import whole registry problem

[gundi]

Hi,

I saved (exported whole reg.) my registry to a Temp .reg
file before making (bad) registry changes (to resolve
Norton Internet Security problems) on Win2kProSP3. I tried
to import the Temp .reg file but I got: Cannot import all
data because some keys are opened from system or other
processes"

Is there a chance to import the Temp .reg file ?

TIA,
Gundi

 

[Mark V]

Hi,

I saved (exported whole reg.) my registry to a Temp .reg
file before making (bad) registry changes (to resolve
Norton Internet Security problems) on Win2kProSP3. I tried
to import the Temp .reg file but I got: Cannot import all
data because some keys are opened from system or other
processes"

Is there a chance to import the Temp .reg file ?

You cannot. A "export" of the registry or an entire hive is not a
restorable or reliable means of registry backup. Use ntbackup.exe to
do full registry backups. Or perhaps ERUNT.

You may be able to edit out all but the key(s) you need to import and
have success.

 

[gundi]

-----Original Message-----


You cannot. A "export" of the registry or an entire hive is not a
restorable or reliable means of registry backup. Use ntbackup.exe to
do full registry backups. Or perhaps ERUNT.

You may be able to edit out all but the key(s) you need to import and
have success.

.

thanks for your answer - but i'm not sure what you mean
with edit out the keys ...
i think if there's no possibility to use the whole temp
..reg file some parts of the system is lost, because i'm not
able to edit some keys (i don't no which keys or the values).
Is there no possibility to start the computer without the
processes that opened the registry - or boot perhaps in a
DOS-mode and issue the regedit.exe programm in commandline
mode.
TIA - Gundi

 

[Mark V]

thanks for your answer - but i'm not sure what you mean
with edit out the keys ...

What I meant was that you might edit the .REG file and strip out all
contents except for the key/subkeys/values you may have mistakenly
changed. Then import that part only. It is not possible to know
from here whether this can work as you have not stated anything very
specific about what part of the registry got trashed. And it does
seem you have no notes or other means to determine what was changed.

i think if there's no possibility to use the whole temp
.reg file some parts of the system is lost, because i'm not
able to edit some keys (i don't no which keys or the values).

Which is one good reason for the future to have made a precautionary
Full Registry Backup (not an "export") in advance of any editing.

Is there no possibility to start the computer without the
processes that opened the registry - or boot perhaps in a
DOS-mode and issue the regedit.exe programm in commandline
mode.

Assuming this is an NTx operating system, there is no "DOS Mode".
There is the Recovery Console (a text mode interface). But no
merging of .REG files is possible from that interface.

In Recovery Console it is possible to replace entire registry hive
files on disk (not .REG files) from a previously made backup if you
had made one. It is also possible to restore the "default" (at time
of installation) registry hive file or files. But this means usually
re-installing just about everything but the OS itself.

If (_if_) the case is no successful bootup and logon since the
incident, then have you tried selecting "Last Known Good" from the
startup screens?

Without more detailed information and experience you may be faced
with startng over in one way or another. Several methods might be
used depending on circumstances there. "Parallel install", "in-place
install" (repair installation over the existing one), wipe and start
fresh, ...