Is your computer running sluggish, with strange malfunctions or crashes? Before you start a Windows reinstallation, try this simple method that can solve your problems in a snap.
For some time now, you have been experiencing annoying bugs and malfunctions with your Windows PC. The system sometimes freezes for no reason, some applications crash and close abruptly, or some basic elements like the taskbar do not respond properly. You have searched in the Windows settings, updated your drivers and uninstalled unnecessary software, but nothing works, the problems persist.
In desperation, you may consider completely resetting your computer to start over on a healthy basis, even if it means losing your configuration and having to reinstall all your applications. Before resorting to this extreme and radical solution, however, you should try a very simple repair method, integrated directly into Windows but little known to most users, because it involves using a tool that is often scary: the command line.
This way of interacting with your computer is within everyone’s reach, and can sometimes solve seemingly insoluble problems. In this case, it is enough to write two words in a window, which you can also copy and paste directly from this article. The goal is to use a repair tool included in Windows, which will check the integrity of the system files, components essential to the proper functioning of your computer, and attempt to repair them in the event of a problem.
This tool is called System File Checker, and is launched simply by typing a two-word command into the Terminal. To use it on Windows 10 or 11, first right-click on the menu icon To start upthen click on Terminal (Administrator). An intimidating window appears, containing only white text on a black background. In it, simply write the text sfc /scannow (or copy-paste it from this article), leaving a space between sfc and /, and then press the key Entrance on your keyboard to validate your order.
The tool will then proceed to analyze your computer’s system files, asking you to wait, and at the end of the process, a text will indicate the result of the operation. If errors have been found and corrected, you will then see the message “Windows Resource Protection has detected corrupted files and repaired them”. There is no risk in using the SFC tool, it only scans and attempts to repair system files, and cannot aggravate or cause new problems on your PC.
You can also get into the habit of regularly running a system file check using the Terminal in administrator mode and the command sfc /scannow. This is a good way to maintain Windows cheaply and without risk. In the “worst” case, you will receive a message telling you that errors were found but could not be repaired, and you can then consider resetting your PC, telling yourself that at least you tried everything!