DISM /online cannot find image. What do I do?

2016-01-14

Question

_{Thursday, January 14, 2016 9:09 PM | 1 vote}

I had this problem on two, two-week-old Surface Pro 4's. They showed good System File Check results. I had run DISM experimentally on one, and it showed no problems.

Then I upgraded via Windows Update from the installed, local, Windows 10 Pro image to newer Windows 10 Pro, build 10.0.10586.0, ver. 1511. Initially this showed good System File Check results after the upgrade but then started showing uncorrectable System File Check errors for no apparent reason.

So after SFC reported the uncorrectable corrupt files, I again ran DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. This time, I got the following error:

Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.
Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

Since I used /online option, I don't know exactly what this error means or where to go next. The machines are operating normally. I'm worried about what is corrupted and why, but I'm more worried about my inability to run DISM. Does anyone have ideas on what's wrong?

JLG

I forgot to mention, DISM reports using image version 10.0.10586.0, but when I running winver shows "Version 1511 (OS Build 10586**.63**" (I added the bold face to highlight the .63).

All replies (19)

_{Friday, January 15, 2016 12:51 AM ✅Answered | 2 votes}

Your dism .......> restorehealth said " source files could not be found" because your ISO was
downloaded from Media Creation Tool which gave you the Install.esd.
You need the Install.wim which can be obtained by downloading the ISO from Tech Bench.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench

Once you have the iso downloaded, right click at the ISO
> click Mount > leave it there.

Then open the elevated command prompt and copy and paste this................

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:H:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess
**
**Note : H is the drive where the iso is mounted. Change it if your driver letter is different.

When it is completed, you should get the report that the operation is successful.
Now run the sfc /scannow again. It should be ok this time.

_{Friday, January 15, 2016 12:56 AM ✅Answered | 1 vote}

You need to specify the source file.

Download Windows 10 ISO from here and use the following command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X:\Sources\Install.wim:1 /LimitAccess

where X=ISO

If the above fails then try a Repair Installation.

S.Sengupta, Windows Experience MVP

_{Thursday, July 21, 2016 3:55 PM ✅Answered}

............Why does SFC report finding corruption immediately after DISM runs .............

Dism fixes the problem(s) which stop SFC from doing the repair.

Once Dism fixes that, SFC is able to finish repairing corrupted files.

I am not sure that is the correct answer, but that is how I interpret it.

Sometimes, after DISM, SFC will report " no integrity violation", but sometimes it will report " Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them."

I do not know why. But since problem is resolved in either case, so I don't bother to understand why the difference.

_{Friday, January 15, 2016 2:23 PM | 1 vote}

Thanks, david hk129. I'm following your suggestion now. I'll be back if it doesn't work.

In the meantime, thanks. Not just for the answer, which I appreciate. But also for the clear explanation of the problem's cause. Your post is more than a solution to my problem. It increased my understanding of how operating systems get from Microsoft onto my computers and how that transfer method affects maintenance of my computers.

I'm grateful for any solution I get from the community but I especially appreciate an answer like yours that can prevents future problems.

JLG

Will I need to keep the image and mount it to run SFC in the future? If so, is there a Window's convention where such images are stored in files and folders?

_{Friday, January 15, 2016 3:02 PM | 1 vote}

I started this thread. The essentially same answer from david hk129 and from S.Sengupta solves this problem quickly and easily. Thanks to david hk129, I the issue here should be restated as follows.

Windows maintenance utility DISM.EXE cannot find Windows image after upgrading to new Windows build.

JLG

_{Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11:09 PM}

While my original question has been answered, I'd still like to receive an answer to my follow-up question. Do I need to store the Windows image file for future maintenance and is there a Windows convention for where such images are kept?

JLG

_{Wednesday, January 20, 2016 11:19 PM}

While my original question has been answered, I'd still like to receive an answer to my follow-up question. Do I need to store the Windows image file for future maintenance and is there a Windows convention for where such images are kept?

JLG

I save all my ISO files, and personal files in a 1 TB external hard drive. It is not because I am short of disk space but because I never believe in saving important documents within the computer.

If your computer's disk space is at a premium, I suggest you do the same as I do and you can then delete them from your computer to free up disk space.

_{Thursday, February 11, 2016 9:45 PM}

What if I right-click on the .iso and "mount" choice is not offered? David HK129 instructions worked well on one computer. On that computer when I right-click the .iso, I get the mount option. But on another Windows 10 installation when I right click the same .iso file in Windows File Explorer, mount option is not offered. I "unblocked" it without effect. What am I overlooking?

JLG

_{Thursday, February 11, 2016 10:07 PM}

What if I right-click on the .iso and "mount" choice is not offered? David HK129 instructions worked well on one computer. On that computer when I right-click the .iso, I get the mount option. But on another Windows 10 installation when I right click the same .iso file in Windows File Explorer, mount option is not offered. I "unblocked" it without effect. What am I overlooking?

JLG

See if this answer works for you................

https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/3h4721/no_option_to_mount_iso_file/

_{Thursday, February 11, 2016 10:11 PM | 1 vote}

If the above does not work, have a look at this tutorial:

How to Add or Remove Mount Context Menu in Windows 10

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/30231-mount-context-menu-add-remove-windows-10-a.html

_{Sunday, February 14, 2016 1:47 AM}

Thanks David hk129. That's what I needed. FYI, the download that supposedly fixes context doesn't seem to work. But the instructions on mounting from PowerShell worked.

JLG

_{Sunday, February 14, 2016 1:53 AM}

Thanks David hk129. That's what I needed. FYI, the download that supposedly fixes context doesn't seem to work. But the instructions on mounting from PowerShell worked.

JLG

You are welcome.

Happy computing.

_{Friday, February 19, 2016 7:42 PM}

1. Should I worry if I run SFC every week or so and find new corruption more often than once a month on my Surface Pro that has one SSD drive? Usually SFC cannot correct the corruption. But DISM always can, using the procedure you outlined in this thread.

2. What do I need to know about how DISM coordinates with Windows Update? There is an intuitive conflict if I'm right that DISM is looking to the image file as the definitive answer to what's corrupt and Windows Update has updated files since the image was downloaded. I'm still using the image file I downloaded in January of Windows 10 build 1511.

By the way, I've posted links to this thread on other forums. The problem that started this thread is common.

JLG

_{Friday, February 19, 2016 7:43 PM}

Please see the reply I just posted to David HK129. Thanks.

JLG

_{Thursday, June 9, 2016 6:06 AM}

Thank you! I wasted many hours until i found your post. It worked perfectly! See below

C:\windows\system32>Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:E:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.10586.0

Image Version: 10.0.10586.0

[==========================100.0%==========================]
The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.

C:\windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired
them. Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For
example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Note that logging is currently not
supported in offline servicing scenarios.

C:\windows\system32>

_{Thursday, July 21, 2016 3:24 PM}

Hi David HK 129--

I have a new follow-up question.

Your explanation of 15 Jan 2016 3:02PM EDT has been one of the most helpful I've ever gotten here.

For reasons I do not understand, SFC often turns up corruption on my Windows 10 systems, and often the corruption is not correctable by SFC. Your advice always eliminates the corruptions but not as directly as your post implies. After I run DISM as you suggest and then run SFC, SFC typically finds corruption. The problem is solved anyway because SFC says it was able to repair the corruption. This is after SFC was unable to repair corruption. I don't know if it's the same corruption.

Why does SFC report finding corruption immediately after DISM runs

Following is an example produced after SFC reported repairable corruption:

_________________________________

PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /So
urce:wim:D:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.10586.0

Image Version: 10.0.10586.0

[==========================100.0%==========================]
The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

_____________________________________

JLG

_{Friday, July 22, 2016 1:13 AM}

Thanks, David HK 129. That makes sense that DISM repairs the reference SFC uses to repair corrupt files. I wish I knew why files keep getting corrupted. I doubt it's a hardware problem.

JLG

_{Friday, July 22, 2016 1:54 AM}

I wish I knew why files keep getting corrupted. I doubt it's a hardware problem.

JLG

That I am afraid I don't have a clue.

_{Tuesday, February 26, 2019 12:08 PM}

Is the link gone?

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DISM /online cannot find image. What do I do?

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