when running sfc /scannow in XP Home, does it, without fail, install any system file that's missing? Is there a log where i can view what files were installed?

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I believe it tells you when it replaces a file, but there is no log that I'm aware of. You could run it and redirect the output to a file to look at later though. Something like:

sfc /scannow > sfclog.txt

That will redirect standard output to the sfclog.txt file.

sfc /scannow 2>&1 sfclog.txt

That will redirect standard output and standard error to the sfclog.txt file.

Or ... download a port of the Unix tee program (splits the output stream to the screen and also to a specified file.

sfc / scannow | tee sfclog.txt

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Thanks for the advice. I am also wondering if, when doing Windows Update, will the updated files be replaced with the originals on the cd-rom?

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Not sure I understand. Do you mean if you do a windows update, will the files it installs be replaced by files from the CD? If so, that's a good question that I don't know the answer to. I'll see what I can find out.

Google helps with this. See this article by Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP: How to use the scannow sfc tool in Windows XP

He says:

By default, Windows File Protection is always enabled and allows Windows digitally signed files to replace existing files safely. Currently, signed files are distributed through:

# Windows Service Packs
# Hotfix distributions
# Operating system upgrades
# Windows Update
# Windows Device Manager

If you introduce a file replacement in any other way, Windows File protection will overwrite your file!

Since WFP = SFC (they both do the same thing) I take that to mean that no, sfc will not replace a file updated via any of the above means.

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