10 replies to this topic

[Wm Goat]

Ive used CCleaner for several years now and do appreciate that fact that the registry is backed up prior to any changes.

However, being the proactive animal I am, I want to know how to use this backed up .reg file just in case a change I apply screws everything up. Theres no info on this in the help files.

I know that if the OS comes up to any mode, I can simply import a saved .reg file using regedit or by clicking on the old .reg file, but lets consider the worse case scenario....a pc that is totally unbootable due to a corrupted registry (and all the copies that are auto-created by Windows - especially the first one available in safe mode - are hosed as well). To fix this, I would want to go back several weeks to use a .reg file that I know that works, and am willing to accept that any changes made between now and then are gone.

(Wonder if I could just do a system restore to an older restore point to get the old reg back as well???? Not sure if system restore only brings back older executables and dll's, and the registry from that date, or if it just brings back the executables and dll's. But if I cant get to safe mode, this is a moot point anyway.)

So if I boot into safe mode, it uses the current registry (if I remember my windows training correctly). I could then simply import the old registry using regedi and reboot to full mode.
Buts lets presume that it wont even boot into safe mode. Now what is the procedure? Ive seen that you can boot off a BART PE cd, but that process establishes a temp os and uses its own registry settings, and not whats on the machine. So, if I use a bart cd, is there a way to mount the existing ntfs file system, somehow make an import or copy the .reg file into place, and then try a reboot? If so, where should I place the replacement file (path location)?

Also, I trying to do research on using the .reg file, Ive read that .reg files are inadequate for a true registry restore, and that you have to have the hive also.
(see http://www.larsheder...runt/erunt.txt).
If this is true, whats the workaround for this if CCleaner only saves a .reg file without the hive?

[DennisD]

Hi Wm Goat, and welcome to the forum.

That's a lot of what ifs and alternative scenarios.

You are on the right track with ERUNT, and it's companion NTREGOPT. A lot of the guys on here use and recommend both of those utilities. I have ERUNT configured to make a backup of the registry daily at first boot. One fresh copy per day, and keeping backups of the previous 3 days. (Personal choice)

This would serve you well in most cases of corrupt registry entries and all the pain that goes with them. CCleaner, as you obviously realise, makes a backup of only the reg entries it deletes, and is therefore really only good for problems arising immediately, or soon after, an "Issues" clean.

A successful System Restore would give you back your PC at exactly the state it was in at that point, which includes the snapshot of the registry. I say successful, because from my own experience, an attempted restore isn't always successful.

For the more serious scenario you mention, an unbootable PC, (or failed System Restore), then a BartPE rescue CD is the right direction to go in. However, after you reboot with it, what then?

In my case, the next step would be to restore a previously made ISO Image of my Operating System, C: drive.

A few guys on here, including myself, have made Backup Disk Images using a free application called Macrium Reflect.

Free version available here:

There's a Macrium Reflect Plug In for the BartPE rescue CD, although Macrium also has it's own Bootable Rescue CD, from which you can restore your Image Backup.

You can of course get Commercial Image Backup software, but I like to stick to the freeware road, and I find Macrium fulfills my requirements fine.

The beauty of an Image Backup is the fact you are reinstalling your OS with all the software and data you had at the point of making the Image, as opposed to a fresh install of Windows and all the hassle that comes afterwards replacing all your software etc..

That's my approach to the worst case scenario, and I'm sure the guys on here will be happy to add their two penneth as to any suggestions different to the above. There's a few roads you could go down.

Hope that helps, and goes some way to answering your questions.

[Disk4mat]

Echo drive images. I have all user shell folders located on a separate partition. Restore a drive image in 12 minutes without loosing a single user created file. Gotta love the simplicity.

If its avail from the recovery console you could use REG IMPORT filename.reg

Otherwise when dealing with an OS that wont boot, 'Last known good configuration' is a nice option. Sometimes Ive seen the last good config get replaced by the bad config when multiple boot attempts were made.

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

The references section has some additional reading.

[Andavari]

Wm Goat, on Sep 17 2008, 11:13 AM, said:

ets consider the worse case scenario....a pc that is totally unbootable due to a corrupted registry

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545

Just print the document for safe keeping, follow it, and download the Guided Help for future use.

[davey]

Wm Goat, on Sep 17 2008, 01:13 PM, said:

Also, I trying to do research on using the .reg file, Ive read that .reg files are inadequate for a true registry restore, and that you have to have the hive also.
(see http://www.larsheder...runt/erunt.txt).
If this is true, whats the workaround for this if CCleaner only saves a .reg file without the hive?

DennisD, on Sep 17 2008, 04:58 PM, said:

Hi Wm Goat, and welcome to the forum.

Disk4mat, on Sep 17 2008, 09:44 PM, said:

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
The references section has some additional reading.

Andavari, on Sep 18 2008, 02:00 AM, said:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545
Just print the document for safe keeping, follow it, and download the Guided Help for future use.

Man this a great thread for such an important situation.
Also don't forget ERUNT's documentation goes into this also . Print it off and keep it with your Emergency PC recovery kit.
I am still working on my Emergency boot tools and this info comes in really handy.
Thank you all. davey
P.S. I only have 3 steps developed so far:
1. Take enclosed Aspirin to prevent or help in case of heart-attack.
2. Take Happy Hour early or like (YoKenny's signature suggests) take a nap.
3. If you find yourself repeating Step 2 over and over, seek immediate professional medical help.

[Andavari]

It's best to make those files (Regcopy1.txt, Regcopy2.txt) that Microsoft article "kb307545: How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting" mentions beforehand, as well as printing it because you surely cannot use the instructions if you don't have them printed on paper and are just glaring at a command prompt in Recovery Console.

It's also wise to install the Recovery Console in the event of registry restoration, or in the event of malware having to be removed using it, etc.

[Andavari]

davey, on Sep 18 2008, 12:14 AM, said:

Also don't forget ERUNT's documentation goes into this also .

ERUNT is "supposed" to be able to be used in the Recovery Console, however I couldn't get it to work, then again I haven't been using the Recovery Console all that long (not even a week yet).

If anyone knows how to make ERUNT work in the Recovery Console please share it.

[AlwaysLearning]

Well i am in this exact position having never made reg backups tsk tsk
unable to boot w2k - but previously used CCleaner to make .reg backups b4 cleaning.

Am toying with an idea of installing w2k and CCleaner in a virtual machine.
Then using knoppix to access the unbootable pc and copying the hives and CCleaner .reg backups to another partition and replacing the hives in the virtual machine with the hives from the unbootable pc and merging the .reg backups. Then copying those back to the unbootable pc.

Could this be a possibility? That might work? Comments?

[DennisD]

AlwaysLearning, on Sep 18 2008, 06:19 PM, said:

Well i am in this exact position having never made reg backups tsk tsk
unable to boot w2k - but previously used CCleaner to make .reg backups b4 cleaning.

Am toying with an idea of installing w2k and CCleaner in a virtual machine.
Then using knoppix to access the unbootable pc and copying the hives and CCleaner .reg backups to another partition and replacing the hives in the virtual machine with the hives from the unbootable pc and merging the .reg backups. Then copying those back to the unbootable pc.

Could this be a possibility? That might work? Comments?

Hi AlwaysLearning, and welcome to the forum.

Cool name, and I think you've come to the right place.

I've never used a VM, so I can't personally advise as to whether that would work, but there are guys on here who have, so this post will give you a bump, and hopefully you may get some input.

Good luck.

[Skye-hook]

I'm just an ordinary PC user, & I have been absolutely totally baffled by all I have found online about this exact subject. I have 4 folders full of programs & instructions on what to do with each program that supposedly helps with this situation of an unbootable Windows OS, & I have made many backups that I honestly do NOT believe can really be used to fix my PC if it completely crashs & won't reboot. The advice from everywhere is extremely confusing, & when ya get into trying to discover which way is best, easiest, surest, and free... what ya end with is my 4 folders of stuff & a scared confusion. I had to reformat 6 times in 2008, & REALLY do not want to go through that again in this life. Bart PE was very confusing also, so I never used it. WHY ISN'T there an easy sure way to backup a PC & be able to fix it easily in case of unbootable situation??? It's the MOST IMPORTANT thing about PCS! Look at all the other programs out there for pc maintenance. WHY no surefire backup??? I will take the advice here & this time plod along til I get them all done this time, & maybe I will finally have a fix. Let me see..I need an iso file (will use Macrium Reflect & also Acronis True Image to be sure I have a useable one), and then I need to make a rescue disk with Macrium or Bart PE. I hope if I have a future prob with unbootable pc, that Macrium or Bart PE actually works. In the meantime, I sure wish all programmers & Micrsoft too, would work on a recovery program that is a surefire, easy to do program! Thanks for all your advice! I do really appreciate it! Skye-hook
* Later note added- I found my solution! Paragon software makes many Backup & Recovery aps, & many of them are given away free from time to time, many on the site Giveawayoftheday.com. I got a great copy that was a true miracle! It does a backup image (ISO) and it also does the RECOVERY! NO additional software needed! It also makes a Rescue Disk. Then I got the new Paragon Drive Manager 2010 Suite, & it's so amazing! It even has a Recovery Wizard you see every time you bootup, so when I couldn't even bootup in safe mode, I used that & Bang-Pow, I had my PC back just like it was about a week before that! It just DID it! By itself, after I clicked for it to do it. Had the backup image it made on my external hardrive, & no problem! Several of their backup & recovery softwares have the wizard. It's so easy, I was shocked! Sorry I took so long to come back & tell ya about it! I'm through with all the search for an easy way to recovery from a non-bootable system. Hope you all try it, so your problems will be over too!

[Skye-hook]

Anyone needing a fast easy, non-confusing way to do a complete reg & system backup with it's own recovery utility, check out my "added later" on my 1st post here, please. I found THE solution!