Microsoft KB Archive/222192

How to Disable System File Protection in Windows 2000

PSS ID Number: Q222192 Article last modified on 06-16-1999

WINDOWS:2000

WINDOWS

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========================================================= This article discusses a beta test product not yet announced by Microsoft. Please feel free to familiarize yourself with this product, test it, and report problems to Microsoft.

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the “Restoring the Registry” Help topic in Regedit.exe or the “Restoring a Registry Key” Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

= SUMMARY =

This article describes two methods for disabling the System File Protection (SFP) feature in Windows 2000.

= MORE INFORMATION =

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the “Changing Keys and Values” Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the “Add and Delete Information in the Registry” and “Edit Registry Data” Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

To disable the SFP feature, use either of the following methods:

Method 1
Start your computer in Safe mode. This method disables the SFP feature only for the session in which you use Safe mode.

Method 2
Change the value data for the SFCDisable (REG_DWORD) value to 1 in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINENT

By default, the SFCDisable value is set to 0.

Values for SFCDisable:

0 = enabled (default on Professional) 1 = disabled, prompt at boot to re-enable 2 = disabled at next boot only, no prompt to re-enable 4 = enabled, with popups disabled (default on Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server)

When you disable the SFP feature by changing the SFCDisable value data to 1, you receive the following prompt after you log on to the computer:

Warning! System File Protection is not active on this system. Would you like to enable System File Protection now?

If you click Yes, the SFP feature is re-activated until the next time you restart the computer. You receive this prompt after every successful logon until you click Yes or change the SFCDisable value data to 0.

NOTE: This prompt is displayed only to administrators. For additional information about the System File Protection feature, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q222193 Description of the Windows 2000 System File Protection Feature

Q222471 Description of the Windows 2000 System File Checker Tool

Q222473 Registry Settings for System File Protection

Additional query words: SFC SFC.EXE checker compatguidechange

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========================================================= Keywords : kbtool kbWinOS2000 Version : WINDOWS:2000 Platform : WINDOWS Issue type : kbhowto ============================================================================= Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1999.