Registry Backups (WinXP SP-2)

[CWBillow]

What files do I need to back up to back up the XP registry?

It doesn't seem that it's like "the old days" when it was just user.dat and system.dat.

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[Rebel]

<!mskb=322756>Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 322756<!/mskb>.

[WyllyWylly]

Alternate to John's post: 263731 - Registry Backups and Import (Win 2K/XP)

[CWBillow]

WyllyWylly (and John):

In MS KB 322756 it talks all about backing up the registry... and AAMOF, the MS Backup utility is fine for this purpose as well it appears...

But restoring may presume a non-working Windows install.

But if I get a (totally) screwed up registry, and therefore cannot run Win to get at the backup or reg editor, am I understanding what I'm reading correctly that the whole registry can be restored within the Recovery Console?

If my Windows install is flawed, will the RC still run?

Regards,
Chuck Billow

[StuartR]

Recovery Console can run from a bootable CD. It can also run from a BOOT.INI menu selection if you have the foresight to install it before the failure. Read this article for more information.

StuartR

[CWBillow]

Stuart:

I had the foresight long before the need or the knowledge of how to use same came along...

Thanks.

Chuck

[JoeP517]

I would be very leery of restoring just the registry. The registry is such a complex databse that you'd better be sure of the cause of a complete meltdown before trying a restore. Otherwise you'll be back in the same situation quickly. IMO, you are much better off with a backup regimen from which you can restore your system quickly and easily.

Joe

[CWBillow]

Joe:

I keep image backups every couple days...

This is a "first ditch attempt."

AAMOF, the error I got that started this chapter (Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: WINDOWSSYSTEM32CONFIGSYSTEM ) is quoted in "KB 307545 - How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting", so I figger I'm heading in an OK direction as a starting point.

Regards,
Chuck

[JoeP517]

Then what's the question? The article: How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting you mentioned tells you what files to recover. Therefore, you should be able to deduce what files to back up.

Joe

[CWBillow]

Joe:

I was pointed there by WyllyWylly and Rebel above in this thread... Didn't know till then...

Chuck

[WyllyWylly]

Joe's advice is sound: be leery of restoring an entire registry. Typically I would only try it to salvage information before a complete rebuild anyway, or for some other dire need. Perfect example: I changed a file association and wound up with a computer that would not run any executable file. Every program wound up opening Exact Audio Copy. I couldn't fix the registry key because when I tried to run REGEDIT... well, you can probably guess. EAC opened instead.

The solution was to copy a virgin registry hive over the existing one so that I could salvage recent data. Once I had gotten my precious information saved elsewhere, I formatted the drive and started clean.

The steps that I outlined in the other post are something I use when I am about to attempt something risky and potentially send my system down in flames. It's an old habit that has carried over from my previous experiences: always make a copy of any file you are about to modify. If I am installing software like Office or a service pack, this is an insurance policy that will allow me to recover from a non-booting system.

Hope that helps...

[CWBillow]

Mark:

As luck would have it, I restarted my system, and MY WINDOWS FOLDER WAS EMPTY!

Ah me....

In the process of recovering, I pulled some files out of an archive to my desktop, got what I wanted, went to delete th remnants, and couldn't.

They came from my "Documents and Settings" area, and there's a Drive<C> folder winth a "System Volume Information" folder in ti... and I cannot get rid of it.

I've tried moving it, deleteing it, running from the Recovery Console, in Safe Mode... it will not go away.

How the heck do I get rid of it?

Chuck

[Rebel]

<hr>MY WINDOWS FOLDER WAS EMPTY!<hr>

How did you determine that this folder was empty Chuck?

[DaveA]

System Volume Information Folder
If you've done much wandering around in Windows Explorer you might have noticed a folder called System Volume Information and wondered what purpose it serves. It's actually a part of System Restore; the tool that allows you to set points in time to roll back your computer. The System Volume Information folder is where XP stores these points and associated information that makes them accessible. If you have System Restore enabled but don't see this folder, go into [Tools] [Folder Options] [View] and click the radio button next to [Show Hidden Files and Folders] and it will be visible.

How many System Volume Information folders your computer has and where they are located depends on the settings you've selected for System Restore.

For more information go to http://www.theeldergeek.com/system_volume_...ion_folder1.htm

[CWBillow]

John:

I started up with BartPE, and then, in Explorer... and there you have it: an empty space!

Chuck