My Windows system has been acting strangely for the past few months. My antivirus frequently flags files, especially game files, as false positives, and I'm also unable to update Windows or Windows Defender. I no longer have a useful system restore point.
After researching the issue, I ran DISM from Command Prompt. It reported that the component store could be repaired, but running RestoreHealth failed with error 0x800f081f, saying that the source files could not be found.
What's the simplest next step for repairing Windows without losing my personal files or installed programs?
2 Answers
If that recovery option isn’t available, download the correct Windows ISO directly from Microsoft, right-click it, and choose Mount. Open the mounted drive and run the installer. When prompted, select the option to keep your personal files and apps. Make sure the ISO matches your installed Windows edition and architecture.
A repair install is probably the easiest next step. On Windows 11, try Settings > System > Recovery > Fix problems using Windows Update, if that option is available. It reinstalls the damaged Windows components while preserving your files and applications.
Thanks, I’ll check whether the Windows Update repair option is available first. If not, I’ll use the ISO method and make sure to select the option that keeps my files and programs.