5 Ways to Overcome Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files

 If Windows keeps giving you the Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files message but you can't fix it, here's how to solve it.

Windows comes with several built-in troubleshooting utilities that scan your system for possible problems, identify inconsistencies, and attempt to fix system-related issues without requiring user input. Usually these tools do their job well, but there are times when they can't get the job done properly.

When certain system tools are not able to do their job properly, you will get an error that reads “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.” So, let's find out how to fix Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files.

What Causes Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files?

The “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them” error message occurs due to a failure of the System File Checker (SFC) tool, which is responsible for scanning protected system files and solving problems related to them.

If the SFC tool identifies the problem but fails to fix it, it will show an error that reads, in full, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them”.

There are several reasons why System File Checker cannot solve problems in the operating system:

1. The tool does not have enough resources to fix the problem.

2. You are running an out-of-date operating system.

3. Background processes interfere with the System File Checker process, preventing the tool from completing its work.

Now that we know about the possible causes, let's take a look at the troubleshooting methods that can help you fix the problem.

How to Overcome Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files

1. Make sure Windows is always updated

Make sure Windows is always updated

Such a problem usually appears when you are running an older version of the operating system. Installing the latest system updates is important for a number of reasons. If you don't update your system regularly, you make it incompatible with many Windows services, and vulnerable to attacks.

The easiest way to fix this problem is to regularly install pending updates on your Windows operating system. If you haven't already, I suggest you take some time to install it and check if that fixes the problem.

2. Run SFC Tool In Safe Mode

The System File Checker tool might throw an error because a background process interrupted it in the middle of a scan. This process could be a legitimate application that you installed or even malware. To check if this is the case, I suggest you boot Windows into Safe Mode and try running a scan there.

Safe Mode launches Windows with only the basic driver and software programs, which clears up conflicting programs so that SFC works without interruption. Best of all, If the scan runs successfully in Safe Mode, you can use a process of elimination to find out which program was the culprit.

Here's what you need to do:

Minimal Safe Boot

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type msconfig in the Run text field and click Enter.

3. In the following window, go to the Boot tab and check the box related to Safe Boot.

4. Then, select Minimal under the Safe Boot option.

5. Click Apply > OK, then restart your computer.

After rebooting, Windows will automatically launch in Safe mode. Try running the scan as before in this mode, and see if it completes successfully now. If yes, then you can try uninstalling the program you recently installed as it might be causing the problem.

3. Run a DISM And CHKDSK Scan

SFC is a powerful tool, but there are other troubleshooting utilities you can use if System File Checker itself is having problems. As a first option, you can use the DISM tool, which is one of the most powerful utilities included with Windows.

This tool targets the Windows component store from the system image, fixing any issues that may be there. Here is how you can run the DISM tool:

DISM Scan

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type cmd in the Run text field and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter simultaneously. This will launch Command Prompt with administrator privileges.

3. Alternatively, you can also launch Command Prompt by using Windows search. Just type cmd in the search bar, right click and select Run as administrator.

4. Once you are in the Command Prompt window, type the command “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” and press Enter to run it.

The scan may take a few moments to complete, so don't be impatient. Once done, we suggest that you run the CHKDSK scan, which scans for inconsistencies and bad sectors on the hard drive. If the culprit lies within the hard drive, this scan should fix the problem. To run a CHKDSK scan, type chkdsk /fc: in Command Prompt with administrator privileges. Once that command is executed, run chkdsk /rc: to check for bad sectors as well.

4. Restore the System to Beginning

You can also get rid of the Windows Resource Protection Found Corrupt Files problem by using the System Restore utility. This utility creates restore points on your system periodically, allowing you to return to an earlier point in time in the event of a future error. If this service is enabled on the computer, then you can try to return to the system state where the problem was not present.

5. Do an In-Place Upgrade

Finally, if none of the above methods are working for you, then there is a possibility that the underlying problem is serious, and cannot be resolved using simple troubleshooting methods.

If this is the case for you, then we suggest you proceed with an in-place upgrade to fix the problem. This step may take a while to complete, so I suggest only continuing with it when you have some free time.

Conclusion

So those are some ways to overcome Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. Many of us use Windows' built-in tools to solve problems that arise from time to time. However, when these tools become unresponsive or don't work properly, users can be left wondering what to do.

Admin hopes that the troubleshooting method above can help you to fix the problem. If nothing else works, you can try switching to a similar third-party utility and see if that helps.