System Restore and Registry Restore

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daleje
  • Start date Start date
D

Daleje

I knew how to restore an earlier registry in Win98, but now it appears that
System Restore is the only option if I mess up my registry. Does that actually
restore everything on the C drive? Is there a way to just restore an earlier
version of the registry?
 
Daleje said:
I knew how to restore an earlier registry in Win98, but now it appears that
System Restore is the only option if I mess up my registry. Does that actually
restore everything on the C drive? Is there a way to just restore an earlier
version of the registry?
Click to expand...

If you want to backup the Registry take a look at the freeware utility ERUNT
from

http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.hederer/erunt/

Martin.
 
You may open the Registry Editor, click File, and then click Export. You
can then export your current registry settings to any destination of your
choice. To restore the registry at a later date, simply double click the
exported .reg file.
 
Daleje said:
Good. I understand how to do that.
Might it be a good idea to save such a "good registry" (as ScanReg used to do)
just in case it might ever be needed?
I understand that WindowsXP will boot from the CD. Will that guarantee access
to some way to "restore" that registry in the event that Windows will not boot?
Click to expand...

The registry exported by RegEdit is not a true backup that can be restored
to replace a corrupted registry.
It can be imported back into the current registry with RegEdit - but that's
not the same as restoring a registry backup to replace the current
(corrupt?) registry.
In fact the ERUNT ReadMe states:

QUOTE>
The "Export registry" function in Regedit is USELESS (!) to make
a complete backup of the registry. Neither does it export the whole
registry (for example, no information from the "SECURITY" hive is
saved), nor can the exported file be used later to replace the current
registry with the old one. Instead, if you re-import the file, it is
merged with the current registry, leaving you with an absolute mess of
old and new registry keys.
END QUOTE>

ERUNT can backup the registry - including any registry hives that are
currently opened.
It can then, if necessary, restore this registry backup - replacing the
current (corrupt?) registry.

ERUNT can be run from the Windows XP Recovery Console.
For info on the XP Recovery Console take a look at
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=314058
Note that:
QUOTE>
When you use the Windows Recovery Console, you can use only the following
folders:

The root folder.
The %SystemRoot% folder and the subfolders of the Windows installation that
you are currently logged on to.
The Cmdcons folder.
Removable media drives such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drives.

NOTE: If you try to obtain access to other folders, you receive an "Access
Denied" error message. Also, while you are using the Windows Recovery
Console, you cannot copy a file from the local hard disk to a floppy disk.
You can copy a file from a floppy disk or from a CD-ROM to a hard disk, and
from one hard disk to another hard disk.
ENDQUOTE>

You therefore need to have the ERUNT files and registry backup located on
your hard drive so that they can be accessed from the Recovery Console - no
point in having a backup utility and registry backup if you can't access
them.

HTH.

Martin.
 
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