On Nov 3, 9:10*pm, j...@myplace.com wrote:
> How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?
>
> I run Win98 on one of my computers and just had to restore an older
> version of the registry after letting a reg cleaner program screw it
> up. *In Win98 that is done from the Dos prompt. *But I know XP dont
> have a true dos prompt, so how would you do this restore? *I dont need
> to do it, just curious.
>
> I asked in a Windows98 newsgroup (crossposted from this XP newsgorup)
> and no one could answer it.
>
> And fo the heck of it, would this also be the same method for Win2000,
> Vista, and Win7? *(I also have Win2000 installed).
>
> Thanks

Look here: http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

On 03 Nov 2011, (E-Mail Removed) wrote in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:

> How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?

"System Restore."

Search Windows' help system for deatails.

Also consider ERUNT, a third party utility for registry backup/restore.
Google will help you find it.

How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?

I run Win98 on one of my computers and just had to restore an older
version of the registry after letting a reg cleaner program screw it
up. In Win98 that is done from the Dos prompt. But I know XP dont
have a true dos prompt, so how would you do this restore? I dont need
to do it, just curious.

I asked in a Windows98 newsgroup (crossposted from this XP newsgorup)
and no one could answer it.

And fo the heck of it, would this also be the same method for Win2000,
Vista, and Win7? (I also have Win2000 installed).

Thanks

On Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:10:35 -0600, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?
>
>I run Win98 on one of my computers and just had to restore an older
>version of the registry after letting a reg cleaner program screw it
>up. In Win98 that is done from the Dos prompt. But I know XP dont
>have a true dos prompt, so how would you do this restore? I dont need
>to do it, just curious.
>
>I asked in a Windows98 newsgroup (crossposted from this XP newsgorup)
>and no one could answer it.
>
>And fo the heck of it, would this also be the same method for Win2000,
>Vista, and Win7? (I also have Win2000 installed).
>
>Thanks

As a last resort you could copy C:\WINDOWS\repair to C:\WINDOWS\system32\config

Use Bart's PE or Hiren's BootCD to do the copying.

Unk

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?
>
> I run Win98 on one of my computers and just had to restore an older
> version of the registry after letting a reg cleaner program screw it
> up. In Win98 that is done from the Dos prompt. But I know XP dont
> have a true dos prompt, so how would you do this restore? I dont need
> to do it, just curious.
>
> I asked in a Windows98 newsgroup (crossposted from this XP newsgorup)
> and no one could answer it.
>
> And fo the heck of it, would this also be the same method for Win2000,
> Vista, and Win7? (I also have Win2000 installed).
>
> Thanks
>

The recovery console, gives you the DOS prompt. You can either install
the recovery console, as a boot time option, or you can run it
from the installer CD. If you own a pre-built computer, then some
other path may be needed (not sure what would be best there). Pre-built
computers don't necessarily come with a genuine installer CD as such.

The recipe here, describes some usage of the recovery console, as part
of bootstrapping yourself enough to do a recovery.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Using an installer CD, you can see an option here.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/img...xp/rcons00.gif

I have two eligible partitions on my computer here, and the next window
in the process, allows you to select one of them to work on. Since I have
different administrator passwords on these partitions, I can verify based
on the password, that I'm accessing the correct one. If the administrator
password entered, doesn't work, I must be pointed at the wrong partition.

http://www.techrepublic.com/i/tr/cms...-Console-F.gif

Note that, even some later versions of Windows, and their recovery/repair CDs,
can be used for their DOS prompt as well. For example, a Windows 7 or Windows 8
installer DVD, can be booted and you can get a DOS-like prompt there. Problem
there is, the commands have different names (no fixboot or fixmbr for
example, names like bootrec or the like).

There are probably a ton of different ways to get a repair environment
running, and I haven't used half of them.

In terms of copies of the Registry, System Restore saves copies. If
you have System Restore disabled, your options are pretty limited.
There is an "empty" but operational set of registry files available
on C:, as described in KB307545, but they're only good enough for
bootstrapping you to the point you can run System Restore again. If
you didn't have any "full" registry files, files that had the benefit
of all the program installers writing to them, then the registry
recovery might be pointless, and a reinstall might be the best
option.

If you don't have System Restore turned on, then you had better be
doing backups of C: with great regularity... Or alternately speaking,
be prepared to reinstall from scratch if there is a problem. If you
don't have a lot of programs installed, that might be an option for
you.

Paul

On 04 Nov 2011, (E-Mail Removed) wrote in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:

> You just answered one of my questions. I was wondering what a
> person would do who cant boot to Windows to run this ERUNT.

ERUNT can be run from the Recovery Console, too.

> Booting from dos is simple (I always have a floppy drive available
> too). Of course if the HD is formatted to NTFS, I guess I'd be
> screwed. This is one reason I do not want a drive with NTFS.

The benefits of NTFS outweigh the liabilities, IMO.

> The thought I have, would be to put the NTFS drive as a secondary
> (slave) drive on my Win2000 computer, boot to 2000, and run ERUNT.
> Dont know if that would work or not,

No, I don't believe that would work. The registry files would be
restored to the wrong location.

> That ERUNT sounds simple enough when you explain it, but when I
> tried to read their online manual, it quickly started to sound
> like Greek (or a damn linux manual).

Try it again. It's pretty simple.

On Fri, 4 Nov 2011 08:23:57 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, Bill in Co
><(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
>>Nil wrote:
>>> On 03 Nov 2011, (E-Mail Removed) wrote in
>>> microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:
>>>
>>>> How do you restore an older version of the registry in Windows XP?
>>>
>>> "System Restore."
>>>
>>> Search Windows' help system for deatails.
>>>
>>> Also consider ERUNT, a third party utility for registry backup/restore.
>>> Google will help you find it.
>>
>>To further explain:
>>
>>Using ERUNT is closest to using "scanreg /restore" in Win9x, as it simply
>>restores the registry and its associated files.
>>
>>System Restore does that and a bunch more, but often ERUNT is all you need.
>>
>>
>In addition, SR only goes back a short time, ERUNT saves last until you
>delete them.
>
>In both cases if you screw up Windows to the extent that it won't start,
>you'll need a way out of trouble: there is a way from SR I'm not that
>familiar with, and for ERUNT you'll need to get to a point where you can
>(get at and) run the executable it puts with the save: ERUNT's author
>recommended BartPE when I asked him (if your disc is FAT rather than
>NTFS a DOS boot floppy will do).

You just answered one of my questions. I was wondering what a person
would do who cant boot to Windows to run this ERUNT. Booting from dos
is simple (I always have a floppy drive available too). Of course if
the HD is formatted to NTFS, I guess I'd be screwed. This is one
reason I do not want a drive with NTFS. Unfortunately I'm stuck with
one with NTFS at the moment, but that will be changed when I can
figure out how without losing the installation of XP.

The thought I have, would be to put the NTFS drive as a secondary
(slave) drive on my Win2000 computer, boot to 2000, and run ERUNT.
Dont know if that would work or not, but I know Win2000 can read NTFS,
even though I have it on a Fat32 drive, and 2000 is pretty easy to
install and use. (I like it much better than XP, even though I still
like Win98 the most). It's getting to the point we all need at least
XP for a lot of stuff, even thought I keep trying to force Win2000 to
compensate.

That ERUNT sounds simple enough when you explain it, but when I tried
to read their online manual, it quickly started to sound like Greek
(or a damn linux manual).

Thanks

On 11/04/11 7:45 AM, Lostgallifreyan wrote:
> Nil<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:Xns9F9342A1FCC8Fnilch1@127.0.0.1:
>
>>> The thought I have, would be to put the NTFS drive as a secondary
>>> (slave) drive on my Win2000 computer, boot to 2000, and run ERUNT.
>>> Dont know if that would work or not,
>>
>> No, I don't believe that would work. The registry files would be
>> restored to the wrong location.
>>
>
> Could be a good basis for manual recovery though. It's another great
> justification for removable drive frames.

If you have a second drive, that's a good excuse to image your boot
drive periodically (when it's stable). That's why I keep the OS and
programs on a separate drive from the data files.

On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 06:33:00 -0400, Nil
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On 04 Nov 2011, (E-Mail Removed) wrote in
>microsoft.public.windowsxp.general:
>
>> You just answered one of my questions. I was wondering what a
>> person would do who cant boot to Windows to run this ERUNT.
>
>ERUNT can be run from the Recovery Console, too.

I've never used a recovery console, so I find it hard to picture what
is there. My installed XP on my laptop did not include a Cd. I only
use the laptop when I'm on the road, for WIFI, so it's not too likely
to get corrupted. The only software I ever installed was Firefox and
Adobe Flash. If it ever fails, I'd either have to buy the Cds, or
maybe I'd just install Win2000 on it (but they clain XP is needed to
use the WIFI card).....
>
>> Booting from dos is simple (I always have a floppy drive available
>> too). Of course if the HD is formatted to NTFS, I guess I'd be
>> screwed. This is one reason I do not want a drive with NTFS.
>
>The benefits of NTFS outweigh the liabilities, IMO.

I'll take your word for it, but I really dont see any benefit. To me
it's more trouble than it's worth, since I cant do a simple boot to
dos to fix stuff. From what I've been told, the benefits of NTFS are
to have files greater than 4gig in size. I have never had any file
even close to that big, and dont see where I ever will. I dont
download full length movies and stuff. WIFI is faster than my dialup
connection at home, but I still find were it takes 10 minutes or more
to download a 200 meg file. So a 4 gig file just wont happen.....
I was also told that FAT wastes a little more drive space than NTFS,
but is that small space savings worth having a system that I cant get
into if there is a OS failure? To me, it's not. I'd rather just
spend a few extra bucks for a larger HD.

>> The thought I have, would be to put the NTFS drive as a secondary
>> (slave) drive on my Win2000 computer, boot to 2000, and run ERUNT.
>> Dont know if that would work or not,
>
>No, I don't believe that would work. The registry files would be
>restored to the wrong location.
>
Ok, I sort of figured that.....

>> That ERUNT sounds simple enough when you explain it, but when I
>> tried to read their online manual, it quickly started to sound
>> like Greek (or a damn linux manual).
>
>Try it again. It's pretty simple.

I'll probably just download it and play around with it on a spare
computer. Manuals are often more complicated than the software, or
for that matter a lot of other stuff too. Ever try putting a bicycle
together by reading the instructions??? Its pretty obvious where the
wheels and chain go....

-----

Here is another question.

Lets assume I have an installation of XP that will not boot.
All my important data is on that drive. (and it's NTFS)

Can a person plug that drive into another working XP (or Win2000, or
Vista) computer which can read NTFS, and retrieve the data (copy it to
the working drive). I'm not talking about fixing the OS, just copying
the data to save it. (Of course I know that the jumper on that drive
would have to be set to SLAVE).

(I have done this with Win9x drives, but never with any NT based
system).

On 11/4/2011 4:34 PM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, (E-Mail Removed)

> A friend of mine had a Vista system, which got more and more flaky; we
> eventually discovered its hard disc was failing. Fortunately he had a
> couple of DVDs he'd made soon after getting the system (it told him to),
> so when we bought a new HD, he was able to restore it to as-new
> condition. We then laboriously read the data back from the failing
> drive, so it is possible; we did it (the system was a laptop, so no
> extra drive slot) by using an external drive case (available at any good
> and some bad PC stores) that plugged into the USB socket. You can also
> get a poor man's version which doesn't have the case, just a lead with a
> USB plug on one end and a big plug (that must obviously contain some
> electronics) at the other which plugs into the drive in question; most
> such leads have a two-sided plug at the drive end, so they will mate
> with either 3.5" (desktop) or 2.5" (netbook) drives. These days the big
> plug usually has a socket for connecting a SATA lead too, which most
> drives are moving to. I bought my such lead (dating from before SATA) -
> which came with quite a respectable power supply, since most at least
> 3.5" drives will need that too - for five pounds at a computer fair.
> This is the sort of thing:
> http://www.ebuyer.com/130517-plexus-...aptor-plex-037

If things haven't progressed too far, sometimes it helps to put the
failing drive in the freezer, then quickly attach it to the USB adapter
for reading while it's still cold. Worked for me a couple of
(desperate) times.