Registry Back Up and Restore?

[ColTom2]

Hi:

I have a question about Registry back up and restore that hopefully
someone can give me a reliable answer.

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your Desktop
and then do an application update that causes problems can you Import it
back and it will do away with all the Registry entries created by the App
update?

I feel the last Java Runtime update caused problems for my computer and
using System Restore and also uninstalling it afterwards did not resolve the
problem. Luckily I had my system backed up on another HD and reverted to it.

However now I before I try another Java update can I do as described above
with a complete Registry Export and Import if I do have problems as
previously. While I feel it was the Java update that caused my problems I am
not totally sure, but I just want to have a Registry back up in case.

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the Java
update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the Registry back and
it will void any Registry entries the update caused?

Thanks

 

[Ken]

Hi:

I have a question about Registry back up and restore that hopefully
someone can give me a reliable answer.

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your Desktop
and then do an application update that causes problems can you Import it
back and it will do away with all the Registry entries created by the App
update?

I feel the last Java Runtime update caused problems for my computer and
using System Restore and also uninstalling it afterwards did not resolve the
problem. Luckily I had my system backed up on another HD and reverted to it.

However now I before I try another Java update can I do as described above
with a complete Registry Export and Import if I do have problems as
previously. While I feel it was the Java update that caused my problems I am
not totally sure, but I just want to have a Registry back up in case.

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the Java
update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the Registry back and
it will void any Registry entries the update caused?

Thanks

I will not address most of your questions, but I would suggest you
search for ERUNT to obtain a free and more complete registry backup
program. It is a great program that saved me several times.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a question about Registry back up and restore that hopefully
someone can give me a reliable answer.

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your
Desktop and then do an application update that causes problems can
you Import it back and it will do away with all the Registry
entries created by the App update?

I feel the last Java Runtime update caused problems for my
computer and using System Restore and also uninstalling it
afterwards did not resolve the problem. Luckily I had my system
backed up on another HD and reverted to it.

However now I before I try another Java update can I do as
described above with a complete Registry Export and Import if I do
have problems as previously. While I feel it was the Java update
that caused my problems I am not totally sure, but I just want to
have a Registry back up in case.

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the
Java update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the
Registry back and it will void any Registry entries the update
caused?

- ERUNT as someone else already suggested.

- Your issues may not have anything to do with the regitry.

- How are you 'updating' JAVA. My suggestion is to never do the update that
is suggested by the application itself when it comes to JAVA - but to go
into Control Panel --> Add or Remove Programs and remove all previous
versions of JAVA and reboot. Then download the Offline installer (comes
with less baggage lately) and use it to install the latest version (JRE 6
Update 11 I believe.)

 

[Bob Harris]

First, system restore includes a copy of your registry. So, if it did not
fix your problem, then I would look outside of the registry for answers.

You already have a full system backup, which a great idea, and so you have
protection against bad installs/uninstalls, etc.

But, I assume that you would like something less drastic, and maybe quicker,
to use on some occasions?

As far as the registry goes, there are a number of programs that can do
backups and restores. Some, like ERUNT, are free. But, that program
requires that XP be installed on a FAT32 partition, since its way of
handling an unbootable PC is to boot from a floppy disk containing DOS. DOS
can not see NTFS partitions. However, one could run it from a bootable CD
based on XP, such as Windows PE or Bart's PE.

Other options can be found at:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads15.html

Just be sure that any you pick have some way to run, in cases XP will not
boot.

 

[JF]

*Bonjour Bob Harris * !

First, system restore includes a copy of your registry. So, if it did not
fix your problem, then I would look outside of the registry for answers.

You already have a full system backup, which a great idea, and so you have
protection against bad installs/uninstalls, etc.

But, I assume that you would like something less drastic, and maybe quicker,
to use on some occasions?

As far as the registry goes, there are a number of programs that can do
backups and restores. Some, like ERUNT, are free. But, that program
requires that XP be installed on a FAT32 partition, since its way of handling
an unbootable PC is to boot from a floppy disk containing DOS.

?????????????????????????
Please read erunt.txt ==>
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/erunt.txt
Restoring the registry with ERDNT - Emergency Scenario II
1. Bart's PE Builder
2. The Windows Recovery Console (Windows 2000 and higher)

No need to be FAT32 !!!

 

[db.·.. >]

you can export the complete
registry, but you cannot import
the complete registry.

the export and import feature
is best for individual keys or
branches.

--------------

the best method would be to simply
copy your registry hive into a
safe and easily accessible
folder on the root "or" in
the windows system folder.

then if you have to restore
that copy, you would do it
via the windows cd
repair/recovery console.

system restore would be
a better and easier option,
as it can be executed via
safemode in the event
normal mode becomes
corrupted or unstable.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>
<entire conversation>
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...25c5e5cb58f/c021d9dde8b2b3c8#c021d9dde8b2b3c8
<end entire conversation>

JF wrote:

?????????????????????????
Please read erunt.txt ==>
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/erunt.txt
Restoring the registry with ERDNT - Emergency Scenario II
1. Bart's PE Builder
2. The Windows Recovery Console (Windows 2000 and higher)

No need to be FAT32 !!!

Please read the entire message that you responded to... ;-)

The sentence you conveniently cut off the paragraph you quoted to make your
point...
"However, one could run it from a bootable CD based on XP, such as Windows
PE or Bart's PE."

So - your quote to respond to could (some would argue 'should') have been:

As far as the registry goes, there are a number of programs that
can do backups and restores. Some, like ERUNT, are free. But,
that program requires that XP be installed on a FAT32 partition,
since its way of handling an unbootable PC is to boot from a floppy
disk containing DOS. DOS can not see NTFS partitions. However,
one could run it from a bootable CD based on XP, such as Windows PE
or Bart's PE.

Given the last sentence of the paragraph (conveniently removed from your
response) would have asserted what you re-asserted in your response.

Redundancy is good, snipping the parts of the previous post that make your
response redundant and claiming the original response (or more directly, the
original responder) was mis-informed - bad form...?

 

[Gary Brandenburg]

ColTom2-
I use ERUNT to run automatic daily registry backups.
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

According to the "README":

Note: The "Export registry" function in Regedit is USELESS (!) for
making 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 without deleting anything that
has been added since the export, leaving you with an absolute mess of
old and new entries.

*As far as the program "requiring XP to be installed on FAT32" it goes on to say:

Supported operating systems
---------------------------

- Windows NT 3.51
- Windows NT 4.0
- Windows 2000
- Windows 2003
- Windows XP
- most likely, all future Windows versions based on the NT kernel

(So I don't know where Bob came up with that "requirement"-It's called
ERU*NT*-Emergency Recovery Utility NT)

I even did a restore via Safe Mode w/command prompt when Windows wouldn't
successfully boot, by entering C:/Windows/ERDNT.EXE (if I remember correctly) & I was
able to boot from then on with no problems.I had deleted a key from the ROOT that I
thought had belonged to an uninstalled program,& I was in a panic!

To get it to do a daily AuotBackup & remove the previous days backup just go to
Start/All Programs/Startup & right click on ERUNT AutoBackup & in the Target add a
space at the end then "/days:1".(without the quotes)
It should look like this then: "C:\Program Files\ERUNT\AUTOBACK.EXE"
%SystemRoot%\ERDNT\AutoBackup\#Date# /noconfirmdelete /noprogresswindow /days:1

You should also create a manual backup when you first install it & allow it to create
the ERDNT folder in Windows. Then you can create a manual backup whenever you want &
they will always be there. It only takes a few seconds & then it's done.

~Gary

 

[Twayne]

Hi:

I have a question about Registry back up and restore that hopefully
someone can give me a reliable answer.

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your
Desktop and then do an application update that causes problems can
you Import it back and it will do away with all the Registry entries
created by the App update?

If you mean by using Regedit, no, you cannot. Well, you could, but do
not do it<g>. The Import will simply add the exported settings to waht
you already have and everything will be doubled, or worse.

Usual Ways to back up the Registry:
-- Create a Restore Point.
-- Use ntBackup.exe to save the System State. This also backs up
additional files needed at boot time and is the most complete method.
-- Use a 3rd party app. Personally I avoid them when I can if XP
already has a way of doing the same thing already, which it does. Ymmv
of course.
-- As part of a complete OS backup.

I feel the last Java Runtime update caused problems for my computer
and using System Restore and also uninstalling it afterwards did not
resolve the problem. Luckily I had my system backed up on another HD
and reverted to it.

However now I before I try another Java update can I do as described
above with a complete Registry Export and Import if I do have
problems as previously. While I feel it was the Java update that
caused my problems I am not totally sure, but I just want to have a
Registry back up in case.

No, do not do that. Regedit was not intended for that purpose and you
could end up with a mess.
See the usual ways to create a backup above and use one of those
instead. Creating Restore Points is quick & simple, usually works,
saving the System State is more thorough and is always going to work
when you Restore it.

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the Java
update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the Registry
back and it will void any Registry entries the update caused?

No. See the preceding comments.

You know, I don't really see the tie-in to the registry having a problem
here. Are you getting error messages or what? I'm wondering why you
are concerned with the registry to rephrase the question so many times.
It's entirely possible the reigstry isn't part of whatever problem you
think you have?

Perhaps a further clarification of the issues at hand might be a good
idea.

HTH

Twayne

 

[John John (MVP)]

If you mean by using Regedit, no, you cannot. Well, you could, but do
not do it<g>. The Import will simply add the exported settings to waht
you already have and everything will be doubled, or worse.

Importing or merging files to the registry does not create duplicate
registry entries. Importing into the registry will not double
everything, what you are claiming is absolutely impossible to do. You
should refrain from giving "advice" about things that you obviously know
nothing of.

John

 

[Bill in Co.]

Importing or merging files to the registry does not create duplicate
registry entries. Importing into the registry will not double
everything, what you are claiming is absolutely impossible to do. You
should refrain from giving "advice" about things that you obviously know
nothing of.

John

Right. Actually, importing a registry ".reg" file MERGES its contents with
what is in the registry already. It does not "double or duplicate"
entries, or any other such nonsense.

 

[Unknown]

Didn't you read the post? He/she asked for a reliable answer.

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Sunday, December 21, 2008 6:25:38 AM, and on a
whim, Shenan Stanley pounded out on the keyboard:

- ERUNT as someone else already suggested.

- Your issues may not have anything to do with the regitry.

- How are you 'updating' JAVA. My suggestion is to never do the update that
is suggested by the application itself when it comes to JAVA - but to go
into Control Panel --> Add or Remove Programs and remove all previous
versions of JAVA and reboot. Then download the Offline installer (comes
with less baggage lately) and use it to install the latest version (JRE 6
Update 11 I believe.)

Word of caution here. Some programs use a particular build of Java and
may not work if the version the program was written for is removed.
Three weeks ago I removed Java version 5.11 from a server and installed
6.11. Blackberry Professional would no longer work. Go figure.

And finally with version 6.11, Java will remove prior versions after
6.10. Earlier versions will still have to be removed manually.

--
Terry R.

***Reply Note***
Anti-spam measures are included in my email address.
Delete NOSPAM from the email address after clicking Reply.

 

[Twayne]

Importing or merging files to the registry does not create duplicate
registry entries. Importing into the registry will not double
everything, what you are claiming is absolutely impossible to do. You
should refrain from giving "advice" about things that you obviously
know nothing of.

John

Give it a try; I have it right here next to me on a sandbox machine.
Full of duplicates. It does not merge properly.

 

[Billy Buddusky]

Give it a try; I have it right here next to me on a sandbox machine.
Full of duplicates. It does not merge properly.

That's because you've fouled up your machine by constantly using a
registry cleaner, doofus.

 

[John John (MVP)]

Give it a try; I have it right here next to me on a sandbox machine.
Full of duplicates. It does not merge properly.

There cannot be duplicate entries in the registry! It is an *absolute
impossibility*! What you are saying is just plain impossible to do, why
you insist on spreading this lie is rather baffling to say the least!

There cannot be duplicate Subtrees (Root keys) in the registry!
There cannot be duplicate Keys in a Subtree!
There cannot be duplicate Subkeys in a Key!
There cannot be duplicate values in a Key or Subkey!

You cannot export the whole registry and then try to re-import or merge
it back, it will throw an error, but it will not create duplicate entries.

John

 

[Jim]

Hi:

I have a question about Registry back up and restore that hopefully
someone can give me a reliable answer.

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your Desktop
and then do an application update that causes problems can you Import it
back and it will do away with all the Registry entries created by the App
update?

I feel the last Java Runtime update caused problems for my computer and
using System Restore and also uninstalling it afterwards did not resolve
the
problem. Luckily I had my system backed up on another HD and reverted to
it.

However now I before I try another Java update can I do as described
above
with a complete Registry Export and Import if I do have problems as
previously. While I feel it was the Java update that caused my problems I
am
not totally sure, but I just want to have a Registry back up in case.

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the Java
update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the Registry back
and
it will void any Registry entries the update caused?

Thanks

Backup system state would get the job done. This is a function of ntbackup.
Jim

 

[Bill in Co.]

There cannot be duplicate entries in the registry! It is an *absolute
impossibility*! What you are saying is just plain impossible to do, why
you insist on spreading this lie is rather baffling to say the least!

Because he doesn't really understand it? It's not really that "amazing".

There cannot be duplicate Subtrees (Root keys) in the registry!
There cannot be duplicate Keys in a Subtree!
There cannot be duplicate Subkeys in a Key!
There cannot be duplicate values in a Key or Subkey!

You cannot export the whole registry and then try to re-import or merge
it back, it will throw an error, but it will not create duplicate entries.

John

Exactly.

 

[Twayne]

Because he doesn't really understand it? It's not really that
"amazing".

Question: Have you tried it? Go ahead and try it. It can indeed be
accomplished.

Twayne

 

[Shenan Stanley]

If you do a complete Export of your Registry and save it to your
Desktop and then do an application update that causes problems can
you Import it back and it will do away with all the Registry
entries created by the App update?

Again my main question is if I do a complete Export, install the
Java update and it does cause problems again, can I Import the
Registry back and it will void any Registry entries the update
caused?

If you mean by using Regedit, no, you cannot. Well, you could, but
do not do it<g>. The Import will simply add the exported settings
to [what] you already have and everything will be doubled, or worse.

<snipped>

Importing or merging files to the registry does not create duplicate
registry entries. Importing into the registry will not double
everything, what you are claiming is absolutely impossible to do. You
should refrain from giving "advice" about things that you
obviously know nothing of.

Give it a try; I have it right here next to me on a sandbox machine.
Full of duplicates. It does not merge properly.

There cannot be duplicate entries in the registry! It is an
*absolute impossibility*! What you are saying is just plain
impossible to do, why you insist on spreading this lie is rather
baffling to say the least!
There cannot be duplicate Subtrees (Root keys) in the registry!
There cannot be duplicate Keys in a Subtree!
There cannot be duplicate Subkeys in a Key!
There cannot be duplicate values in a Key or Subkey!

You cannot export the whole registry and then try to re-import or
merge it back, it will throw an error, but it will not create
duplicate entries.

Because he doesn't really understand it? It's not really that
"amazing".

Exactly.

Question: Have you tried it? Go ahead and try it. It can indeed
be accomplished.

Okay. I'll try anything on a computer once - particularly my virtual
machines.
Let's just do a simplistic test.

I used RegEdt32 (habit) to create the following registry values:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Twayne\Test
"TestEntryOne" (String) = "TestValue1"
"TestEntryTwo" (DWORD) = 1

I exported said values into a Registry Export file:

<copy below this line>
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Twayne\Test]
"TestEntryOne"="TestValue1"
"TestEntryTwo"=dword:00000001
<copy above this line>

Called that file "TwayneTest.reg".

I then double-clicked on said file. The "Registry Editor" window appeared
and asked, "Are you sure you want to add the information in
C:\TwayneTest.reg" to the registry?" [Yes] [No].

I chose [Yes] and the new "Registry Editor" window appeared telling me,
"Information in C:\TwayneTest.reg has been successfully entered into the
registry.".

So I checked. Yep - there it was. The same entries - still in there just
once. Perhaps I needed to refresh... So I pressed F5 with the root of the
registry selected. No change. So I closed the registry editor and
re-opened to check. Still only the single entries. So I closed it and
merged again and rebooted for good measure. When I logged back in and
checked - still only the single entries.

I am unsure how far to go - but I decided to make the "TEST" key so only
"SYSTEM" had permissions to change it. I selected it, EDIT --> PERMISSIONS,
Advanced -> Unchecked the inheritance and copied the current permissions to
it. I then removed everything but "SYSTEM" from those who have permissions
to do anything to it. Not surprisingly, the String and DWORD values
'disappeared' from view instantly ("TestEntryOne" and TestEntryTwo".)
Replacing the owner I did not do.

So I tried to import again... This time I received a new message when I
told it I was sure I wanted to merge. That message was in a "Registry
Editor" error window and said, "Cannot import C:\TwayneTest.reg: Not all
data was successfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the
system or other processes."

So I thought... Maybe it's because I still have the RegEdt32 window open.
Closed it.

Tried the import again...

Nope - same error.

Okay - rebooted.

Tried the import again.

Same error.

Checking each time - the values were still 'hidden' from my view (I did not
have perms to them after all) and no duplicates had appeared elsewhere.

I added my perms back. I tried the import again.

It imported successfully now that I had permissions to it. But no duplicate
values of any sort.

Now - all I can figure is that you are doing some much larger export/import?
Although I cannot fathom how that would make any difference. This
small-scale test shows that existing values - well - they exist and cannot
be duplicated.

It's like a file system directory structure (because that is what it is.)
If I have C:\Documents and Settings\Shenan\ --> I can have that path *once*.
If the file "test.txt" exists in that directory (C:\Documents and
Settings\Shenan\test.txt) and I try to create a file with the same name and
extension there - it will tell me I cannot.

Can you explain more fully what test would replicate what you are claiming?

Oh - in case it matters - this was all done on a fully updated Windows XP
Professional machine - SP3, IE7, etc.