how to check windows system files integrity?

[Guest SANTANDER]

how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure no files has been

replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver removing).

 

thanks.

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

 

SANTANDER wrote:

> how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure no files has been

> replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver removing).

>

> thanks.

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

 

Well, what do you know. Thanks. It's been a long time since I

saw any useful info (and unknown to me, needless to say) posted

here.

 

[A few minutes later...]

 

Follow up question, if I may:

 

Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different one

ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was "bad"

(setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but backed it up to

check it later. It is /exactly/ the same as the file which

replaced it - and which was /not/ flagged by SFC as "bad",

EITHER!

 

Is this just another example of the quality of MS products or

what?

 

 

 

--

The only cure for stupidity is death.

The only cure for brilliance is death.

The only cure for love is death.

The only cure for hate is death.

Indifference needs no cure.

The only cure for life is death.

{© 2007 thanatoid}

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in

news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158:

 

[A few minutes later...]

 

Just happened to do my once-a-month check on my throwaway

hotmail account.

 

"© 2008 Microsoft Corporation" (Only the log-in page, the others

still say 2007... Of course...)

 

It's not 2008 in Redmond yet!

 

Sigh.

 

 

--

The only cure for stupidity is death.

The only cure for brilliance is death.

The only cure for love is death.

The only cure for hate is death.

Indifference needs no cure.

The only cure for life is death.

{© 2007 thanatoid}

[Guest Don Phillipson]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

> news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

>

> > Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

 

"thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158...

> Well, what do you know. Thanks. It's been a long time since I

> saw any useful info (and unknown to me, needless to say) posted

> here.

>

> [A few minutes later...]

>

> Follow up question, if I may:

>

> Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different one

> ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was "bad"

> (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but backed it up to

> check it later. It is /exactly/ the same as the file which

> replaced it - and which was /not/ flagged by SFC as "bad",

> EITHER!

 

SFC = System File Checker is a crude tool. When you

installed Win98 the process created a checklist of CRCs

of system files: and running SFC later merely assembles

a current list of system files and compares them with

the check list. The catch is that the original list is not

updated, so if MS updates an OS file (using the same

filename) it may wrongly report itself as bad because

rightly changed. All we can do is look at file / Properties

for version number and date, to guess this point.

 

--

Don Phillipson

Carlsbad Springs

(Ottawa, Canada)

[Guest dadiOH]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

thanatoid wrote:

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

> news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

>

>> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

>

> Well, what do you know. Thanks. It's been a long time since I

> saw any useful info (and unknown to me, needless to say) posted

> here.

>

> [A few minutes later...]

>

> Follow up question, if I may:

>

> Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different one

> ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was "bad"

> (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but backed it up to

> check it later. It is /exactly/ the same as the file which

> replaced it - and which was /not/ flagged by SFC as "bad",

> EITHER!

>

> Is this just another example of the quality of MS products or

> what?

 

Probably karma for having a hotmail account :)

 

--

 

dadiOH

____________________________

 

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...

....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from

LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.

Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"dadiOH" <dadiOH@guesswhere.com> wrote in

news:O$aP0iHTIHA.3532@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:

> thanatoid wrote:

>> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

>> news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

>>

>>> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

>>

>> Well, what do you know. Thanks. It's been a long time

>> since I saw any useful info (and unknown to me, needless

>> to say) posted here.

>>

>> [A few minutes later...]

>>

>> Follow up question, if I may:

>>

>> Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different

>> one ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was

>> "bad" (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but

>> backed it up to check it later. It is /exactly/ the same

>> as the file which replaced it - and which was /not/

>> flagged by SFC as "bad", EITHER!

>>

>> Is this just another example of the quality of MS products

>> or what?

>

> Probably karma for having a hotmail account :)

>

 

:-D

 

Hey, I wouldn't have one but I need it for stuff which is

certain to generate junkmail etc.

 

I have a "secret" real pop3 account which I pay $15/year for and

which hardly /ever/ got any junk mail until the recent wave

began about 10 months ago (or something).

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"Don Phillipson" <d.phillipsonSPAMBLOCK@rogers.com> wrote in

news:#uq1KFHTIHA.4768@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

 

<SNIP>

> "thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

> news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158...

 

<SNIP>

>> Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different

>> one ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was

>> "bad" (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but

>> backed it up to check it later. It is /exactly/ the same

>> as the file which replaced it - and which was /not/

>> flagged by SFC as "bad", EITHER!

>

> SFC = System File Checker is a crude tool. When you

> installed Win98 the process created a checklist of CRCs

> of system files: and running SFC later merely assembles

> a current list of system files and compares them with

> the check list. The catch is that the original list is not

> updated, so if MS updates an OS file (using the same

> filename) it may wrongly report itself as bad because

> rightly changed. All we can do is look at file /

> Properties for version number and date, to guess this

> point.

 

Thanks for your comment.

 

I thought that's basically how it worked, and "crude" is sort of

a given ;-)

 

Still, the date, size AND contents (checked with Total

Commander's "compare by content") all match EXACTLY, so it

/shouldn't/ have

flagged it.

 

Also, that machine has no internet connection ability and I have

never seen a change to/with that file in my InCtrl4 logs which I

use religiously with every single install ever.

 

Oh well...

[Guest glee]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

Corrupted Setupx.dll After Installing Windows 98 Second Edition

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231793

 

--

Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+

http://dts-l.net/

http://dts-l.net/goodpost.htm

 

 

"thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

news:Xns9A188520C767Dthanexit@66.250.146.158...

> "Don Phillipson" <d.phillipsonSPAMBLOCK@rogers.com> wrote in

> news:#uq1KFHTIHA.4768@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

>

> <SNIP>

>

>> "thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

>> news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158...

>

> <SNIP>

>

>>> Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different

>>> one ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was

>>> "bad" (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but

>>> backed it up to check it later. It is /exactly/ the same

>>> as the file which replaced it - and which was /not/

>>> flagged by SFC as "bad", EITHER!

>>

>> SFC = System File Checker is a crude tool. When you

>> installed Win98 the process created a checklist of CRCs

>> of system files: and running SFC later merely assembles

>> a current list of system files and compares them with

>> the check list. The catch is that the original list is not

>> updated, so if MS updates an OS file (using the same

>> filename) it may wrongly report itself as bad because

>> rightly changed. All we can do is look at file /

>> Properties for version number and date, to guess this

>> point.

>

> Thanks for your comment.

>

> I thought that's basically how it worked, and "crude" is sort of

> a given ;-)

>

> Still, the date, size AND contents (checked with Total

> Commander's "compare by content") all match EXACTLY, so it

> /shouldn't/ have

> flagged it.

>

> Also, that machine has no internet connection ability and I have

> never seen a change to/with that file in my InCtrl4 logs which I

> use religiously with every single install ever.

>

> Oh well...

[Guest Franc Zabkar]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

On 01 Jan 2008 05:27:49 GMT, thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> put

finger to keyboard and composed:

>thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in

>news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158:

>

>[A few minutes later...]

>

>Just happened to do my once-a-month check on my throwaway

>hotmail account.

>

>"© 2008 Microsoft Corporation" (Only the log-in page, the others

>still say 2007... Of course...)

>

>It's not 2008 in Redmond yet!

>

>Sigh.

 

I have a throwaway account with Yahoo. It allows for POP access via my

email client which means that I never need to visit the ad-infested

Yahoo web site. I believe that Microsoft/Hotmail also provide POP

access, but only to selected users.

 

- Franc Zabkar

--

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

[Guest SANTANDER]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

 

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

>

> SANTANDER wrote:

> > how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure no files has

been

> > replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver removing).

> >

> > thanks.

------

I tried run SFC, it show that plenty of files has been changed(replaced),

but this due various upgrades, usually for newer file version.

I canceled SFC after short time without waiting it finished, since it is not

possible to verify each file individually, due too many files has been

changed, so it constantly prompt for action, I always clicked 'Ignore'. (In

'Settings' I've selected check for changed and deleted files, both options,

and 'Prompt for backup').

Just noticed for some changed files which SFC has found, that it has been

changed but not for newer version, but for older. I'm not sure why this.

for example:

 

'hh.exe' previous version - 4.73.8412

'hh.exe' current version - 4.72.7286 - older

pidgen.dll, icwscrpt.exe, fixmapi.exe - replaced with the same version, but

curent vers. is smaller size.

 

and so on...

[Guest Franc Zabkar]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

On 01 Jan 2008 18:57:45 GMT, thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> put

finger to keyboard and composed:

>I have a "secret" real pop3 account which I pay $15/year for and

>which hardly /ever/ got any junk mail until the recent wave

>began about 10 months ago (or something).

 

I have a free POP account with Yahoo. I didn't do anything sneaky, I

just signed up for a standard account (not Yahoo! Mail Plus), entered

the required configuration info into Eudora, and presto. Maybe there

was a window of opportunity during which ordinary account holders were

able to take advantage of POP ???

 

Anyway, here are the instructions:

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/original/mailplus/pop/pop-35.html

 

- Franc Zabkar

--

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

[Guest Franc Zabkar]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

On 01 Jan 2008 18:57:45 GMT, thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> put

finger to keyboard and composed:

>I have a "secret" real pop3 account which I pay $15/year for and

>which hardly /ever/ got any junk mail until the recent wave

>began about 10 months ago (or something).

 

I have a free POP account with Yahoo. I didn't do anything sneaky, I

just signed up for a standard account (not Yahoo! Mail Plus), entered

the required configuration info into Eudora, and presto. Maybe there

was a window of opportunity during which ordinary account holders were

able to take advantage of POP ???

 

Anyway, here are the instructions:

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/original/mailplus/pop/pop-35.html

 

- Franc Zabkar

--

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

[Guest Franc Zabkar]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

On 01 Jan 2008 18:57:45 GMT, thanatoid <waiting@the.exit.invalid> put

finger to keyboard and composed:

>I have a "secret" real pop3 account which I pay $15/year for and

>which hardly /ever/ got any junk mail until the recent wave

>began about 10 months ago (or something).

 

I have a free POP account with Yahoo. I didn't do anything sneaky, I

just signed up for a standard account (not Yahoo! Mail Plus), entered

the required configuration info into Eudora, and presto. Maybe there

was a window of opportunity during which ordinary account holders were

able to take advantage of POP ???

 

Anyway, here are the instructions:

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/original/mailplus/pop/pop-35.html

 

- Franc Zabkar

--

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

Franc Zabkar <fzabkar@iinternode.on.net> wrote in

news:dehln35002cr9m43o3q5qj14hlk2jbs4nd@4ax.com:

> On 01 Jan 2008 18:57:45 GMT, thanatoid

> <waiting@the.exit.invalid> put finger to keyboard and

> composed:

>

>>I have a "secret" real pop3 account which I pay $15/year

>>for and which hardly /ever/ got any junk mail until the

>>recent wave began about 10 months ago (or something).

>

> I have a free POP account with Yahoo. I didn't do anything

> sneaky, I just signed up for a standard account (not Yahoo!

> Mail Plus), entered the required configuration info into

> Eudora, and presto. Maybe there was a window of opportunity

> during which ordinary account holders were able to take

> advantage of POP ???

>

> Anyway, here are the instructions:

> http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/mail/original/mailplus/pop/

> pop-35.html

>

> - Franc Zabkar

 

Thanks, but $15 is more than worth it. Besides, ever since Yahoo

decided to act as an agent of the Chinese gov't, I would not

consider it ethical to get anywhere near them.

 

--

Needless to say, I disdain such idiocies as Xmas and New Year's,

but I'd thought I'd play along just once...

 

thanatoid's New Year's Resolutions.

 

01. Stop posting good advice to help newsgroups.

02. Stop posting stupid advice to help newsgroups.

03. Drive to see the Grand Canyon and then to Las Vegas, buy a

gun.

04. Gamble a little in a desperate attempt to fit in for once.

05. Hire 5 of the best looking Las Vegas hookers and have a 3

hour orgy.

06. Have a king-size eggs and bacon and hashbrowns with onions

breakfast.

07. Return to hotel room, put gun in mouth and pull trigger.

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in

news:uudq9RLTIHA.4272@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

> Corrupted Setupx.dll After Installing Windows 98 Second

> Edition http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231793

 

Thanks, Glen.

 

I checked it out. Mercifully, it was a very small page,

especially by MS standards.

 

"This issue can occur if the verification table that SFC uses is

not current".

 

What do they mean? It was done when I installed 98SE and NOTHING

has changed, so HOW can it NOT be current? Does it have a time-

expiration bug or something?

 

It's sort of a rhetorical question, but if you DO have an

explanation, feel free to post if so inclined.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

--

Needless to say, I disdain such idiocies as Xmas and New Year's,

but I'd thought I'd play along just once...

 

thanatoid's New Year's Resolutions.

 

01. Stop posting good advice to help newsgroups.

02. Stop posting stupid advice to help newsgroups.

03. Drive to see the Grand Canyon and then to Las Vegas, buy a

gun.

04. Gamble a little in a desperate attempt to fit in for once.

05. Hire 5 of the best looking Las Vegas hookers and have a 3

hour orgy.

06. Have a king-size eggs and bacon and hashbrowns with onions

breakfast.

07. Return to hotel room, put gun in mouth and pull trigger.

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in

news:uS4vsaMTIHA.4752@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

>

> "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

> message news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

>>

>> SANTANDER wrote:

>> > how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure

>> > no files has

> been

>> > replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver

>> > removing).

>> >

>> > thanks.

> ------

> I tried run SFC, it show that plenty of files has been

> changed(replaced), but this due various upgrades, usually

> for newer file version. I canceled SFC after short time

> without waiting it finished, since it is not possible to

> verify each file individually, due too many files has been

> changed, so it constantly prompt for action, I always

> clicked 'Ignore'. (In 'Settings' I've selected check for

> changed and deleted files, both options, and 'Prompt for

> backup'). Just noticed for some changed files which SFC has

> found, that it has been changed but not for newer version,

> but for older. I'm not sure why this. for example:

>

> 'hh.exe' previous version - 4.73.8412

> 'hh.exe' current version - 4.72.7286 - older

> pidgen.dll, icwscrpt.exe, fixmapi.exe - replaced with the

> same version, but curent vers. is smaller size.

>

> and so on...

 

This a perfect example of one of many advantages of two-pane

file managers.

 

Total Commander which I use (also contains the "compare by

content" feature which I mentioned earlier) allows me to put the

win\sys (or whatever) dir in one pane and the directory in which

all virgin extracted 98SE files are in the second, and with

Shift-F2 it tells me if any are different, and with another

shortcut or mouse click I can move all the "different" ones into

another real or virtual location. Then I can run the "compare by

content" on them.

 

AFA the newer files being smaller, I have noticed that (in a

peculiar reversal of their usual "we live by bloat" motto), the

newer versions of basic MS system files are often smaller.

Sometimes they have a diff. ver. # but are identical. Sometimes,

they /are/ larger.

 

 

--

Needless to say, I disdain such idiocies as Xmas and New Year's,

but I'd thought I'd play along just once...

 

thanatoid's New Year's Resolutions.

 

01. Stop posting good advice to help newsgroups.

02. Stop posting stupid advice to help newsgroups.

03. Drive to see the Grand Canyon and then to Las Vegas, buy a

gun.

04. Gamble a little in a desperate attempt to fit in for once.

05. Hire 5 of the best looking Las Vegas hookers and have a 3

hour orgy.

06. Have a king-size eggs and bacon and hashbrowns with onions

breakfast.

07. Return to hotel room, put gun in mouth and pull trigger.

[Guest PCR]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

SANTANDER wrote:

| "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

| news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

|> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

|>

|> SANTANDER wrote:

|> > how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure no files

|> > has been replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver

|> > removing).

|> >

|> > thanks.

| ------

| I tried run SFC, it show that plenty of files has been

| changed(replaced), but this due various upgrades, usually for newer

| file version.

 

To be fairly sure SFC will show only the changes you are interested in,

you'd have to run it immediately before the uninstall is done to prime

it. Accept all the changes & have it update its tables. Then, do the

uninstall & run SFC again-- immediately! The new set of changes is just

what the uninstall did. Here is what I usually post for it...

 

"START button, Run, SFC"

 

However, this tool needs a priming, which basically means to accept all

current changes. Its Settings, especially Search Criteria, may need

adjusting. You may look through its log, C:\Windows\SFCLOG.TXT, to see

what it's done. Also, there is a certain amount of confusion involved

with it, under the best of circumstances. For one thing, certain files

(like DrWatson.vxd, if you have it in the system tray) will always seem

to have changed. For another, it does not well handle version numbers

greater than 11 characters. Here are some articles...

 

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=185836 System File Checker

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=188186 SFC baseline

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=192832 SFC extracts wrong file

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=180465 Error Message: The File

Was Not Found. Verify That You Have Selected the

Correct 'Restore from' Location and Try Again

http://www.rickrogers.org/sfc.htm SFC use & problems

http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/using_sfc.html SFC use & problems

 

| I canceled SFC after short time without waiting it finished, since it

| is not possible to verify each file individually, due too many files

| has been changed, so it constantly prompt for action, I always

| clicked 'Ignore'.

 

Run it again & accept all changes-- or it never will do you any good!

You'll always wonder which changes are new & which are old otherwise!

 

| (In 'Settings' I've selected check for changed and

| deleted files, both options, and 'Prompt for backup').

| Just noticed for some changed files which SFC has found, that it has

| been changed but not for newer version, but for older. I'm not sure

| why this. for example:

|

| 'hh.exe' previous version - 4.73.8412

| 'hh.exe' current version - 4.72.7286 - older

 

Somewhere along the line that's what happened-- the newer one was

replaced with the older. You must run SFC before & after each install &

uninstall to know which did what. My own hh.exe shows up in at least 10

SFC reports. Here is the last mention...

 

[E:\OPTIONS\CABS]

HH.EXE Updated 5.2.3644.0 6/10/02 5.2.3790.30 4/13/05

No

 

And the actual current version of that file I have is...

5.2.3790.309 (srv03_gdr.050413-1540).

SO... SFC isn't great with that one! The version number is too big!

 

REALLY, you need something like...

http://www.pcmag.com/ 's InCtrl5 by Neil J. Rubenking. Besides showing

what files are changed during an in/un-install, it will say what

Registry keys have changed. It even can say what lines have changed

inside certain .txt & .ini files.

 

One also needs to do periodic full system backups. Even SFC doesn't save

files. It is only updating some kind of signature of the files. You

can't go back to an intermediate version of a file. You can only go back

to the original that is in the Windows .cab's. For instance, this is all

I've got for HH.exe...

 

Cabinet WIN98_45.CAB

04-23-1999 10:22:00p A--- 36,864 hh.exe

 

That goes way back!

 

| pidgen.dll, icwscrpt.exe, fixmapi.exe - replaced with the same

| version, but curent vers. is smaller size.

|

| and so on...

 

--

Thanks or Good Luck,

There may be humor in this post, and,

Naturally, you will not sue,

Should things get worse after this,

PCR

pcrrcp@netzero.net

[Guest glee]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

news:Xns9A18B3580161Athanexit@66.250.146.158...

> "glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in

> news:uudq9RLTIHA.4272@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>

>> Corrupted Setupx.dll After Installing Windows 98 Second

>> Edition http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231793

>

> Thanks, Glen.

>

> I checked it out. Mercifully, it was a very small page,

> especially by MS standards.

>

> "This issue can occur if the verification table that SFC uses is

> not current".

>

> What do they mean? It was done when I installed 98SE and NOTHING

> has changed, so HOW can it NOT be current? Does it have a time-

> expiration bug or something?

>

> It's sort of a rhetorical question, but if you DO have an

> explanation, feel free to post if so inclined.

>

> Thanks again.

 

Well, I don't have *the* answer, but I have *an* answer. Simply put, SFC has some

bugs in its verification system, as well as in its file extraction process. I think

in the case of this file, even though the file is the same version as when Windows

was installed, it either doen't seem to register this fact in the verification table

or the program itself doen't read it correctly.

 

The verification process in SFC was so buggy, MS had already retired that function

by the time it was reworked in Windows ME. The only good use of SFC is the file

extraction function.

 

System File Checker explained:

http://www.rickrogers.org/sfc.htm

 

How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=129605

 

Description of the System File Checker Tool (Sfc.exe):

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=185836

 

System File Checker Tool Extracts Incorrect File Versions

http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=192832

 

Error Message: System File Checker Identified that the Following File may Be

Corrupted. File: EXTRAC32.EXE...:

http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=264865

 

System File Checker May Not Replace Older Files:

http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=182725

--

Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+

http://dts-l.net/

http://dts-l.net/goodpost.htm

[Guest Bill in Co.]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

glee wrote:

> "thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

> news:Xns9A18B3580161Athanexit@66.250.146.158...

>> "glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in

>> news:uudq9RLTIHA.4272@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>>

>>> Corrupted Setupx.dll After Installing Windows 98 Second

>>> Edition http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231793

>>

>> Thanks, Glen.

>>

>> I checked it out. Mercifully, it was a very small page,

>> especially by MS standards.

>>

>> "This issue can occur if the verification table that SFC uses is

>> not current".

>>

>> What do they mean? It was done when I installed 98SE and NOTHING

>> has changed, so HOW can it NOT be current? Does it have a time-

>> expiration bug or something?

>>

>> It's sort of a rhetorical question, but if you DO have an

>> explanation, feel free to post if so inclined.

>>

>> Thanks again.

>

> Well, I don't have *the* answer, but I have *an* answer. Simply put, SFC

has

> some bugs in its verification system, as well as in its file extraction

> process. I think in the case of this file, even though the file is the

same

> version as when Windows was installed, it either doen't seem to register

this

> fact in the verification table or the program itself doen't read it

correctly.

>

> The verification process in SFC was so buggy, MS had already retired that

> function by the time it was reworked in Windows ME. The only good use of

SFC

> is the file extraction function.

 

Not quite. It's still VERY useful to me to run it just after installing

some new programs to see if they have modified any system files (which quite

often happens, and sometimes with bad or untold consequences). It has

(on occasion) saved me a LOT of grief in that regard (sometimes I have had

to bring back the original files I had copies of, from a backup drive).

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in

news:#N8$6KcTIHA.4476@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

> "thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

> news:Xns9A18B3580161Athanexit@66.250.146.158...

>> "glee" <glee29@spamindspring.com> wrote in

>> news:uudq9RLTIHA.4272@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:

>>

>>> Corrupted Setupx.dll After Installing Windows 98 Second

>>> Edition http://support.microsoft.com/kb/231793

>>

>> Thanks, Glen.

>>

>> I checked it out. Mercifully, it was a very small page,

>> especially by MS standards.

>>

>> "This issue can occur if the verification table that SFC

>> uses is not current".

>>

>> What do they mean? It was done when I installed 98SE and

>> NOTHING has changed, so HOW can it NOT be current? Does it

>> have a time- expiration bug or something?

>>

>> It's sort of a rhetorical question, but if you DO have an

>> explanation, feel free to post if so inclined.

>>

>> Thanks again.

>

> Well, I don't have *the* answer, but I have *an* answer.

> Simply put, SFC has some bugs in its verification system,

> as well as in its file extraction process. I think in the

> case of this file, even though the file is the same version

> as when Windows was installed, it either doen't seem to

> register this fact in the verification table or the program

> itself doen't read it correctly.

>

> The verification process in SFC was so buggy, MS had

> already retired that function by the time it was reworked

> in Windows ME. The only good use of SFC is the file

> extraction function.

>

> System File Checker explained:

> http://www.rickrogers.org/sfc.htm

>

> How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

> http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=129605

>

> Description of the System File Checker Tool (Sfc.exe):

> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=185836

>

> System File Checker Tool Extracts Incorrect File Versions

> http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=192832

>

> Error Message: System File Checker Identified that the

> Following File may Be Corrupted. File: EXTRAC32.EXE...:

> http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=264865

>

> System File Checker May Not Replace Older Files:

> http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=182725

 

Thanks, that is good info.

 

Just the names of the links are scary enough to pretty much put

me off SFC for good - not that I really need it, obviously.

Still it was interesting to find out about its existence.

 

I have /several/ times been surprised by goodies found on the OS

CD's that do not install as a standard part of the OS -

obviously SFC installs, but I have never heard of it before.

 

--

Needless to say, I disdain such idiocies as Xmas and New Year's,

but I'd thought I'd play along just once...

 

thanatoid's New Year's Resolutions.

 

01. Stop posting good advice to help newsgroups.

02. Stop posting stupid advice to help newsgroups.

03. Drive to see the Grand Canyon and then to Las Vegas, buy a

gun.

04. Gamble a little in a desperate attempt to fit in for once.

05. Hire 5 of the best looking Las Vegas hookers and have a 3

hour orgy.

06. Have a king-size eggs and bacon and hashbrowns with onions

breakfast.

07. Return to hotel room, put gun in mouth and pull trigger.

[Guest thanatoid]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

news:e$IzuCdTIHA.5524@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl:

> glee wrote:

 

<SNIP>

>> The verification process in SFC was so buggy, MS had

>> already retired that function by the time it was reworked

>> in Windows ME. The only good use of

> SFC

>> is the file extraction function.

>

> Not quite. It's still VERY useful to me to run it just

> after installing some new programs to see if they have

> modified any system files (which quite often happens, and

> sometimes with bad or untold consequences). It has (on

> occasion) saved me a LOT of grief in that regard (sometimes

> I have had to bring back the original files I had copies

> of, from a backup drive).

 

Not just because of /my/ experience, such as it was, and what

Glen said, but I would suggest using a file-change/registry

monitoring program and/or InCtrl 4 (or whatever equivalent runs

on one's given system).

 

I have never bothered with a file-change monitor program -

although I do have "FileMap-by-BB" installed and running - but I

ALWAYS use InCtrl 4 and could not live without it.

 

 

--

Needless to say, I disdain such idiocies as Xmas and New Year's,

but I'd thought I'd play along just once...

 

thanatoid's New Year's Resolutions.

 

01. Stop posting good advice to help newsgroups.

02. Stop posting stupid advice to help newsgroups.

03. Drive to see the Grand Canyon and then to Las Vegas, buy a

gun.

04. Gamble a little in a desperate attempt to fit in for once.

05. Hire 5 of the best looking Las Vegas hookers and have a 3

hour orgy.

06. Have a king-size eggs and bacon and hashbrowns with onions

breakfast.

07. Return to hotel room, put gun in mouth and pull trigger.

[Guest Angel]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

thanatoid and others that get "Corrupted files" when they use sfc,

 

On that small old ancient computer, when I first acquired it, I was also

getting what the thing called "corrupted files". After I installed all the

updates that would work on that machine, I no longer got that message. All

is well with that computer as far as sfc is concerned. So try to do all the

updates that work with whatever machine you are using.

 

Just a suggestion!

 

Angel

 

"thanatoid" <waiting@the.exit.invalid> wrote in message

news:Xns9A17EC399CA0Cthanexit@66.250.146.158...

: "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in

: news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:

:

: > Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

:

: Well, what do you know. Thanks. It's been a long time since I

: saw any useful info (and unknown to me, needless to say) posted

: here.

:

: [A few minutes later...]

:

: Follow up question, if I may:

:

: Besides calc.exe (which I have replaced with a different one

: ages ago), SFC found only one other file which was "bad"

: (setupx.dll) so I allowed it to replace it but backed it up to

: check it later. It is /exactly/ the same as the file which

: replaced it - and which was /not/ flagged by SFC as "bad",

: EITHER!

:

: Is this just another example of the quality of MS products or

: what?

:

:

:

: --

: The only cure for stupidity is death.

: The only cure for brilliance is death.

: The only cure for love is death.

: The only cure for hate is death.

: Indifference needs no cure.

: The only cure for life is death.

: {© 2007 thanatoid}

[Guest SANTANDER]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

 

"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message

news:%23drcE2YTIHA.4656@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> SANTANDER wrote:

> | "Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message

> | news:e4fpUwBTIHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> |> Run SFC at the prompt: Start, Run, sfc

> |>

> |> SANTANDER wrote:

> |> > how to check windows system files integrity? (to be sure no files

> |> > has been replaced or corrupted, after spyware screensaver

> |> > removing).

> |> >

> |> > thanks.

> | ------

> | I tried run SFC, it show that plenty of files has been

> | changed(replaced), but this due various upgrades, usually for newer

> | file version.

>

> To be fairly sure SFC will show only the changes you are interested in,

> you'd have to run it immediately before the uninstall is done to prime

> it. Accept all the changes & have it update its tables. Then, do the

> uninstall & run SFC again-- immediately! The new set of changes is just

> what the uninstall did. Here is what I usually post for it...

>

> "START button, Run, SFC"

>

> However, this tool needs a priming, which basically means to accept all

> current changes. Its Settings, especially Search Criteria, may need

> adjusting. You may look through its log, C:\Windows\SFCLOG.TXT, to see

> what it's done. Also, there is a certain amount of confusion involved

> with it, under the best of circumstances. For one thing, certain files

> (like DrWatson.vxd, if you have it in the system tray) will always seem

> to have changed. For another, it does not well handle version numbers

> greater than 11 characters. Here are some articles...

>

> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=185836 System File Checker

> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=188186 SFC baseline

> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=192832 SFC extracts wrong file

> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=180465 Error Message: The File

> Was Not Found. Verify That You Have Selected the

> Correct 'Restore from' Location and Try Again

> http://www.rickrogers.org/sfc.htm SFC use & problems

> http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/using_sfc.html SFC use & problems

>

> | I canceled SFC after short time without waiting it finished, since it

> | is not possible to verify each file individually, due too many files

> | has been changed, so it constantly prompt for action, I always

> | clicked 'Ignore'.

>

> Run it again & accept all changes-- or it never will do you any good!

> You'll always wonder which changes are new & which are old otherwise!

>

> | (In 'Settings' I've selected check for changed and

> | deleted files, both options, and 'Prompt for backup').

> | Just noticed for some changed files which SFC has found, that it has

> | been changed but not for newer version, but for older. I'm not sure

> | why this. for example:

> |

> | 'hh.exe' previous version - 4.73.8412

> | 'hh.exe' current version - 4.72.7286 - older

>

> Somewhere along the line that's what happened-- the newer one was

> replaced with the older. You must run SFC before & after each install &

> uninstall to know which did what. My own hh.exe shows up in at least 10

> SFC reports. Here is the last mention...

>

> [E:\OPTIONS\CABS]

> HH.EXE Updated 5.2.3644.0 6/10/02 5.2.3790.30 4/13/05

> No

>

> And the actual current version of that file I have is...

> 5.2.3790.309 (srv03_gdr.050413-1540).

> SO... SFC isn't great with that one! The version number is too big!

>

> REALLY, you need something like...

> http://www.pcmag.com/ 's InCtrl5 by Neil J. Rubenking. Besides showing

> what files are changed during an in/un-install, it will say what

> Registry keys have changed. It even can say what lines have changed

> inside certain .txt & .ini files.

>

> One also needs to do periodic full system backups. Even SFC doesn't save

> files. It is only updating some kind of signature of the files. You

> can't go back to an intermediate version of a file. You can only go back

> to the original that is in the Windows .cab's. For instance, this is all

> I've got for HH.exe...

>

> Cabinet WIN98_45.CAB

> 04-23-1999 10:22:00p A--- 36,864 hh.exe

>

> That goes way back!

>

> | pidgen.dll, icwscrpt.exe, fixmapi.exe - replaced with the same

> | version, but curent vers. is smaller size.

> |

> | and so on...

>

> --

> Thanks or Good Luck,

> There may be humor in this post, and,

> Naturally, you will not sue,

> Should things get worse after this,

> PCR

> pcrrcp@netzero.net

--------

 

OK, SFC will not help in this case anyway. Just want update hh.exe with

latest version for win98. Its microsoft Windows Help file, it seems.

Where to get latest vers. for win98?

[Guest glee]

Re: how to check windows system files integrity?

 

"SANTANDER" <santander@microsoft.news> wrote in message

news:%23ASp9NGUIHA.3400@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

>

> OK, SFC will not help in this case anyway. Just want update hh.exe with

> latest version for win98. Its microsoft Windows Help file, it seems.

> Where to get latest vers. for win98?

 

Google: 811630usa8.exe

 

http://ftp.ren.nic.in/pub/Windows/Patches/Windows%2098/811630USA8.EXE

 

http://oldfiles.org.uk/powerload/w98ud1.htm

 

You should first install the Cumulative Update for Internet Explorer (810847)

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/downloads/critical/810847/default.mspx

 

You should be able to get both by going to Windows Update.

--

Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+

http://dts-l.net/

http://dts-l.net/goodpost.htm