RegBackup
Windows Registry Backup, Restore and Compare
Ver 1

The Windows registry is a dark and foreboding place; a maze of twisty passages, all alike.  Fortunately, we do not have to tread this quagmire ourselves -- we have software to do that for us.

RegBackup is a program that will save all or part of the registry, or perform an incremental backup to save only those items that have changed since the last backup operation was performed.  It can also restore all or part of the registry from a saved backup file, or compare a backup save file to the current (live) registry and highlight those items that have changed.

RegBackup may be configured to automatically perform periodic  backup operations: once a day, once a week, or once a month.  Using this option, you can always perform a "disaster recovery" if the registry becomes mangeled due to accidental or malicious misuse.

RegBackup may be registered at either ShareIt! or at RegSoft.  However, RegBackup is fully functional, and will only show the "nag screen" until a registration code is entered.  Once the registration code is acquired, it may be entered from the main menu
File > Enter Registration Code

The main menu has several options available:
Use BACKUP to save all or part of the registry to a file.
Then RESTORE to replace part of the registry with the data stored in a backup save file.
Or try COMPARE to find out what changed since a backup save was performed.
You can  FIND to search for text or changes in the registry.
Use PERIODIC to configure automatic backups.
When you have a problem, use  CANCEL to break out of a lengthy operation.
Learn how to REGISTER here.
There are also some miscellaneous notes and information that should be read before starting a backup or restore operation.

You can email me with questions or comments, or visit my website for new news.
As always, you should read the legal notice before using any software.


Backup Operation
File > Open Registry for Backup
To enter the backup operation, the registry must be opened.  Select "Open Registry for Backup" to start this operation.  You may navigate through the registry, examining keys and values.  Select the keys and values you wish to save,  then select the backup operation you want.  When a key is selected, all sub-keys and values below this key are also saved.  For example, selecting "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" at the top level will cause all keys and values in that brach of the registry to be saved to the backup file.

Backup > Save Selected Items
This will save only those keys (and sub-keys) selected by the user.  Multiple items may be selected by using the control-key with the mouse click. Depending upon the number of keys selected, and the depth of the registry tree, this operation may take several minutes to complete and generate a backup file of several megabytes in size.

Backup > Save Incrementally
This is the best option for normal use.  This option will request a date and time  from the user, then save only those keys and value that have been created or modified since that time.  It also remembers the date and time of the last backup operation, so that it becomes easy to create a sequence of incremental backup files that may be used in step-wise fashion to restore the registry when needed.

The backup save files created with this option are generally much smaller than the "Save Selected Items" and very much smaller than the "Save All Items" options.  However, since each and every key and value needs to be checked and compared to the specified date and time, this option may take several minutes to complete.

Backup > Save All Items
This performs a complete backup of the entire Windows registry.  You may expect a backup save file of between 30 MByte and 50 MByte in size.  It will also take several minutes to perform this action, since each and every key and value in the registry will be saved.  In general, it is a good idea to perform a complete backup before any major change to your system (for example, adding new hardware or installing a major software package), then perform incremental backups after that to keep a running update of the contents of the registry.


Restore Operation
File > Open File for Restore
To replace the contents of the registry with the contents save in a file, the file must first be identified and opened.  Once opened, it will appear in the main window in the same manner as the "live" registry does.

Restore > Restore Selected Items
From the main window, select the keys and values you wish to have restored in the registry.  Multiple items may be selected by using the control-key with the mouse click.  Note that (similar to the backup operation) when a key is selected, all sub-keys and values under that key are also restored to the registry.

Restore > Restore All Items
This option will cause all the items in the file to be written to the registry.  Each and every key and value previously stored in the backup save file will be restored.  Use this option with care: if you have selected a save file that contains a complete backup, you may over-write some very important items in the registry.


Compare Operation
File > Open File for Compare
This option reads a saved backup file, and displays it in the main window with highlighting to show what items have been changed in the registry since the backup file was created.  Once the file has been read in, color coding will show how the items in the file compare to the same items in the registry.
 
Items in black Found in both the registry and the file, with no changes
Items in red Found only in the registry (i.e., a new item added to the registry since the file was created)
Items in blue Found only in the file (i.e., deleted from the registry since the file was created)
Items in magenta Found in both the file and the registry, but with different values

Use the FIND menu selections to find items that differ between the file and the registry.


FIND Items
Find > Find First Text
Find > Find Next Text
Once either the live registry or a backup save file is loaded into the main window, you may search it for strings of text.  Any text may be entered, and the search operation will look in both keys and values.  The search is case insensitive.

Find > Find First By Date
Find > Find Next By Date
Asks the user for a date and time, then searches for keys or values that have been created or modified since that time.  This search option is only valid when the live registry is loaded (since date and time information is not stored in the backup save file).

Find > Find First Difference
Find > Find Next Difference
This option is only available when a backup save file is opened for a compare operation.  This will find keys and values that do not match exactly with items currently stored in the live registry.  The color coding will indicate how an item stored in the backup save file differs from that in the registry:
 
Items in black Found in both the registry and the file, with no changes
Items in red Found only in the registry (i.e., a new item added to the registry since the file was created)
Items in blue Found only in the file (i.e., deleted from the registry since the file was created)
Items in magenta Found in both the file and the registry, but with different values


PERIODIC Backups
Periodic > Config Periodic Backups
Use this to decide how often to perform an automatic incremental backup, and where to store the backup save file.  For automatic backups to work properly, the RegBackup program needs to be launched when Windows starts up.  This can be achieved using the RegSetup program, and selecting the "Automatically Launch When Windows Starts" check box.

Backup save files created automatically are created with the name "Byymmddhhnn.RBK" where
 
yy  = year
mm  = month
dd  = day
hh  = hour
nn  = minute

These backup save files are then stored in the directory specified on the configuration screen.

Periodic > Perform Periodic Backup Now
If you can't wait for the next automatic backup, you can force one using this option.  An incremental backup is performed, the file named in the usual way, and stored in the usual directory.


CANCEL
Some of the operations are lengthy and time-consuming.  A full backup, or a restore from a full backup, may take several minutes to complete.  When a long operation is started, the CANCEL button is enabled on the main menu and status text may be seen scrolling by on the bottom status bar.  If at any time you need to cancel the current operation, simply click the CANCEL menu item.  Note that CANCELing an operation in progress will leave the target of that operation in an unknown state.  For example, canceling a backup operation will leave the backup save file incomplete, and not really a good choice for a later restore operation.  Selecting CANCEL during a restore operation is almost always a bad idea, since you have no idea what state the registry is in after the cancel.  Use this option with the utmost care.

If at any time you think the program is "hung up", watch the status bar at the bottom of the main window.  If it appears that text is scrolling by, then the program is working (the text may be going by too fast to read it, but at least it should be changing).  Most backup and restore operations are very time-consuming, due to the sheer numbers of entries in the Windows registry.


Please Register
File > Enter Registration Code
RegBackup is user-supported software.  While RegBackup is fully functional, entering a registration code from ShareIt! or RegSoft will stop the annoying pop-up you see when you first start the program.  Also, people occasionally email me with comments, suggestions, or questions.  People with a registration code get my undivided attention; others get divided attention.


Notes

Some of the backup save files can get quite large.  For a full backup, the average desktop computer may create a backup save file of 30 MByte to 50 MByte.  However, these save files are flat text, so they can normally be compressed to 10% of their original size.  A typical full backup generated a save file of 37 MByte; it was ZIPped to about 3 MByte.

Most backup, restore, and compare operations have to "look at" each and every key and value in the registry.  Since there are literally thousands and thousands of entries, these operations may take several minutes to complete.  If you feel that RegBackup has become "hung up", please watch the status bar at the bottom of the main view window.  During each operation, status text will scroll by on that status bar (perhaps too fast to be read).  If the text is changing, then the program is working.  Clicking on the top bar of the window (the Windows "move bar") will temporarily pause the program, and give you a chance to read the text in the status bar.  If it is changing from one click to the next, then the program is working.  If all else fails, click on CANCEL to abort the current operation.

During the backup and restore operations, the value names and value data are shown in bold type.  Under the value name is shown the size of the data in bytes, the type of the data (REG_SZ, REG_DWORD, etc), and the actual data (converted to a text display).
 


Legal

This software is provided "as-is".  This software comes without warranty  or guarantee, explicit or implied.  Use this software at your own risk.   The author will not be liable for any damage to equipment, data, or information that may result while using this software.

By using this software, you agree to the conditions stated above.

This software is sold as a registered product to the user; however, the source code is protected by applicable intellectual property rights and treaties.