Restoring DISM

Salad uses DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management), a Windows tool, to prepare the virtual disk of the container environment. When DISM is corrupt, Salad shows a storage calculation error or cannot set up the container environment, and the logs show DISM commands failing. Support will usually point you here after reading your logs; see How to fix a storage calculation error.

1. Install pending Windows updates

Open Settings > Windows Update, click Check for updates, install everything offered and reboot. Half-installed updates are a common cause of broken system components.

2. Repair system files

1. Search for "command prompt" in the Start menu and choose Run as administrator.

2. Run these commands one at a time, waiting for each to finish:

   sfc /scannow
   Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /CheckHealth
   Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /ScanHealth
   Dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /RestoreHealth

3. Reboot, start Salad and check whether the error is gone.

3. Repair install Windows

If the commands fail or the error persists, a repair install replaces every system file while keeping your files and programs:

1. Download the Media Creation Tool for your Windows version: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (click Download now under "Create Windows installation media").
2. Run it and choose Upgrade this PC now.
3. When asked, choose to keep personal files and apps, then let it finish and reboot.

After the repair install, run Windows Update again, then start Salad. If the storage calculation error still appears, send Salad Support your machine ID, a screenshot of the notification and your zipped logs. See How to create a support ticket.