 | By Fred Langa When system files go bad, Windows’ System File Checker can set things right. Whether due to malware, botched updates, or some other glitch, mangled system files are rooted out and replaced with good copies. |
Broken Control Panel indicates system corruption
Something futzed up one or more system files in Casey Jones’s PC. The problem presented itself in his Control Panel but could be present elsewhere, too:
- “I was trying to delete a program for an upgrade and found that my Add/Remove button had stopped working. I have a Dell Dimension running Windows XP SP3. I’ve been searching for about two hours, looking for information on how to fix this problem. Can you direct me to where I can find a fix? I have third-party removal programs but want to fix the removal in the Control Panel.”
The WFP tool most likely to help with your problem is probably the System File Checker, sfc.exe. The program can determine which — if any — system files have been altered, not just those in the Control Panel. It will then either restore the correct versions or assist you in doing so yourself. (See Figure 1.)
Figure 1. The System File Checker utility can detect and replace corrupted system files with known-good copies.
To effect repairs, sfc.exe usually needs access to original system files on a Windows setup CD or some other similarly accessible location. Microsoft’s official sfc.exe documentation for XP is in Knowledge Base article 310747. If you prefer something less formal, Marc Liron’s UpdateXP.com offers a good sfc.exe tutorial.
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