Viewing external Registry

[Mark V]

when I export the registry from the remote server, can I export
the whole reg or do I just need the hive. I have an entire

"Export" is traditionally a term used to describe saving portions of
the registry to a text (typical .REG) file.

registry exported and regedt32 is asking me to load a hive. I
point to the registry i have saved then put in a hive name but it
says it cannot complete the operation.

The ntbackup.exe when making an ERD (and with the box, "Also
backup..." checked) will save the system (and the logged Admin
user's) registry hives to files at %systemroot%\repair\RegBack\ as
files. Binary Hive files.

It is these files (not "exports") that may be "loaded" into
regedt32.exe (regedit on XP) on the same or other machine. One
cannot "Load hive..." a text REG file. Since you just want to
read/search many cautions omitted here, but be sure to "unload" the
hive file before exiting the registry editor. It seems you would
want primarity the hive files SOFTWARE and SYSTEM for your
investigation.