How will DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth affect my current configuration?
Will I need to start over?
No, please see the below.
If I use
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
, how will it affect the currently installed software or any Windows configuration I might have changed?
It doesn't affect any installed software, as /Cleanup-Image
deals with the Windows Component Store, not third-party programs, nor any customizations made to the OS:
- The Component Store [
%WinDir%\WinSxS
] maintains a backup copy of all Windows system files andSFC
andDISM
manage two separate, vital pieces of the Component Store and OS, withSFC
relying entirely upon whatDISM
manages:-
DISM
has two functionsSFC
relies upon,/StartComponentCleanup
and/RestoreHealth
, with/RestoreHealth
relying solely upon/StartComponentCleanup
-
/StartComponentCleanup
: Cleans the Component Store of any broken hard links
It's imperative folks on Insider Builds run this regularly due to the frequent updates -
/RestoreHealth
: Verifies and fixes any corruption in the Component Store by verifying its system file backups against known good copies from the Windows Update servers through hash comparison; while an offline method does exist [below], it may not always fix the corruption-
Windows 7: SUR [System Update Readiness] tool is used in lieu of this, as
DISM
did not have this functionality until Windows 8
-
Windows 7: SUR [System Update Readiness] tool is used in lieu of this, as
-
-
SFC
always assumes the Component Store is not corrupted and is why theDISM
/RestoreHealth
parameter (Windows 7: SUR) should always be run prior toSFC
; not doing so allows a corrupted Component Store to potentially replace a good system file with a corrupted one or fail to fix corruption within%WinDir%
altogether-
/ScanNow
: Verifies and fixes any corruption within%WinDir%
by verifying against the known good copies within the Component Store through hash comparison
-
-
-
DISM
andSFC
must be executed in the order listed, as each relies upon the preceding step:
(Windows 7: skip to #3)-
+R → Open:
PowerShell
→ Ctrl+Shift+OK
The Component Store should always be cleaned prior to running Windows Update, after an issue with Windows Update, and at least once a month, as it becomes dirty over time from updates occasionally breaking hard links# Windows ≥8: # Online (while booted to Windows): Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup # Offline (while booted to WinPE/WinRE): Dism /Image:"D:\Windows" /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup # C: is usually not the drive letter in WinPE/WinRE # To ascertain: DiskPart → Lis Vol → Exit
-
Requires an internet connection, else the offline method will be required:# Windows ≥8: # Online (while booted to Windows): Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth # Offline (while booted to WinPE/WinRE): Dism /Image:"D:\Windows" /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Use the
install.esd
||install.wim
from the Windows Install ISO for the installed version (v1909, v2004, etc.):- Create Windows 10 installation media → Download tool now → install on another PC
- Mount the ISO and determine the installed OS index [image] from the
install.esd
||install.wim
:Dism /Get-ImageInfo /ImageFile:"Z:\sources\install.esd"
- Specify the index number at the end of the
/Source
parameter:# Online (while booted to Windows): # ESD: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:esd:"Z:\sources\install.esd":6 /LimitAccess # WIM: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:"Z:\sources\install.wim":6 /LimitAccess # Offline (while booted to WinPE/WinRE): Dism /Image:"D:\Windows" /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:esd:"Z:\sources\install.esd":6 /LimitAccess
- Use the
- Windows 7: Run the SUR tool
- Reboot; if errors are found, review
%WinDir%\Logs\DISM\dism.log
from the bottom up
(Log files are easier to read and sift through via the Log syntax in VS Code)-
Windows ≥8:
%WinDir%\Logs\DISM\dism.log
-
Windows 7:
%WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log
(How to fix SUR errors)
-
Windows ≥8:
-
# Online (while booted to Windows): Sfc /ScanNow # Offline (while booted to WinPE/WinRE): Sfc /ScanNow /OffBootDir=D:\ /OffWinDir=D:\Windows # C: is usually not the drive letter in WinPE/WinRE # To ascertain: DiskPart → Lis Vol → Exit
- Reboot; if errors are found, review
%WinDir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log
from the bottom up
-
+R → Open:
Run first sfc /scannow before doing DISM.
Theoretically, your configuration should not be affected by either of these commands. But in case of advanced degradation of your system, the repair itself might cause further damage. The chances for that are very slim, but do not skimp on backups before starting.
I suggest having a look at this answer of mine.