Is there a way to automate backing up the registry?

[jim evans]

I currently backup the registry weekly, but I have to start regedit,
move to the main entry, then File > Export, then enter a filename.
<whew>

Is there a way to automate this using a batch file and command line
arguments?

jim

 

[Dave Patrick]

This isn't an acceptable means of backup and the *.reg files are worthless.
It isn't possible to import the entire registry. Take a look at system
restore or system state backup.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
|I currently backup the registry weekly, but I have to start regedit,
| move to the main entry, then File > Export, then enter a filename.
| <whew>
|
| Is there a way to automate this using a batch file and command line
| arguments?
|
| jim

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Google "erunt".

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Jim,

System Restore backs up the registry, system files and settings in every
restore point.

Export and import within Regedit is *not* a good method of backing up
the entire registry. Its value is where you are going to modify a small
section - export that section, then if needed delete it and re-import to
put things back.
First the backups are text mode, largely in Unicode and are enormous.
Second there is no proper way to restore it. Import does not replace
the current registry but merges the file into it causing the registry to
be come severely bloated. Thus unwanted additions made since the export
are not removed - which is very often what you want to do.
And third when you want to use it may not be practicable, particularly
if the system will not boot.

ERUNT is a good tool for backing up the registry only.
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

More information on how to backup the Windows XP Registry?
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/registry.htm

 

[jim evans]

Thanks to all for the lead to ERUNT. It appears to do what I want.

I don't find Restore reliable. Sometimes when I want to use it it's
been corrupted. This linking of many files to restore makes it
fragile.

Does anyone know, after a clean reinstall of XP Pro, can I restore the
registry saved by ERUNT and be back where I was before? Or, is
ERUNT's restoration only useful to salvage a current XP installation?

The author says it's advisable to run it from an Administrator login.
That's clumsy for me. Anyone know what exactly the risks are of
running it from a user login? My setup is one user with no password
and no password for the administrator. I don't remember running into
anything I could not do as the single user - that is, I rarely have to
login as Administrator and I can't remember why I have to then. It's
much more convenient for me to run it as the user.

jim

 

[Andrew Murray]

Windows already back up the registry automatically. It's part of the system
restore function.