Corrupted or Missing File

[Tim H.]

I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to reinstall it to get the missing
file back. What is the recommended way to do that? Can I just reinsert the
original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that possibly do more harm than
good?

[Shenan T. Stanley]

The System Restore utility is not an option?

"Tim H." > wrote in message
...
> I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to reinstall it to get the
missing
> file back. What is the recommended way to do that? Can I just reinsert the
> original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that possibly do more harm than
> good?
>
>

[Tim H.]

No. I am not sure when the file got "lost".
"Shenan T. Stanley" > wrote in message
...
> The System Restore utility is not an option?
>
> "Tim H." > wrote in message
> ...
> > I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to reinstall it to get the
> missing
> > file back. What is the recommended way to do that? Can I just reinsert
the
> > original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that possibly do more harm than
> > good?
> >
> >
>
>

[JohnR]

You don't have to reinstall XP to restore 1 missing
file. Do a search in the XP Knowledge Base for restoring
lost or missing files at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=kbinfo.

I think there's a way to do it with SFC or something.

>-----Original Message-----
>No. I am not sure when the file got "lost".
>"Shenan T. Stanley" >
wrote in message
...
>> The System Restore utility is not an option?
>>
>> "Tim H." > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to
reinstall it to get the
>> missing
>> > file back. What is the recommended way to do that?
Can I just reinsert
>the
>> > original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that
possibly do more harm than
>> > good?
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Tim H." > wrote in message
...
> I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to reinstall it to get
the missing
> file back. What is the recommended way to do that? Can I just
reinsert the
> original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that possibly do more
harm than
> good?
>
>

If the missing file is truly a part of Windows XP, you can type "SFC
/scannow" from the Start/Run line with the Windows XP CD in the
drive. By the way, what is the name of the missing file? It might
be a worm file that was removed by your antivirus program but the
Run statement is still in the registry.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Tim H.]

Hi Earl,
If I type "SFC /scannow" please tell me what that will accomplish. Will that
cause XP Pro to reinstall any/all missing files? That would be my wish. I
don't know the name of the missing file.

The reason I posted my question is that I have a program I installed to my
machine that did install, and evens opens correctly, but then gives an error
message. I wrote the developer and he said, after trying some "fixes" that
didn't work, the only thing he was sure would work would be a complete
uninstall/reinstall of XP Pro. I would prefer to try something not quite so
radical first.
"Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tim H." > wrote in message
> ...
> > I am missing a file from XP Pro and need to reinstall it to get
> the missing
> > file back. What is the recommended way to do that? Can I just
> reinsert the
> > original CD and reinstall XP Pro or will that possibly do more
> harm than
> > good?
> >
> >
>
> If the missing file is truly a part of Windows XP, you can type "SFC
> /scannow" from the Start/Run line with the Windows XP CD in the
> drive. By the way, what is the name of the missing file? It might
> be a worm file that was removed by your antivirus program but the
> Run statement is still in the registry.
>
> --
> Earl F. Parrish
>

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Tim H." > wrote in message
...
> Hi Earl,
> If I type "SFC /scannow" please tell me what that will accomplish.
Will that
> cause XP Pro to reinstall any/all missing files? That would be my
wish. I
> don't know the name of the missing file.
>
> The reason I posted my question is that I have a program I
installed to my
> machine that did install, and evens opens correctly, but then
gives an error
> message. I wrote the developer and he said, after trying some
"fixes" that
> didn't work, the only thing he was sure would work would be a
complete
> uninstall/reinstall of XP Pro. I would prefer to try something not
quite so
> radical first.

The SFC stands for System File Checker. It makes sure that all the
system files are correct by either copying them from the
C:\Windows\System32\Dllcache subdirectory or the installation
CD-ROM. It uses the latest version of the file in the database
which means that it will not replace a newer file with an older
file. It brings up a progress window on the screen while it works.
You will occasionally see the CD activity light turn on as files are
copied from the disk. It does not reinstall your operating system,
it just reinstalls missing system files. The older version of the
program from Windows 98 actually told you what files it was
replacing and gave you a choice of where to get the replacement.
The Windows XP version takes out that option because users would
often choose the wrong replacement file.

Bear in mind that this program only checks Windows system files and
will not help you to replace missing files installed by other
non-Windows operating system programs. You could check your Event
Viewer under Administrative Tools to see if it reports the nature of
the error.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Tim H.]

Well, it sounds to me as if you know what you're talking about and I
appreciate your taking the time to help me. I'm trying to figure out if this
is the equivalent of a fresh install of XP Pro.

The program I downloaded, installed and tested from the Web, worked fine at
first and then just abruptly quit working. The developer made some
suggestions to get the program operating again but none worked after which
he suggested that I must have lost a file from XP Pro (unlikely I know) and
the only way to get his program working again would be with a fresh install
of XP Pro. If the SFC will check and replace any missing files then, and I'm
guessing here, that should be the equivalent of a fresh install of XP Pro.
Would you agree with that guess? If you do, can you say how long the process
of restoring any missing files might take? For instance, since it's only
looking for and replacing missing files would the length of time be
considerably less than that of a complete reinstall?


"Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tim H." > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi Earl,
> > If I type "SFC /scannow" please tell me what that will accomplish.
> Will that
> > cause XP Pro to reinstall any/all missing files? That would be my
> wish. I
> > don't know the name of the missing file.
> >
> > The reason I posted my question is that I have a program I
> installed to my
> > machine that did install, and evens opens correctly, but then
> gives an error
> > message. I wrote the developer and he said, after trying some
> "fixes" that
> > didn't work, the only thing he was sure would work would be a
> complete
> > uninstall/reinstall of XP Pro. I would prefer to try something not
> quite so
> > radical first.
>
> The SFC stands for System File Checker. It makes sure that all the
> system files are correct by either copying them from the
> C:\Windows\System32\Dllcache subdirectory or the installation
> CD-ROM. It uses the latest version of the file in the database
> which means that it will not replace a newer file with an older
> file. It brings up a progress window on the screen while it works.
> You will occasionally see the CD activity light turn on as files are
> copied from the disk. It does not reinstall your operating system,
> it just reinstalls missing system files. The older version of the
> program from Windows 98 actually told you what files it was
> replacing and gave you a choice of where to get the replacement.
> The Windows XP version takes out that option because users would
> often choose the wrong replacement file.
>
> Bear in mind that this program only checks Windows system files and
> will not help you to replace missing files installed by other
> non-Windows operating system programs. You could check your Event
> Viewer under Administrative Tools to see if it reports the nature of
> the error.
>
> --
> Earl F. Parrish
>

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Tim H." > wrote in message
...
> Well, it sounds to me as if you know what you're talking about and
I
> appreciate your taking the time to help me. I'm trying to figure
out if this
> is the equivalent of a fresh install of XP Pro.
>
> The program I downloaded, installed and tested from the Web,
worked fine at
> first and then just abruptly quit working. The developer made some
> suggestions to get the program operating again but none worked
after which
> he suggested that I must have lost a file from XP Pro (unlikely I
know) and
> the only way to get his program working again would be with a
fresh install
> of XP Pro. If the SFC will check and replace any missing files
then, and I'm
> guessing here, that should be the equivalent of a fresh install of
XP Pro.
> Would you agree with that guess? If you do, can you say how long
the process
> of restoring any missing files might take? For instance, since
it's only
> looking for and replacing missing files would the length of time
be
> considerably less than that of a complete reinstall?
>
>

It should take about fifteen minutes or less. It does not require a
reboot. When it is done the progress window disappears. A complete
reinstall would take about one hour and would require you to
reinstall all of your hotfixes and updates issued since the original
CD-ROM was published. That goes back to October, 2001 if you have
the original release and sometime in late 2002 if you have the
CD-ROM with SP1 incorporated.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Tim H.]

Sorry to bother you again but I inserted the CD and typed in SFC/scannow and
received an error message that Windows could not find the file. Then, I
browsed to the CD drive and selected SETUP which opened SETUP.EXE in the Run
Dialogue Box and then stopped to get more instructions from you. You can
tell I've never done this before.
"Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tim H." > wrote in message
> ...
> > Well, it sounds to me as if you know what you're talking about and
> I
> > appreciate your taking the time to help me. I'm trying to figure
> out if this
> > is the equivalent of a fresh install of XP Pro.
> >
> > The program I downloaded, installed and tested from the Web,
> worked fine at
> > first and then just abruptly quit working. The developer made some
> > suggestions to get the program operating again but none worked
> after which
> > he suggested that I must have lost a file from XP Pro (unlikely I
> know) and
> > the only way to get his program working again would be with a
> fresh install
> > of XP Pro. If the SFC will check and replace any missing files
> then, and I'm
> > guessing here, that should be the equivalent of a fresh install of
> XP Pro.
> > Would you agree with that guess? If you do, can you say how long
> the process
> > of restoring any missing files might take? For instance, since
> it's only
> > looking for and replacing missing files would the length of time
> be
> > considerably less than that of a complete reinstall?
> >
> >
>
> It should take about fifteen minutes or less. It does not require a
> reboot. When it is done the progress window disappears. A complete
> reinstall would take about one hour and would require you to
> reinstall all of your hotfixes and updates issued since the original
> CD-ROM was published. That goes back to October, 2001 if you have
> the original release and sometime in late 2002 if you have the
> CD-ROM with SP1 incorporated.
>
> --
> Earl F. Parrish
>

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Tim H." > wrote in message
...
> Sorry to bother you again but I inserted the CD and typed in
SFC/scannow and
> received an error message that Windows could not find the file.
Then, I
> browsed to the CD drive and selected SETUP which opened SETUP.EXE
in the Run
> Dialogue Box and then stopped to get more instructions from you.
You can
> tell I've never done this before.
>

Did you put a space in front of the "/scannow?" It is a command
switch and if not separated from the command will be presumed to be
part of the command.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Earl F. Parrish]

"Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tim H." > wrote in message
> ...
> > Sorry to bother you again but I inserted the CD and typed in
> SFC/scannow and
> > received an error message that Windows could not find the file.
> Then, I
> > browsed to the CD drive and selected SETUP which opened
SETUP.EXE
> in the Run
> > Dialogue Box and then stopped to get more instructions from you.
> You can
> > tell I've never done this before.
> >
>
> Did you put a space in front of the "/scannow?" It is a command
> switch and if not separated from the command will be presumed to
be
> part of the command.
>
> --
> Earl F. Parrish
>

Looking at my first message I see that the line was broken between
"SFC and "/scannow" instead of showing them in one group. The space
was at the end of the line. If there were no space between the two
groups of characters the whole thing would have dropped to the next
line. Line breaks never split up a continuous string of characters
unbroken by white space. I will put the command on a line by itself
to avoid confusion.
SFC /scannow
is what you type in the Run box.

--
Earl F. Parrish

[Tim H.]

I missed the "space" instruction. Thanks for staying with me. I really do
appreciate your patience.
"Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Earl F. Parrish" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Tim H." > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > Sorry to bother you again but I inserted the CD and typed in
> > SFC/scannow and
> > > received an error message that Windows could not find the file.
> > Then, I
> > > browsed to the CD drive and selected SETUP which opened
> SETUP.EXE
> > in the Run
> > > Dialogue Box and then stopped to get more instructions from you.
> > You can
> > > tell I've never done this before.
> > >
> >
> > Did you put a space in front of the "/scannow?" It is a command
> > switch and if not separated from the command will be presumed to
> be
> > part of the command.
> >
> > --
> > Earl F. Parrish
> >
>
> Looking at my first message I see that the line was broken between
> "SFC and "/scannow" instead of showing them in one group. The space
> was at the end of the line. If there were no space between the two
> groups of characters the whole thing would have dropped to the next
> line. Line breaks never split up a continuous string of characters
> unbroken by white space. I will put the command on a line by itself
> to avoid confusion.
> SFC /scannow
> is what you type in the Run box.
>
> --
> Earl F. Parrish
>