Backing up parts of the registry?

Tom Stalley · Jan 7, 2008

I've got a server running Windows 2003 and I know there are many ways to completely backup the registry using Windows backup app or ERUNT, but is there a way to backup specified registry trees without backing up the whole registry? Only portions of the registry are updated on the weekly and those are the ones I'm most concerned about backing up.

EDIT: I could setup a batch file to run through the task manager for Importing/Exporting portions of the registry, but I'm hoping there may be a program out there that can do scheduled backups and send reports on the backup progress.

Mada_Milty · Jan 7, 2008

From this link:

In Windows XP, 2000, and 2003 there are several Registry files. These files are named without a file extension and are stored in the Windows\System32\Config folder. These files are named Software, System, SAM, Security, Default, and UserDiff. There is one more Registry file and it does have a file extension, NTuser.dat. In Windows XP, 2000 and 2003. NTuser.dat is stored in the users folder under the Documents and Settings folder. Each user has their own NTuser.dat file. The NTuser.dat file stores all settings that each user selects; these settings will override settings stored in the System file.

The function of each file is different. Security stores information about security. The SAM file stores information about the Security Accounts Manager service. Neither of these two files, Security and SAM, are viewable in RegEdit, unless you reset the permissions. System stores all the information about hardware. Software stores information about your software and how Windows will perform and the default Windows settings. The Default file, stores all the default user settings, the NTuser.dat file overrides the default user settings. The UserDiff file stores information about the corresponding SubKeys in the HKEY_USERS Hive for each registered user.

Each of these Registry files has its own backup which is made during the Windows installation. They are never updated. They are located in the
Windows\System32\Config folder, and have a file extension of sav. These file are created at the end of the text base part of the Windows installation, before the graphic part begins. Installing these sav Registry files will reset Windows to the point of finishing the Windows installation. These files will only be updated if you perform a Windows repair by using the R option during a Windows reinstall.

There is also another set of Registry files save to Windows\Repair. These are same as the sav file. Except they will never be updated. If you use these files you will reboot back into Windows to the point, "Windows is Now Setting Up" during a Windows installation. Your software setting and user setting are all gone. There are no users yet in these files .

On Windows XP, Windows also creates a current backup of the Registry each time System Restore creates a restore point. These Registry files are located in the System Restore Information folder on the same drive as Windows is installed. However, the System Restore only seems to work if the Registry is not damaged or corrupted. It just seems like it never works when you really need it.

For security reasons, the Kernel32.dll protects these files from being copied or altered without the use of the Kernel32.dll. You cannot manually make backups, and you cannot change some of the Keys' information.

To make a backup of the Registry you will need to use either a third party backup tool or Windows Backup. If you use the Windows Backup tool you need to make a System State backup to backup the Registry.
Click to expand...

There is a better description of these files on Microsoft's site, but I'm having a heck of a time finding the page I was thinking of....

Mada_Milty · Jan 7, 2008

Oh, and of course, there's always the method of exporting to a .REG file, for specific part of each hive.

With the right commands, I believe this can be done programmatically (edit: this is for IMPORTING into the registry only, AFAIK)

Tom Stalley · Jan 8, 2008

While these are both solid solutions, I think I should refine the question. I guess what I'm more looking for is perhaps even a macro program we could set to do scheduled backups of the registry and reports when it completes/fails. From my research, I think what I'm looking for maybe a tall order.

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