sfc /scannow

When I try running sfc /scannow, I see a DOS box that just flashes on the screen so fast that I can't tell what it says then nothing happens. I've tried it several times, in SAFE mode, with administrator rights, it's always the same.
Anyone have any ideas? Actually I'm not having any other problems with this computer, I was trying to help a friend who is having problems.
Thanks. running XP SP2

Did you try it from the Run?

Yes sorry.
I'm running it from Start | Run.
New Information: When I run it from a command prompt, I get the following message: You must be an administrator (which I am) running a console session in order to use the Windows File Checker utility.

Then run it from the admin account. I assume you are using XP Home. So that means you need to get into safe mode to get to it.

I get that message when logged in as an administrator, and in safe mode also.

That's very odd. Try it from the Command Prompt instead (All Programs>Accessories).

Yes, as I mentioned above, When I run it from a command prompt, I get the following message: You must be an administrator (which I am) running a console session in order to use the Windows File Checker utility.
I thought that all Windows XP sessions were console sessions?

In that case try doing it from the default Admin account. At the Windows login screen hit Ctrl>Alt>Del twice, and you'll get a Win2000 style login box. Type Administrator for the username and whatever password was entered when Windows was first installed.

When I first installed Win XP on this computer, I only setup one user account with no password (i'm the only one that ever uses it). Recently I added an administrator account and changed my original account to a limited account. Anyways, it won't let me logon using Administrator as a username. And both the administrator account that I created and my original user account give the same results when I try to run sfc.

Go to Start>Run and type "Control userpasswords2" without the quotes. You should find 2 users in the Administrators group, your normal admin account, and the other one will be the default Administrator, which may have been renamed. Once you've found it's username, try logging into it again.

No, the normal administrator account is still there and hasn't been renamed. But I can't logon to it. I get a message saying: Cannot log you on due to account restrictions.
I get this even after I've changed the password.

Funny, I tried running sfc today also and the same "flash" of the command box happened to me. thought I was doing something wrong

I was finally able to log on to the Administrator account via Safe Mode, but then when trying to run sfc I got the following error:
Windows File Protection could not initiate a scan of protected system files.

The specific error code is 0x000006ba [The RPC server is unavailable.].

Here's the fix:
As I mentioned above, I recently changed the original user account on this computer to a limited account, and added another Admin account. I did this after reading about internet security issues, and saw a recommendation that general internet browsing should be done under a limited account. Anyways, I changed my original account back to an Administrator account, and removed the Admin account, and now sfc runs fine. kind of wierd though that it wouldn't let me run it from the defautl Administrator account either.
Thanks for all your input.

Depawl are you saying you did or didn't have to run sfc through safe mode. I'm not Admin. on my computer (Original) but I also have several other admin accounts as well. take a look

..and this is the remaining accounts

tpm,
What I found was that the only account that would allow me to run sfc was the original account that I set up when I installed Windows on this computer.
As I understand it, when Windows XP is installed it creates a default Administrator account and then allows you to create user accounts. The first (and only) user account I created on this computer was named depawl, and was an administrator account. Later I changed it to a limited account due to internet security concerns. Of course it wouldn't let me run sfc under a limited account, but the odd thing is that I couldn't run it under the default administrator account either.
So I changed my depawl account back to an Administrator account and then it would run sfc ok.
Have to give credit to SuperSparks, his first reply to this post got me thinking in this direction
Regards
Dennis

thanks depawl but did you run it in safe mode or normal????

Sorry,
I ran it in normal mode. I know I've looked a several web sites over the past few days that discuss running sfc and I don't think any of them mentioned running in Safe Mode unless you can't get it to run in normal mode.

I'm glad you got it sorted out in the end Depawl :)

tpm, try doing what I suggested above, Hit Ctrl>Alt>Del twice at the Windows logon screen, type Administrator as the username and whatever password was entered when Windows was first installed (if any). Try SFC from there.

And you have far too many Admin accounts - it only takes one of those users to pick uip some malware and the malware will have the full run of the machine. You should only give administrator priveleges to users who really need it, and can be trusted to practice "safe computing" at all times.

Thanks SuperSparks will try what you suggested. As for my admin accts. I have a large family with computer savy kids, all with admin rights are over 18 yrs old. But thanks for the heads up

Interesting though that I can't run sfc from the main Administrator account.