The System File Checker or SFC scan is a handy tool to find and troubleshoot common windows errors like Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation. The SFC Scannow tool runs on command prompt and it will scan the entire windows system files to detect any corruption, damage, or inconsistencies in them. If the SFC finds any abnormalities in the scan report it will automatically fix them and recover windows from the error.
In some situations, SFC scanning will fail and the command prompt will return an error message stating that the “Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation”. In this article, we will discuss the common reasons and fixes for this SFC scan error message and the step-by-step procedure will help you to fix the Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation error permanently.
Cause of the error: Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation.
Windows experts and the support team are still not able to detect the exact reason for the “Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation” erroryet. It can be a windows server error or a malfunction in the SFC command tool. The error pops up when the SFC scan is unable to complete the file checking and there may be multiple reasons behind that. Let’s check the methods to fix this error.
Method 1: Run the SFC scan in safe mode
Before making any major changes to the system settings, it is a good idea to run the SFC scan in safe mode to check if it is functioning or not. Follow the below steps to execute this method.
Step 1: Open the RUN window by pressing the Windows+R keys together.
Step 2: Enter msconfig in the Run window.
Step 3: Navigate to the Boot tab and check the Safe boot option. Click OK to confirm.
Step 4: Select the restart option when asked.
The system will restart and boot into safe mode after this step. Run the SFC scan to check if it is working or not. If the SFC scan is not working in the safe mode also then it indicates issues with the hardware. The next step will help you to detect issues in the hard disk.
Method 2: Run a hard disk scan using CHKDSK
CHKDSK tool scans the hard drive for internal errors and corrupted system files. If the “Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation” error is caused by any issues in the hard disk, it can be detected and fixed in this method. Here are the steps you need to follow to run the CHKDSK tool in Windows 10.
Step 1: Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2: Click Yes in the User Account Control window.
Step 3: Enter chkdsk c:/r in the command prompt window.
Step 4: Enter Y to confirm the execution of the CHKDSK tool after the restart.
Step 5: Restart your PC and the CHKDSK tool will complete the scanning.
If there are any hard disk conflicts in your PC, the scan result will show it. After the scan is completed, retry the SFC scan to see if it is working fine.
Note: In step 3, replace “c” with the drive where your system files are saved.
Method 3: Check the Windows Module Installer status.
The SFC scan failure can be related to the Windows Module Installer status in your PC. This feature allows Windows to automatically check and install the latest updates and if it is disabled on your PC, it may be the reason for the “Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation” error. Let’s check how can we enable this handy feature.
Step 1: Open the RUN window by clicking the Windows+R buttons together.
Step 2: Enter services.msc in the Run window.
Step 3: Locate the Windows Module Installer in the list and right-click on it.
Step 4: Click on the Start option to enable the feature.
After Windows downloads and installs all the recent updates, restart your PC. Check the SFC scan now and the Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation error must be gone for good by now.
Method 4: Change the WinSXS folder’s Security Descriptor.
WinSXS folder stores the Windows system updates and system files on your PC. When you run the SFC scanning tool, the security descriptor may deny access to this folder and it may cause the Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation error. Follow the below steps to modify the security descriptors of the WinSXS folder.
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
Step 2: Enter ICACLS C:Windowswinsxs in the command prompt.
Step 3: Reboot the system to activate the changes in WinSXS folder settings.
Try running the SFC scan to check the error status. If it is still not fixed, we can move on to the final method to fix this error.
Method 5: Run the Windows Recovery Commands
If the above methods can’t fix the Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation error in your PC, then you need to boot the system into recovery mode to solve the error. Follow the below steps to execute this method.
Step 1: Turn off the system and restart it using the power button.
Step 2: When the system enters the boot sequence press F11 to enter recovery mode or use a bootable USB drive.
Step 3: Once the system enters recovery mode, open the command prompt from the list of available tools.
Step 4: Enter sfc/SCANNOW /OFFBOOTDIR=c: /OFFWINDIR=c:windows
Step 5: Once the above command is executed, exit the recovery mode.
Step 6: Restart your PC in the normal way and run the SFC scan to check the issue persists or not.
We believe the above methods will fix the Windows resource protection could not perform the requested operation permanently on your PC. If the error still exists on your PC, we recommend a startup repair or a complete Windows reinstallation to fix it. Which of the above methods worked for you? Share your suggestions and recommendations in the comment box.