Fixing Corrupt XP System Files

I created this post because I have been using this fix for years, and thought it was worth sharing. Note that this only fixes corrupted system files that have not been hacked and patched by a lot of third party programs, so it works 70-80% of the time without any further diagnosis.

You will need:

1. To be running the Windows XP operating system
2. A Windows XP CD that is the same version as the one you are running (for example you can't use an XP Home CD if you are running XP Professional.)

Directions:

1. Place the Windows XP CD in your CD/DVD drive
2. Click on the Start Menu
   
3. Select the Run Option
   
4. Type in sfc /scannow and hit the enter key.
   

The interface should load, and give you the option of repairing your system files. Again, if you have made a lot of manual registry modifications or installed programs that made a lot of changes to the system files, this may not fix your issues.

- Presario