Restoring registry backup

Following the advice that I have read here so many times I backup up my registry to My Desktop this AM before making some changes. Called the backup registry.reg. I guess windows didn't like the changes as it pulled that annoying Registry Checker thing and restored me back to November which might as well have been the stone age. Ran scanreg /restore and only had some even older ones to choose from.

No problem, I have a backup. Well, booted to command prompt only and changed directories and heres what I got.

C:\>Windows\Desktop\registry.reg
Bad command or file name

What am I missing here?

Have you tried, scanreg /fix? Might get you back in. I believe to restore the registry with a backup you need said backup on a floppy. Don't quote me on that, but I thought I read that somewhere in this forum.

I was able to boot back into Windows and just merged the registry from the desktop. My question really is about how to do it from the Dos prompt.

This all started when I tried to install the new AVG 7. It wouldn't install because of a bad download. Thought I would try EZ Trust for awhile and tried to load it from the CD that came with the Microsoft Security Update CD (02/04). It wouldn't install because its firewall portion detected a previous installation of ZoneAlarm. Don't understand that because its essentially the same thing. So, backup up the registry to the desktop and went in and started carving ZoneAlarm out of there. Then on the next boot the registry checker thing jumped in and bit me on the *** again. Renamed scanregw and scanreg (again), merged my backup from the desktop, rebooted and was able to install EZ Trust.

Ain't computers grand?

Would just like to know how to restore the registry from Dos.

From dos I imagine you would use

regedit.exe in its dos mode . To see its syntax type

regedit.exe /?

So to create a registry from the back up on the desktop would be something like

Code:

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regedit.exe /c c:\windows\desktop\registry.reg

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Thanks General Winters

I've made a note of that for future reference. Didn't realize I needed to use regedit.exe as a .reg file seems to act as an executable within Windows.

Will try that next time I need it but right now I'm all merged out. :)

Glad you got the backup to work. Looks like General Winters has your other answer too.

Quote:

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Ain't computers grand?

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But of course they are....without mine I'd be totaly lost. ;)

Make sure that the ScanRegistry item in msconfig (Startup tab) is checked.
Or , if it is, it is a good idea to reboot every few days if you leave your computer running constantly.
Or, just use msinfo32 or similar to check and make a copy of your Registry.
I use a free simple program called RegBack that allows you to save up to 14 copies of the Registry and makes it extremely easy to replace the Registry in DOS.

Hey ! i am trying to get a friends pc fixed .it gives a "internet explorer has performed an illegal operation" :details: explorer.exe did the dumping..so i figure the file is corrupt or missing.. and thinking i could restore it from register checker if i can get there from command prompt somehow
from command prompt i have tried to asscess it by C:\msconfig but "Bad Command"
will C:\regedit.exe get the register checker open?
any advise or fix will be greatly appriciated.
Sam

From the command prompt if you want to open the registry checker you would type.

cd \ <enter>
cd windows <enter>
cd command <enter>

You will now see:

C:\>windows\command

From there if you want registry checker:

Scanreg

To fix the registry:

scanreg /fix

To restore a previous registry:

scanreg /restore

I think that you have a different problem so if that doesn't work start a new thread in the Windows 98 forum.

Leurgy Thank you !
If i get in, im gonna replace the explorer.exe file and just hope that solves or at least get me into the windows interface where i can get to other possiable fixes.
again thanks.......