Logoff is only for programs that run at user-level, like Explorer. Or
Word.
Not good for drivers, replacing in-use files, services, other user's
processes, network, blah blah. If required to reboot by a setup program,
it's because it needs to replace (or delete) in-use files. And that is done
at reboot only. Or because drivers were added but not installed. Once
Windows re-detects hardware and looks for a driver, it will find it. And
this is done automatically during system startup.
Actually, logging off is good for one thing: Explorer settings being
changed without being notified. In that case, it needs to be closed and
restarted, so it re-reads settings from the registry.
Also, logging off only resyncs HKCU, other keys are left intact in memory.
In fact, the only good logging off will do is restart Explorer and reapply
security policy. It might also convince other programs that have per-user
registry settings to get restarted.
By the way, neither restart nor logoff will modify the registry, both are
for programs and files.
My OS is Win2000 Prof SP4.
Changes from W95 onwards are quite insignificant in this respect.
