win 7 x 64 reg backup

Hello
I believe an original question had to do with backing up the registry as I read only keys or parts of it could be backed up. I do not wish to use erunt at this time. I cannot find it under my subscriptions so it must be in a thread in which I meandered.
How do you back up the registry using regedit?
I have Win 7 x 64. I remember running regedit and exporting to desktop but do not recall the specific choices for the save in etc boxes. I think there was a *reg choice. I also remember “all”. Was the key the root key?
When done, if you double click on the icon, should the entire registry be restored as it was before the backup?
I guess you can tell I need the appropriate steps.
Thank you
Peter

 

As you know peter, system restore will restore your registry, but it does so along with other system files. The idea is to ensure the system remains in a consistent and stable state. Restoring the registry in isolation could I believe destabilise a system. Why do you want to be able to do it?

 

Thank you,Tim, I am still hunting around, but no luck so far. Win 7 is different than xp, I believe, and I did not want to expirement with the registry.
I did get a referal that discussed backing up keys and parts of the registry but not the whole entity.
I will share when I find out the steps are taken.
Peter