Registry Backup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tina
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Tina

I visit this newsgroup often due to I have learned alot of new info in here
by reading peoples questions and answers. I had been reading alot of
comments stating people should be backing up their registry. Therefore
today I backed up mine for the first time (just bought our computer in Feb
of this year). I have it backed up on my C drive in the "My Documents"
folder and under the registry icon it shows Registration Entries 68,413 KB.
Since the backing up it seems as though my computer is running slower than
normal. Can you please advise if I have this stored in the proper area? I
am not sure if the backing up has anything to do with my computers speed or
not since I am not even familiar with previously doing this.
In addition, how often should a person be backing up their computer?
Please advise and thank you in advance,
Tina
 
You should backup as often as you use it and your data is the most important
thing to back up. Most backup applications have a means of backing up the
"system state" and that includes the registry. While there are some uses
for backing up the registry as in some instances that might require you to
restore your registry, usually that can be accomplished through XP's System
Restore feature or by booting the system, start tapping F8 and then
selecting "Last Known Good Configuration" from the menu when it appears.

If "Last Known...." doesn't get you going, more drastic action is usually
required and a backup of your registry sitting on your system drive, won't
be of much use to you. The most important thing to backup is your data.
You can reinstall your operating system, you can reinstall your applications
but if you lose your data, you've likely lost years of work so your data
should be backed up to some media off your hard drive, a CD-R or RW or DVD-R
or RW for example. For convenience you might want to also place a copy of
your backup on a separate partition but that shouldn't be the only storage
area as a dead hard drive would lose your backup as well.

Personally, I don't see a lot of use for a registry backup unless you can
pinpoint the exact time a problem appeared and depending upon changes you've
made to your setup since, new applications installed, others removed,
changes in hardware, you may be restoring a copy of the registry that
doesn't include such references, hence creating other issues. Also, you can
rarely figure out when a virus has hit so it's best to use typical virus
removal tools rather than trying to restore a copy of the registry. From my
own personal point of view, if your setup has gotten to the point where you
feel you need to restore your registry beyond the use of System Restore or
Last Known Good Configuration, it's time start over with a clean install of
the OS and your applications though that's rarely necessary.

In my case, as an alternative to registry backup, I have created images,
using imaging software of a clean install of XP and one of a clean install
of XP that includes my most common applications. If I have such an issue
that would require a restore, I restore the image that includes the
applications and then simply restore my data from backup. It's much quicker
and you don't have to worry about when the registry backup was made and what
changes you may have made in your setup since.
 
I'm sorry, I should also have addressed the slowdown. Unless the backup and
you don't say how you backed up your registry, what you used, etc., resulted
in free space on your hard drive being severely decreased by the backup,
it's not likely the issue.

With a slowdown, you should first make sure your antivirus software is up to
date and run a scan of your system.

You should also check for any malware, download, install and run Ad Aware:
www.lavasoftusa.com

The slowdown may simply be coincidental with regard to it coming shortly
after the backup of the registry.
 
Tina,
Michael Solomon has given you some good information in his replies. To
add a bit to what he has stated:
a. If you do insist on backing up your Registry, there is a free program
available called "Erunt" which is available here:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1267.html .
b. The best thing for backup of files which you would stand to lose in
the event of a failed Hard Drive or a crash leading to a complete re-
installation of your Operating System [I presume XP Home or Pro], in my
personal opinion, is an external Hard Drive which you can connect via
a USB 2.0 connection ( or ieee 1394(Firewire,iLink). Many, such as the
Maxtor One Touch, come with a backup program.
Gene K
 
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