Registry question from GregandMary

[GregandMary]

I'm hoping somebody can help me with this question. It's sort of an
experiment. I went into the registry and exported the following key to
my desktop.

Hkey_Current_user/Software/Microsoft/InternetExplorer/Toolbar

I named the exported file Tbar.reg. So now I have a file on my desktop
called Tbar.reg. What happens if I click on this file? Will it
restore my Internet Explorer toolbar to the way it was when it was
exported?

Let's say I rearrange my Internet Explorer toolbar, then I close
internet explorer, then I double-click on that file on my desktop ...
When I reopen internet explorer, will my toolbar revert back to the way
it was when that .reg file was exported? And will I have to reboot my
system for the changes to take effect?

Thanks alot,
GregandMary

 

[Guest]

Greg and Mary,

You've got way too much time on our hands. Why not just try it ??

MD

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Make a restore point first.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Internet Explorer toolbar settings are stored in this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser

When you merge the REG file, then the toolbar positioning (stored in the
"ITBarLayout" binary value) is restored.

--
Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
Windows XP Shell/User

Windows XP Troubleshooting
http://www.winhelponline.com

 

[GregandMary]

Sorry for the slow response, but yes this is a wonderful trick. For
anybody who is sick and tired of rearranging their toolbar because of
browser hijacks or whatever else, simply do this:

1. Click start/run/regedit
2. Drill down to
Hkey_Current_user/Software/Microsoft/InternetExplorer/Toolbar
3. Highlight the Toolbar folder in the left column
4. Click File/export
5. Export the key to your desktop and call it Tbar.reg (or whatever you
want)

And that's it! Anytime your browser gets hijacked or some webpage
screws up your toolbar, all you have to do is double-click Tbar.reg on
your desktop and your toolbar reappears the way you like it! It's
wonderful. You can even test it yourself. Simply screw up your
toolbar manually (haha, funny thought, screwing up your own toolbar),
then close internet explorer, and reopen internet explorer. Your
toolbar is messed up now, right? Of course it is! Now close it again.
Now double-click Tbar.reg. And now reopen internet explorer.
Voila!!! You have your wonderful toolbar settings back again.

Well, have a good day everybody,
GregandMary

 

[Drew Tognola]

To make this method work as advertised you need to navigate to the Registry
address Hkey_Current_user/Software/Microsoft/InternetExplorer/Toolbar and
delete the entire 'Toolbar' folder (assuming you already exported the
'Toolbar' folder beforehand). Don't delete the 'Explorer', 'ShellBrowser' or
'WebBrowser' folders unless they are also exported separately (4 separate
exports).
The reason for this is because when you import your saved registry files it
only changes key values already in the 'Toolbars' folder. It doesn't replace
or delete keys not recognized, such as a rogue toolbar, it will add your
favorite toolbar settings to the rogue toolbar.

Drew

 

[GregandMary]

To make this method work as advertised you need to navigate to the Registry
address Hkey_Current_user/Software/Microsoft/InternetExplorer/Toolbar and
delete the entire 'Toolbar' folder (assuming you already exported the
'Toolbar' folder beforehand). Don't delete the 'Explorer', 'ShellBrowser' or
'WebBrowser' folders unless they are also exported separately (4 separate
exports).
The reason for this is because when you import your saved registry files it
only changes key values already in the 'Toolbars' folder. It doesn't replace
or delete keys not recognized, such as a rogue toolbar, it will add your
favorite toolbar settings to the rogue toolbar.

I tried what you said, but I didn't need to export the Explorer,
ShellBrowser and WebBrowser folders separately. They were all exported
(and more importantly, imported) automatically when I imported/exported
the Toolbar key.

It's true that I need to delete the entire Toolbar key (and then import
a previously saved toolbar key) if I want to get rid of a rogue
toolbar, but it's not true that each of its subfolders need to be
exported individually. Exporting the Toolbar key automatically exports
its subkeys.

GregandMary