Repair Windows 11 with Command Prompt (SFC, DISM, etc)
Find your Windows 11 works improperly and want to fix it using Command Prompt? Read this article carefully to get a complete guide.
Find Windows 11 corrupted?
After six years since Windows 10 was first released, we finally meet a new major version of Windows operating system – Windows 11. While having a new experience of modern design and sounds, centered Start menu, personalized Widgets, optimized efficiency and so on, some users encounter Windows 11 errors. Common issues include app crashes, glitchy display, and sudden black screen. What’s worse, a fraction of users get stuck on Windows 11 startup. How to fix Windows 11 then?
Prior to addressing this issue, we encourage you to utilize the provided link to back up your Windows 11. This ensures the ability to swiftly revert to the previous version in case of any complications and enables regular data protection. Give it a try now!
Backup Windows 11 in case of serious system errors🔥
Quick fix to Windows 11 problems
If you are having problems with a certain component or feature, you can turn to Windows troubleshooters to fix it. Follow the guidance below:
1. Press the Win + I keys to open Settings.
2. In Windows Settings, click System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
3. Find the concerned troubleshooter for your current issue and click on Run. The troubleshooter will then detect problems with the component/feature you selected and fix any issues it finds.
Advanced way to fix corrupted Windows 11
If your problems are concerning system files or Windows boot, you can resort to Command Prompt to repair it. Keep reading to learn how to repair Windows 11 using Command Prompt in detail.
How to open Command Prompt in Windows 11
Depending on whether you can boot into Windows 11 or not, you may launch Command Prompt in different ways.
▶ Situation 1: Windows 11 loads normally
In this case, type “cmd” in the search box and select Command Prompt from the list. To open an elevated Command Prompt, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
▶ Situation 2: Windows 11 fails to load
In this case, you’ll need Windows installation media to enter Command Prompt.
1. Boot your computer from Windows 11 bootable USB or installation media.
2. When the Windows setup wizard shows up, choose one of the following ways to open Command Prompt:
- Way 1: Press the Shift + F10 keys to open the Command Prompt window.
- Way 2: In the Windows setup wizard, select Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt in order.
How to fix Windows 11 using Command Prompt🔥
Four different commands are offered in this part to help you repair Windows 11. They are SFC, DISM, bootrec.exe, and rstrui.exe. Pick up one method according to your situation.
To backup Windows 11 in case of serious system errors, download the best free Windows backup software here.
Method 1: Repair Windows 11 via SFC commands (Mostly Used)
According to the survey, this is the most common method used by users to repair Windows 11. You can try this method first to see if the problem is solved. SFC (System File Checker) checks integrity of protected system files. If some of them are corrupted or missing, SFC will replace them with correct versions located in C:\Windows. Follow the steps below to run SFC commands:
1. Open an elevated Command Prompt as mentioned in Part 2.
2. In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.
3. Wait until the verification process reaches 100%. Exit Command Prompt to see if your problem is solved.
Method 2: Repair Windows 11 with DISM commands
DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line tool that is used to service Windows images. You can use it to install, uninstall, configure, and update Windows features, packages, drivers, and international settings in a .wim file or VHD. Learn how to run DISM commands in Windows 11 as follows:
1. Open an elevated Command Prompt as mentioned in Part 2.
2. Check the Windows 11 image for issues with one of the following commands:
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth (a more advanced scan)
3. If there are problems detected, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair the Windows 11 image.
Method 3: Fix Windows 11 boot issues using bootrec.exe
If you are having boot issues with Windows 11, the bootrec.exe tool can help you fix them in most cases. Follow the instructions below:
1. Open Command Prompt as mentioned in Part 2.
2. Type the following commands in order and press Enter after each.
- bootrec.exe
- BOOTREC /FIXMBR
- BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
- BOOTREC /RebuildBcd
3. After the process is finished, exit the recovery screen and try booting into Windows again.
Method 4: Restore Windows 11 by running rstrui.exe
If you are suffering from serious system errors, you can restore Windows 11 to a previous working state using rstrui.exe. Learn detailed steps below:
Note: This method is only applicable on condition that you have created a restore point before.
1. Open Command Prompt as mentioned in Part 2.
2. Type rstrui.exe and press Enter to launch the System Restore wizard.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system restore process.
Backup Windows 11 in case of serious system errors🔥
You can never predict when your Windows 11 will fall into troubles and how severe the problems will be. Therefore, it is wise of you to backup Windows 11 beforehand. A valid system image backup can help to repair Windows 11 efficiently when necessary.
What’s the easiest way to create backups for Windows 11? The best free Windows 11 backup software – AOMEI Backupper Standard comes to help.
- Various Backup Options: System Backup, Disk Backup, Partition Backup, File Backup and Cloud Backup cater to diverse backup needs.
- Schedule Backup: Automatically backs up changed data without manual intervention.
- Versatile Storage: Enables saving backup images to external hard drives, USB flash drives, network shares, etc.
- Compatibility: Compatible with all Windows PC OS versions, both 32-bit and 64-bit.
100% SecureDownload AOMEI Backupper now to try it out. To create Windows 11 system image backup, only a few clicks are needed. Click Backup > System Backup, select a destination path to store the system image, and click Start Backup to begin.
Tip: For advanced users, you may upgrade to AOMEI Backupper Professional to perform the backup/restore operations using AOMEI command lines. You are also allowed to clone hard drive via Command Prompt with the Pro edition.
FAQs about repairing Windows 11 CMD
There are several tools you can try to repair Windows 11 when your computer is on:
- Windows troubleshooter: Resolve minor issues in Windows.
- Windows Update: Uninstall recently installed update or install the latest update to get your computer back to work.
- System Restore: If you have created a restore point before, you can run system restore to fix Windows errors.
Performing a Windows 11 startup repair using Command Prompt and chkdsk involves the following steps:
- Open Command Prompt from Windows or a recovery USB.
- Type chkdsk X: /f /r (X: is the drive you want to check) and press Enter to scan and repair disk errors.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the repair process, which may involve restarting your computer.
Repairing Windows 11 from BIOS typically involves accessing the BIOS settings by restarting your computer and pressing a specific key (often Del, F2, or F12). Once in BIOS, navigate to the "Boot" tab and select the boot device as your Windows 11 installation media (USB or DVD). Save changes and exit BIOS. Boot from the installation media and choose "Repair your computer" to access troubleshooting options and repair Windows 11.
To repair Windows from a USB drive, create a bootable USB drive with Windows installation media using tools like Rufus or the Windows Media Creation Tool. Insert the USB drive into the computer experiencing issues and restart it. Access the BIOS settings by pressing a specific key during startup (often Del, F2, or F12). Set the USB drive as the primary boot device. Save changes and exit BIOS. Follow the on-screen instructions to repair Windows from the USB drive.
Summary
You have learned four ways to repair Windows 11 from Command Prompt. You may pick up SFC, DISM, bootrec.exe, or rstrui.exe as per your need. To get prepared for possible system errors, you can create backups for Windows 11 using AOMEI Backupper. You are able to restore corrupted system as well as recover lost files easily from the backups made by AOMEI Backupper. Other features like cloning SSD to larger SSD are also available. Why not give it a shot?