Re: Registry key entries specific to user

Hen egg...

I successfully got the key edited and imported into HKCU. What I did was go
to an identical Win 2K box, install the "other copy of QB, registered it and
everything. That way, I'd have a clean registry key to work with. I then
exported the key FROM HKLM, edited it for HKCU, logged into the TS session
as the user I need to alter, and imported the edited key into her HKCU. It
"looks" perfect. There are sup entries in both HKLM and HKCU and each
reflects diff registration info. However, when I open QB, hit ctrl-1 to see
the registration info, it reports that both users are using the same CD key.

I think what I need to do now is have Jenni log in and have something in her
login script that changes her HKLM registry entry and I think I'll be good.

So, how do I do that? I already have the registry key with the correct info
exported and stored so I can work with it. How do I now edit or write a
login script so that when Jenni logs in, her HKLM QB key is replaced with
the "other" info?

Cliff

"Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in message
news:Xns93B256FC4441veranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
> No, I like cold climates better, but I appreciate the offer!
>
> And you're wise to double-check how to mix with the registry
> before you start editing it. There's no safety net when you're in
> there, regedit will gladly accept all your changes, it does not do
> any sanity checks or syntax checks, and if you mess up you will
> notice after the first reboot..... (but don't let this frighten
> you, if you do it carefully, it'll work).
>
> --
> Vera Noest
> MCSE, CCEA, MVP - Terminal Server
> http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
> --- please answer in newsgroup ---
>
>
> "Cliff" <cliff@crpoe.com> wrote in
> news:OU3#BVNRDHA.2408@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl:
>
> > You know, I actually thought that might be the way to do it but
> > wanted to check. However can I replay you for all your help?
> > You didn't immediately jump at the summer home in France...
> >
> > "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote
> > in message
> > news:Xns93B2115ECABCveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
> >> Aaaah, I see. Yes, this kind of tricks tend not to be
> >> documented in KB articles ;-)
> >>
> >> I believe the original location of the license is somewhere in
> >>
> >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intuit\....., right?
> >>
> >> Open the registry with regedit, save the key while you have
> >> selected the Intuit subkey, let's say into a file called
> >> QB.reg. Edit the file with notepad, and change every occurrence
> >> of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE into HKEY_CURRENT_USER, leaving all else
> >> untouched. Then start regedit again, select the
> >> HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software key, choose import and select the
> >> modified QB.reg file. Bingo!
> >>
> >> Instead of doing this interactively, you can open a command
> >> window and write "regedit QB.reg". But it's better the first
> >> time to see it actually happening inside regedit.
> >>
> >> By all means, test this method first on a workstation!

What a pity that it didn't work! Obviously, QB doesn't even check the HKCU
hive, but looks only at the HKLM hive for registration info. Oh well, nice
exercise in registry hacking ;-)

To modify the key as user Jenni:

Take the key that you exported from HKLM, unaltered (the one that still
points to HKLM, not HKCU). Let's say you have saved this key with regedit
in a file called QB-jenni.reg

Now create a textfile in notepad and write the line:
regedit <full_path_to_file>QB-jenni.reg

Save this file as QB-jenni.bat. Easiest is to put it in her Startup folder,
so that it is executed every time she logs in. When you have tested and it
works, add the /s flag to the regedit command to suppress output, like
regedit /s QB-jenni.reg.

Some additional thoughts on this:

+ if Jenni *always* starts QB whenever she logs in, the Startup folder is
probably the easiest place to put the QB-jenni.bat file.
+ If she often logs in for email or wordprocessing only and doesn't need
QB, then you might want to change this scenario, and make sure that the
batfile is only executed when she actually starts QB.
+ another reason for this is that there will be problems when the following
happens:
1. userA logs in. gets the first registration
2. Jenni logs in. Changes the registration to registration nr. 2, also for
userA!
3. userA quits QB
4. userA starts QB, and get the same registration as Jenni!
+ I realize now that you have to give *each* user a batfile with a QB-
userX.reg file (with different registration data). If only Jenni has this,
the next morning both will work with the same data.
+ You also have to make sure that both execute their respective batfile
every time they start QB, to get it right. That means that you have to
modify their batfile to also start QB. Something like this:

regedit /s QB-userX.reg
start QB.exe (or whatever the executable is called)

Pffff! Good luck!

--
Vera Noest
MCSE,CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
*----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*

"Cliff" <cliff@crpoe.com> wrote in
news:#5iK0cbRDHA.1624@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl:

> Hen egg...
>
> I successfully got the key edited and imported into HKCU. What I did
> was go to an identical Win 2K box, install the "other copy of QB,
> registered it and everything. That way, I'd have a clean registry key
> to work with. I then exported the key FROM HKLM, edited it for HKCU,
> logged into the TS session as the user I need to alter, and imported
> the edited key into her HKCU. It "looks" perfect. There are sup
> entries in both HKLM and HKCU and each reflects diff registration
> info. However, when I open QB, hit ctrl-1 to see the registration
> info, it reports that both users are using the same CD key.
>
> I think what I need to do now is have Jenni log in and have something
> in her login script that changes her HKLM registry entry and I think
> I'll be good.
>
> So, how do I do that? I already have the registry key with the
> correct info exported and stored so I can work with it. How do I now
> edit or write a login script so that when Jenni logs in, her HKLM QB
> key is replaced with the "other" info?
>
> Cliff
>
> "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in
> message news:Xns93B256FC4441veranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
>> No, I like cold climates better, but I appreciate the offer!
>>
>> And you're wise to double-check how to mix with the registry
>> before you start editing it. There's no safety net when you're in
>> there, regedit will gladly accept all your changes, it does not do
>> any sanity checks or syntax checks, and if you mess up you will
>> notice after the first reboot..... (but don't let this frighten
>> you, if you do it carefully, it'll work).
>>
>> "Cliff" <cliff@crpoe.com> wrote in
>> news:OU3#BVNRDHA.2408@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl:
>>
>> > You know, I actually thought that might be the way to do it but
>> > wanted to check. However can I replay you for all your help?
>> > You didn't immediately jump at the summer home in France...
>> >
>> > "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote
>> > in message
>> > news:Xns93B2115ECABCveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
>> >> Aaaah, I see. Yes, this kind of tricks tend not to be
>> >> documented in KB articles ;-)
>> >>
>> >> I believe the original location of the license is somewhere in
>> >>
>> >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intuit\....., right?
>> >>
>> >> Open the registry with regedit, save the key while you have
>> >> selected the Intuit subkey, let's say into a file called
>> >> QB.reg. Edit the file with notepad, and change every occurrence
>> >> of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE into HKEY_CURRENT_USER, leaving all else
>> >> untouched. Then start regedit again, select the
>> >> HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software key, choose import and select the
>> >> modified QB.reg file. Bingo!
>> >>
>> >> Instead of doing this interactively, you can open a command
>> >> window and write "regedit QB.reg". But it's better the first
>> >> time to see it actually happening inside regedit.
>> >>
>> >> By all means, test this method first on a workstation!

I've printed out your instructions and I'm off on my merry way to test it.
I'll let you know. If this doesn't work, I may toss in the towel. What I'm
doing now is letting ONE user run QB off her local machine and the other
user is running the TS copy. The data files are located on a shared drive
on the server so both have access with diff copies of QB and diff key codes.
Of course that leaves the one user out there still using her local machine
and in my logical mind, that's no good because I originally intended for all
users to log into the TS box and not have access to their local machine.

OH well...I'll try this this AM and let you know.

Cliff

"Vera Noest [MVP]" <Vera.Noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in message
news:Xns93B390262833Everanoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
> What a pity that it didn't work! Obviously, QB doesn't even check the HKCU
> hive, but looks only at the HKLM hive for registration info. Oh well, nice
> exercise in registry hacking ;-)
>
> To modify the key as user Jenni:
>
> Take the key that you exported from HKLM, unaltered (the one that still
> points to HKLM, not HKCU). Let's say you have saved this key with regedit
> in a file called QB-jenni.reg
>
> Now create a textfile in notepad and write the line:
> regedit <full_path_to_file>QB-jenni.reg
>
> Save this file as QB-jenni.bat. Easiest is to put it in her Startup
folder,
> so that it is executed every time she logs in. When you have tested and it
> works, add the /s flag to the regedit command to suppress output, like
> regedit /s QB-jenni.reg.
>
> Some additional thoughts on this:
>
> + if Jenni *always* starts QB whenever she logs in, the Startup folder is
> probably the easiest place to put the QB-jenni.bat file.
> + If she often logs in for email or wordprocessing only and doesn't need
> QB, then you might want to change this scenario, and make sure that the
> batfile is only executed when she actually starts QB.
> + another reason for this is that there will be problems when the
following
> happens:
> 1. userA logs in. gets the first registration
> 2. Jenni logs in. Changes the registration to registration nr. 2, also for
> userA!
> 3. userA quits QB
> 4. userA starts QB, and get the same registration as Jenni!
> + I realize now that you have to give *each* user a batfile with a QB-
> userX.reg file (with different registration data). If only Jenni has this,
> the next morning both will work with the same data.
> + You also have to make sure that both execute their respective batfile
> every time they start QB, to get it right. That means that you have to
> modify their batfile to also start QB. Something like this:
>
> regedit /s QB-userX.reg
> start QB.exe (or whatever the executable is called)
>
> Pffff! Good luck!
>
> --
> Vera Noest
> MCSE,CCEA, Microsoft MVP - Terminal Server
> http://hem.fyristorg.com/vera/IT
> *----------- Please reply in newsgroup -------------*
>
> "Cliff" <cliff@crpoe.com> wrote in
> news:#5iK0cbRDHA.1624@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl:
>
> > Hen egg...
> >
> > I successfully got the key edited and imported into HKCU. What I did
> > was go to an identical Win 2K box, install the "other copy of QB,
> > registered it and everything. That way, I'd have a clean registry key
> > to work with. I then exported the key FROM HKLM, edited it for HKCU,
> > logged into the TS session as the user I need to alter, and imported
> > the edited key into her HKCU. It "looks" perfect. There are sup
> > entries in both HKLM and HKCU and each reflects diff registration
> > info. However, when I open QB, hit ctrl-1 to see the registration
> > info, it reports that both users are using the same CD key.
> >
> > I think what I need to do now is have Jenni log in and have something
> > in her login script that changes her HKLM registry entry and I think
> > I'll be good.
> >
> > So, how do I do that? I already have the registry key with the
> > correct info exported and stored so I can work with it. How do I now
> > edit or write a login script so that when Jenni logs in, her HKLM QB
> > key is replaced with the "other" info?
> >
> > Cliff
> >
> > "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote in
> > message news:Xns93B256FC4441veranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
> >> No, I like cold climates better, but I appreciate the offer!
> >>
> >> And you're wise to double-check how to mix with the registry
> >> before you start editing it. There's no safety net when you're in
> >> there, regedit will gladly accept all your changes, it does not do
> >> any sanity checks or syntax checks, and if you mess up you will
> >> notice after the first reboot..... (but don't let this frighten
> >> you, if you do it carefully, it'll work).
> >>
> >> "Cliff" <cliff@crpoe.com> wrote in
> >> news:OU3#BVNRDHA.2408@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl:
> >>
> >> > You know, I actually thought that might be the way to do it but
> >> > wanted to check. However can I replay you for all your help?
> >> > You didn't immediately jump at the summer home in France...
> >> >
> >> > "Vera Noest [MVP]" <vera.noest@remove-this.hem.utfors.se> wrote
> >> > in message
> >> > news:Xns93B2115ECABCveranoesthemutforsse@207.46.248.16...
> >> >> Aaaah, I see. Yes, this kind of tricks tend not to be
> >> >> documented in KB articles ;-)
> >> >>
> >> >> I believe the original location of the license is somewhere in
> >> >>
> >> >> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intuit\....., right?
> >> >>
> >> >> Open the registry with regedit, save the key while you have
> >> >> selected the Intuit subkey, let's say into a file called
> >> >> QB.reg. Edit the file with notepad, and change every occurrence
> >> >> of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE into HKEY_CURRENT_USER, leaving all else
> >> >> untouched. Then start regedit again, select the
> >> >> HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software key, choose import and select the
> >> >> modified QB.reg file. Bingo!
> >> >>
> >> >> Instead of doing this interactively, you can open a command
> >> >> window and write "regedit QB.reg". But it's better the first
> >> >> time to see it actually happening inside regedit.
> >> >>
> >> >> By all means, test this method first on a workstation!