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DISM & SFC Unable to Repair System Corruption on Windows Server 2019

Anonymous
2025-02-13T01:50:12+00:00

Hello,

I am experiencing persistent system corruption issues on a Windows Server 2019 (Version 1809, Build 17763.6775) machine, and neither DISM nor SFC can fully repair the system.

The initial symptoms were issues with Windows update - all updates failing to download or apply.

Running SFC /scannow finds corruption but states that it "could not repair all files".

Running DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth fails with Error 21: The device is not ready. (This server runs RAID1 and I have confirmed the RAID array is healthy in the BIOS. I also tried SFC and DISM in a carbon copy of this server on a virtual machine, and got the same issues - so I think hardware can be ruled out)

The server is still bootable, but I suspect that system corruption is preventing repairs.

Troubleshooting & What I’ve Tried:

SFC Logs:

The SFC scan repeatedly reports corruption and failure to repair Computer Management.lnk due to a hash mismatch. (I have tried replacing the shortcut file, but it is also corrupted in the component store). I also tried taking ownership of the file in system32 and syswow63, deleting the file, replacing the file with one from another Server2019 and then setting the ownership back to TrustedInstaller.

Final message in SFC logs: "Verify and Repair Transaction completed. All files and registry keys listed in this transaction have been successfully repaired." — yet the issue persists.

I attempted DISM repairs from both Windows and WinRE, but it still fails.

I have also tried pointing DISM to install.wim in the Microsoft Server 2019 ISO (mounted) that I downloaded from the Microsoft website (in both Windows and WinRe environments it still fails - saying "The source files could not be found."

I confirmed that the install.wim exists and used /Get-WimInfo to verify the correct index.

The issue persists even after manually specifying an alternate ScratchDir.

I tried installing some pending updates manually, that worked but did not solve the issue.

I have refreshed Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution folders by renaming them to .old

I queried TrustedInstaller and found that it was not running.

Manually started it, but it does not appear in Services.msc after starting.

What is even weirder and makes me think there is an issue with the ISO I downloaded (I have downloaded it multiple times since incase it was a download error) is that when I try to upgrade in place to solve the issue, I run setup.exe and get the error message "Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software License Terms. Make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation.

I am at a loss for what to try next, other than to completely wipe the system and rebuild the server from scratch - I would appreciate any support or suggestions.

Windows Server Devices and deployment Install Windows updates, features, or roles

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-02-13T07:43:20+00:00

    Hello,

     Here are a few additional suggestions that might help:

    1. Check the CBS.log and DISM.log Files: The CBS.log file, located at C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log, and the DISM.log file, located at C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log, can provide more detailed information about the errors. Reviewing these logs might give you more insight into what is causing the corruption.
    2. Perform an In-Place Upgrade: Do you get the ISO file to perform the in-place upgrade from an official source? The premise is that you need to purchase a license from an authorized retail supplier. An In-place upgrade should be the most convenient method for now.

    Have a nice day.

    Best Regards,

    Hania

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-02-14T01:21:56+00:00

    Hi Hania,

    I have looked through the CBS and DISM log files, which pointed me towards ComputerManagement.lnk. I claimed the file in cmd, delete it from System32 and Syswow64, replaced it with a copy from another 2019 Server, and delegated control back to TrustedInstaller, but still no luck.

    I got the ISOs I have been using from the Microsoft Server Evaluation page, and from the Microsoft Server Essentials page. I also tried an ISO from our archive, all fail with either the license message I mentioned previously, or "Windows cannot display the available images for installation".

    Research shows this is likely because of an ISO mismatch, but I cannot find any other ISOs available from reputable sources.

    Thanks,

    Rory

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-02-21T12:10:07+00:00

    Upgrades from a previous Windows Server installation to an evaluation copy of Windows Server aren't supported. Evaluation versions should be installed as clean installs.

    To perform an in-place upgrade, you need to purchase a higher version of the Windows Server license.

    Upgrade and conversion options for Windows Server | Microsoft Learn

    Note: The Windows Client for IT Pros and Windows Server forums are migrating to Microsoft Q&A

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