How do we do an sfc /scannow in an bog-standard 8.0->8.1 upgrade? Using the original 8.0 [retail] DVD doesn't work. Windows 8.1 is no longer available in Windows Store once you've upgraded. "Refresh your PC w/o affecting your files" (in Recovery) also doesn't work, again because it only has the 8.0 data, not 8.1. I really don't want to reinstall everything yet again. Is this just another oversight in the 8.1 upgrade route MS undertook with Windows Store? [I'm trying to do everything as legit and MS sanctioned as possible.]
MS Sanctioned Ways(tm): - Even though they don't explicitly ask you to do this, you need to make a new Repair Disc after upgrading to 8.1 (under "Recovery" in Control Panel) so that it'll contain the 8.1 files required for Refresh & Reset. - Consult your OEM to update the factory image to 8.1. - Consult your OEM in general. - Reset instead of Refresh, going back to 8.0, then upgrade again to 8.1. - Use your updated Product Key for 8.1 with "OSGS14-WindowsSetupBox-32bitand64bit-English-#######.exe", which you can download from Microsoft's website to download and create an install media for 8.1 (which can be a USB drive). (that file is Windows 8.1 Setup) - Grab a copy of 8.1 from MDSN, etc. directly from Microsoft. Unsanctioned ways: - Grab a copy of 8.1 from anywhere, preferably a MSDN copy. (Alternatively, just grab the repair disc image). - Use something like "Win8Key" or "Win9Key" or Magical Jellybean to get your product key so you can use the Windows 8.1 Setup EXE downloader straight from Microsoft. Note: Each of these are separate "ways" of solving the problem; only one should be required. Also note: You may be able to use DISM to fix problems SFC can also fix. The syntax is as so: Code: > dism /image:”DriveLetter\Windows” /cleanup-image /checkhealth > dism /image:”DriveLetter\Windows” /cleanup-image /restorehealth You may also tell both SFC and DISM to use a different set of source files while in WinPE, in case you're not booting off install media. That syntax is: Code: > dism /image:”DriveLetter\Windows” /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:DriveLetter\path\to\sourcefiles Note that it needs either the files from an ESD or a mounted WIM, not just a mounted ISO with the WIM or ESD files (normally DISM will try to just grab the files from Windows Update).
Slight correction: Using mounted ISO with install.wim: Code: dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:wim:d:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess Using mounted ISO with install.esd: Code: dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:esd:d:\sources\install.esd:1 /limitaccess Where d: is driveletter of the mounted ISO and 1 the used index for repair. EDIT: Unfortunately that way it works online but not offline in PE .