System File Checker Tool Extracts Incorrect File Versions

ID: Q192832

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98

SYMPTOMS

When you use the System File Checker (Sfc.exe) tool to restore a Windows 98 system file (for example, the User.exe, Gdi.exe, or Krnl386.exe file) from a Windows 98 cabinet (.cab) file, the wrong version of the file may be extracted from the Mini.cab cabinet file. This can result in the inability to start Windows 98 (for example, your computer may stop responding) or "Windows Protection Error" error messages in normal and Safe mode.

NOTE: This symptom can occur when the System File Checker tool prompts you to restore a corrupt system file during a scan or when you extract and replace a system file using the System File Checker tool.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the System File Checker tool baseline file (Default.sfc) contains incorrect information about the source cabinet file locations for some Windows 98 system files. As a result, the System File Checker tool searches for the system file in the specified folder (if it is not in a cabinet file) and then in all cabinet files in the specified folder. The System File Checker tool searches cabinet files using their MS-DOS folder order and extracts the first instance found. If the Mini.cab cabinet file appears in an MS-DOS folder listing before the correct Windows 98 cabinet file (for example, the correct cabinet file for the User.exe file is the Win98_42.cab cabinet file.), the System File Checker tool may find the mini-Windows mode version of the system file in the Mini.cab cabinet file first.

NOTE: The Mini.cab cabinet file contains mini-Windows mode files used only by Windows 98 Setup and DriveSpace.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, restart your computer using the Windows 98 Startup disk, choose Start Computer With CD-ROM Support from the Windows 98 Startup menu, and then re-extract the file at a command prompt using the Extract.exe tool. For information about how to extract a file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q129605 How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

NOTE: The Extract.exe tool does not search the Mini.cab cabinet file by default.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
This problem has been addressed in the Default.sfc included with Windows 98 Second Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the System File Checker tool, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q185836 Description of the System File Checker Tool (Sfc.exe)

Q188186 How the System File Checker Baseline Is Determined

Additional query words:


Keywords          : kbtool win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: July 1, 1999