Discussion on:

Learn the basics of backing up the Windows registry

This was a most useful article.. could you follow this with one explaining in more detail how to recover using the backup of system files in win 2k or xp.

Hi, an easier way to restore the registry in Win98 is to shut down to DOS and type SCANREG /RESTORE at the C prompt. This will present the date and time of the last 5 backups. If the most recent one doesn't work you can repeat the process for later versions until you get to a working machine.

For NT/2000/XP try:

ERUNT - The Emergency Recovery Utility NT
=========================================

Registry Backup and Restore for Windows NT/2000/XP

v1.1a, 10/03/2002, Freeware
Written by Lars Hederer
lars.hederer@t-online.de

Look for the latest version here:
http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.hederer/erunt

Thanks for that excellent tip! Simple, useful, and extremely well-documented!

This has been my method of restoring with only one minor gliche. I increased the default number of backups from 5 to 20. Now when I go to SCANREG/RESTORE i still can access only 5. Is there a way to increase that number so I can choose from all 20 backups?
BTW,this was a great article and I'll be trying it out along with the post of basil-cinnamon.

thank you very much, excellent tip.

As a new tech in the field, I found this article to be very resourceful. Homework well done.

After having been told how to backup and restore for Win 98 and ME and how to backup for 2000 and XP, I was looking for the rest of the story on next page but it did not exist.

It's obvious when you go into the backup program that the same program is used to restore as well - part of the same logic as clicking the start button to shut the system down. However it would still be useful to know how to restore when Windows doesn't boot.

I don't know why they left out this useful tool.

You are wanting to restore the registry when the machine doesn't boot? Pop in a boot disk from the operating system you are running. (If you didn't have one made just in case, beg someone running the same OS to let you make one) Anyway, boot to prompt and run scanreg. Usually this will restore to a good registry even if you didn't specifically back one up and you screwed the current one up yourself.

I agree. I appreciate knowing more ways to backup my registry. However, if my system craters after I have modified the registry, how do I use the backup?

If I use a backup, how recent does it have to be? I guess that I am asking when does the registry get changed from day to day and how catestrophic would it be if I had to use a backup from 3 - 4 days ago or 3 - 4 weeks ago?

I am still on Win 98 (first edition). I am looking forward to your future articles.

Kep

Please include Win98. Thank you

For those of you who are not yet familiar with the Microsoft TechNet Web Site, become so! Below are two URLS, the first of which is the HOME PAGE for the TECHNET SITE, the second is the URL for every thing you will ever need to know about Microsoft Operating systems and their Associated Registries!
The second one is a very very LONG URL. Copy and paste each one at a time into an BLANK open NOTE PAD Application and Save as a File for future use and also once you arrive at the Web site make it one of your "Favorites" in your IE Application for future navigational ease.
Home Page:
Jim Holland #2 (1:43 PM) :
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?
Jim Holland #2 (1:39 PM) :
Registries:

Jim Holland #2 (1:39 PM) :
http://search.microsoft.com/default.asp?qu=Registry+Backups&boolean=ALL&nq=NEW&so=RECCNT&p=1&ig=01&ig=02&ig=03&ig=04&i=00&i=01&i=02&i=03&i=04&i=05&i=06&i=07&i=08&i=09&i=10&i=11&i=12&i=13&i=14&i=15&i=16&i=17&i=18&i=19&i=20&i=21&i=22&i=23&i=24&i=25&i=26&i=27&i=28&i=29&i=30&i=31&i=32&i=33&i=34&i=35&i=36&i=37&i=38&i=39&siteid=us/itresources

I have learn the hard way, so it mean the bad way and I learn after that to read the KB as most as I can and subcribed to site like this one.

The one that critic are the one that never help or are the one that love to create flame war just for the pleasure of it. I have some of them were I work and along my career in the Forces.

PS Prior to joint the Forces I was working in the private sector and it was the same haha.

Thank you and keep posting help like this and if not usefull to me it will be usefull to another fellow.

Another option not mentioned in this article is to use the REGBACK/REGREST available on the respective resource kits. There is a very good MS article (Q318149)on automating regback.

Dave Vantine

On Windows 2000 for instance, I have always backed up the entire registry the way that the author suggests to back up just portions of the registry. In other words, I just select the ENTIRE registry to "export" in REGEDIT. I have never used the "full" backup methods that the author mentions. What specifically am I missing when I back up the entire registry this way??

The gui tools are handy, but its sometimes more useful to be able to back up the registry from a command prompt. This can be used to create a backup from a batch file or daily task. The command is "regedit -e filename.ext" . Regedit invokes the editing program, "-e" tells it to export the registry and "filename.ext" is the filename you want to use. One can also use the "-i" switch to import data into the registry.

It can't be said enough to backup the registry, its like doing brain surgery on Windows.

"Registry: The Power Users Control Panel"

Kristopher

PLEASE!
Don't say this too loudly, or the users might get the idea that they should indulge in the practice.

ihave taken a registry backup of a server of win2003. but how can i restore the backup through command prompt. please suggest me any command and its syntax.

I have not needed to restore a registry. Maybe that is good thing since I too simply use the export pick from regedit. I always thought I was 'exporting' the entire registry.

Are those of us the do this incorrectly backing up the registry?

Thanks in advance

Chris

In XP when the entire registry is exported, I encountered problems importing back the registry in question. I find it usually merges with the existing registry which is a total disaster.

Having read this article, I used the BACKUP menu item and attempted to do a System Backup Only. I had directed the backup file to a secondary HD on my system, and expected to see only a file created on that directory.
Imagine my suprise when my ZoneAlarm Firewall intercepted an attempted connection by "NT Tape Backup Utility" to IP 66.214.102.27:135. When I prohibited that connection, not only did the backup fail, but it froze the window and had to be killed.
All of this takes place underWindows 2000.
Anyone have any idea what's going on?

I don't know why that would happen. According to nslookup, that IP resolves as:

Name: 66-214-102-27.rno-cres.charterpipeline.net
Address: 66.214.102.27

This might be due to some sort of virus/trojan that you haven't noticed, or perhaps there is a third-party utility intercepting your command for whatever reason. You might want to check your PATH. Other than that, I couldn't imagine what that would be.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful...

I use something even simpler. Before monkeying with the registry or doing any installation, I create a folder with today's date e.g.
c:\windows\registry.sav\31oct2002.000,
change to that folder, and use a batch file that copies system.dat, user.dat, win.ini, system.ini into that folder. I can make any number of folders for the same date, using 001, 002, etc. to indicate which came first. No cabs,no extract, exports, etc. This works inside windows. To restore to an earlier version, you have to go to dos and copy the saved files back into c:\windows. Never fails.

I have always done the scanreg/restore method but have a bit of a problem.Read my reply to balbs's post. Hope you can help. I'll enjoy trying your method eventhough I've never made a batch file. Always needed a reason to learn. I still believe DOS is an essential to good troubleshooting. So for the Batch file do I use basil or cinnamon? Just kidding. Thanks for the tip.

Thank you. I think this would be very valid and easy

I am interested in your method but i have never created a batch file. Could you explain how so that i could try it?

start, run, command will get you a DOS screen
type: copy con bkup.bat [enter]
copy system.dat c:\"folder" [enter]
copy user.dat c:\"folder" [enter]
copy system.ini c:\"folder" [enter]
copy win.ini c:\"folder" [enter]
type backup done [enter]
[control z]
dos will respond with "1 file copied"
Of course you will need to build a suitable
folder name and directory to replace the word "folder" above and leave out the quotation marks.
The batch file will default to the c:\ directory
but ofcourse you can move it somewhere else if
you wish.

I read the article with interest, but came up a little short for the higher-end Windows versions where you have to pay attention to security and users profiles...

WHile I use the suggested techniques for exporting small bits of the registry to .reg files so I can replace them, what about a "best practice" way of backing up the registry for a Win2k or XP box? Right now I use the Emergency Repair Disk method on the Backup tool, and ask it to save the registry.

I usually run "msinfo32" and use the registry checker tool which prompts me to backup the registry if it hasn't been done that day. Any problem with that method? I know you can restore those backups if necessary. Sufficient?

This is exactly the information I was trying to locate. I knew there were two files to backup, but couldn't recall the names.

I'm curious. How do other techs keep critical info like this at their finger tips? A handwritten set of notes.... or what?

hOW TO backup W2K registry

For new systems administrators like myself, articals like this helps out a great deal. Thanks for giving great tips.

Trudy Vandeventer

SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EDITING THE REGISTRY? HELLO? SOMETHING NEW?

THIS IS OLD STUFF ! COME WITH SOMETHING NEW BOYS !


SUNRISER

Since you already know everything...

Some people found the article helpful. A healthy discussion ensued. Mission accomplished.

Something new......
The site does not revolve around you.
How ya like them apples?

To backup the registry in Windows XP , click Start , then click Run , type regedit , click OK , in Registry Editor , click File , click Export , in the dialog box that appears , click the Desktop icon , name the file , click Save. That's it!

open reg edit
right click om "My Computer"
click "export"
save it

The original article said "Under 2000/XP"..."you must use the BACKUP program located on the System Tools menu"

...this is not on my menu under XP Home.

So, the good old regedit is all I've been doing. Can't even find BACKUP on my XP Home system though in 98 etc. I used this when there was a sane place to backup to [and I don't mean on the same hard drive!]

Although Windows XP Professional Edition and XP Home both ship with NTBackup, only XP Pro installs NTBackup by default.

You can install NTBackup for XP Home by performing the following steps:
1. Insert the XP Home CD-ROM.
2. Navigate to the VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP folder.
3. Double-click the ntbackup.msi file to install NTBackup.

To back up the system state on XP Home, simply use System Restore, and create a restore point. Once you name the restore point, the system will create an image of the registry and entire system state. If your registry editing wreaks havoc, simply run system restore and select the restore point you created previously. If you're unable to boot to Windows, boot from the XP CD and run System Restore from there. Hope this helps.

System Restore on XP Home can be found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools

There was a nifty little applet tucked and hidden in one of the W95 CABs called CFGBACK.EXE. It does the same thing, but allows up to nine backups to be retained. I copied it from W95 into my (W98SE) C Root Directory, and use it from the RUN box in the START menu. The command line brings up a window with both backup and restore options, as well as a list of backups stored. The backed up REGISTRY files are called REGBAKX.RBK, where X=the backups numbered 1 through 9.

At http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBL/tip5500/rh5501.htm you can download a great program called ERUNT that will effectively backup and restore your registry in XP