Introduction | Windows	Helpline Q&A Directory
Restore missing files using System File Checker You often advise readers to use System File Checker to restore files from the Windows CD. The trouble is that some manufacturers don't supply a Windows CD, merely a restore or recovery disc. This only allows you to restore the hard disk to its original state as new, which is a rather drastic measure just to restore one file. Is it possible to use System File Checker on these PCs? Yes, it should be possible. The System File Checker restores files from special compressed archives called 'cabinet files', which have a CAB file extension. If you don't have a Windows CD then these files must be present somewhere on the hard disk as Windows will need them if you ever add or remove system components or change certain configuration options. We don't think there is a standard location for these files - it depends on the manufacturer - but they can often be found in a subfolder of the Windows folder. To discourage tampering, this folder may have been hidden. Try using the Find tool to locate files named win98_*.cab. When you use System File Checker to restore a file, you can specify the location from which the file should be restored. Point it at the folder containing these cabinet files and it should work. Users of Windows Me, by the way, cannot use System File Checker at all, since it isn't present on their systems. Instead, Me uses a system that automatically detects changes to system files and restores the correct version. See tip, Sysedit and SFC alternatives in Windows Me.
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