"SCF Windows Resource Protection cannot perform the requested operation"

When certain Windows features stop working or the system crashes, we often resort to the System File Checker (SFC) to scan and repair corrupted Windows system files. Usually, it does so by identifying and restoring damaged or missing system files to their good state. However, this tool doesn't always work as expected. An increasing number of users have reported receiving the “Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation” error message when executing the “sfc /scannow” command.

If you're troubled by an sfc scannow stuck or failed error, you might blame it on various reasons. But that's not the most important thing. What should concern you the most is how to deal with the “Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation” error so that you can run sfc scannow correctly. Now, follow the solutions below to fix the error in Windows 10/8/7!

Step 1: Launch Todo Backup tool and choose “File” as the backup mode.

Over time, you'll likely accumulate a lot of important data, such as documents, images, music, and videos. It's always a good idea to back up your files regularly. File backup is one of the best options for safeguarding against accidental data loss.

Step 2: Choose the files you want to back up.

Select the “Custom” option in the upper-left corner to browse and back up specific file types from your computer or an external drive.

Step 3: Choose a location to save your backup file.

It is best to create the backup file on another storage medium or drive; otherwise, the backup file might become corrupted or lost.

Step 4: Click “Proceed” to perform the operation.

After you back up your data, you can use any of these three methods to resolve the issue.

Solution 1: Run CHKDSK

If your hard drive has errors, SFC may also fail. CHKDSK can check the integrity of your hard drive and fix various file system errors.

Step 1: Hit the Windows key, search for “Command Prompt.”

Step 2: Right-click the search result and select "Run as administrator."

Step 3: When the User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. If prompted for an administrator password, make sure you enter it correctly.

Step 4: Type chkdsk C: /r in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.

When prompted to schedule a disk check, type y and press Enter again.

Run chkdsk to fix the issue

Step 6: Restart your PC and wait for CHKDSK to finish scanning and fixing any errors it detects on the disk.

Step 7: Run SFC again and see if it completes this time.

If you have no technical knowledge and want to minimize the risk of data loss, using third-party software might be a better option for you. Command lines are intended for computer professionals, as entering a wrong command can lead to severe issues. Thus, we highly recommend trying automated command-line alternatives.

Tool M is a secure, lightweight, and handy computer repair tool that is an ideal alternative to the CHKDSK command. Use this one-click utility to resolve issues with your computer.

Fix file system or disk errors:

Step 1: Click here "Download Free" to download and install AOMEI Partition Assistant.

Step 2: Launch the software and choose the "Open File" option.

Step 3: Select the disk and wait for the repair to finish. When it's done, click “View” to check the disk.

Solution 2: Modify the security descriptor on the WinSxS folder

If you continue to receive this error, it indicates that the problem is not with disk corruption. The next possibility to check is that the SFC utility is unable to access the Winsxs folder (C:\Windows\winsxs) because of problems with its security descriptor.

Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as described above.

Step 2: Type ICACLS C:\Windows\winsxs in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.

Step 3: Wait for the command to finish executing, then close the Command Prompt.

Step 4: Restart your computer and run SFC again to see if the issue is fixed.

Solution 3: Reinstall the system

If none of the above solutions work, try reinstalling Windows. This is the quickest way to fix the “Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation” error. Make sure to back up important data on your system drive before doing this.

Step 1: Go to Microsoft's Windows 10 download page and click the Download tool now button.

Step 2: Accept the license agreement

Step 3: Choose the default “Upgrade this PC now” option and click “Next”.

Step 4: Follow the instructions to complete the operation.