD. It insists on seeing a complete install CD for XP. I stuck one of those in and it completed the run, albeit asking for the install CD about 7 times. It doesn't seem to be programmed to look where it found it last. So, that tells us that we can't offer it a stand-alone i386 folder via the cd-rom drive. That method is apparently programmed to recognize and validate a MS full install CD before using any files.

So, what that's all worth, I'm not sure. I changed the SourcePath Reg string value back to E:\ drive and will use it that way until times get better. At least now when I image the boot drive, I don't have to image the i386 folder so it's some small victory. Of course I also gained the 500 megs of space on the boot drive and lost it on the secondary drive. A push there.

I did notice something else that is interesting. When I run SFC, it creates 300 megs of temp files in my C:\Windows\System32\dllcache\ directory. They stay there until I reboot. I didn't look at the Reg but I suspect there would be a "RunOnce" entry to that effect. I mention this in passing so all will know that it requires ample room to run SFC although I doubt that's often an issue.

It has quit raining so I'll leave well enough alone and move along to something I'm thoroughly familiar with, mowing the grass.

Best regards.

 

surferdude2 --Do not know if this is pertinent or not, but you may find that C:\Windows\System32\DLLCache has later versions of some files than does C:\I386. This seems a result of Hotfix files being installed into the DLLCache folder, but not the I386 folder.

 

I'm sure what you say is correct, Jim.

I'm equally sure that nothing ever changes the material in the original i386 folder found on the boot drive intentionally. It should always stay as it was originally, much like it would if contained on a CD, which it often is.

XP seems to dynamically track and have the ability to compare and choose these various files with regard to which are the latest versions. It all seems to work very well. My general advice would be, attempt any improvements at your own peril. That being said, I don't consider moving the i386 folder from a CD and onto the boot drive and editing the Registry to reflect that to be a risky procedure. It does provide the convenience of not having to put in the CD on occasion.

Regards.