Talk:Windows File Protection/Temp
Windows File Protection (WFP) is a software utility included in all Microsoft Windows operating systems beginning with Windows 2000 to prevent programs from replacing critical Windows system files. Protecting core system files prevents problems such as DLL hell with programs and the operating system. Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 include it under the name of Windows File Protection, Windows Me includes it as System File Protection, whereas Windows Vista includes Windows Resource Protection which expands the technology to protect core registry keys and values and prevent potentially damaging system configuration changes.
When Windows File Protection is active, replacing or deleting a system file that has no file lock to prevent it from being overwritten, causes Windows to immediately and silently restore the original copy of the file. The original version of the file is restored from a cached folder which contains backup copies of these files. For the Windows NT family, the cached folder is located at %WinDir%\System32\Dllcache. Windows Me stores the cache at a different location.
The Windows File Protection utility provides a method to restore Windows system files. Windows File Protection checks various file signatures and code signing catalogs against predefined correct versions. Any protected files found which do not match the signatures will be replaced with the original version by Windows File Protection.