Registry questions

From registry help:
"In Windows Explorer, double-clicking a file with the .reg extension imports the file into the computer's registry"

1) If one were to do this by accident, is there an "undo", or does one have to go to a backup of the registry? I didn't, I'm just curious.

2) To backup the registry using the export feature, I could save the whole thing as mrpewty.reg. Is repairing a screwup as easy as just double clicking on that file?

Thanks

 

1= no
2= yes

 

thanks

 

Just a tiny postscript to Kodo's succinct (!) and absolutely accurate response above:

1. If you're going to store (keep) a reg backup file for the whole registry or for any key (a key you're going to delete but think you might want to restore later -- lots of people remove the Recycle Bin icon from the desktop with a tweak, but save the deleted key JIC they decide they want the icon back later, for instance) for a while, it's a good idea to name it carefully so that you know what it is, and to change the extension to txt. That way, if it gets clicked by accident, all that happens is that you see what's in it. If you ever need to use it, just change the extension back to reg and double-click away. The registry doesn't care what the name of a reg file is, so name it carefully for your own use.

2. There are lots of great registry backup-and-restore programs out there for XP (Like ERUNT, for instance), and it can't hurt and might save your bacon to use one and have a registry backup stored in addition to (or instead of) relying on the MS registry export function to do the job accurately every time.

Just a thought or two.

 

something else--


if you import an entire registry backup, you will get errors on some things that are in use.

try it.


its better to back up just what you modify.

 

To be on the safe side you can change/add the default action for .reg files from "Merge" to "Edit" (open in Notepad).