[nfbcs] Editing Windows Registry

[Steve Jacobson]

John,

How you aproach this depends upon what it is that you want to do.  REGEDIT is clunky, but it has the advantage of enforcing the tree structure.  However, one 
approach I have used is to export the keys that I want to change and then importing them again after editing them with a text editor.  However, what you will find, 
though, is that using a text editor is also a little clunky because of the data being edited.  However, on a certain wireless network, whenever I reset my password, I 
have to delete a key in the registry so that the previous credentials are not used.  I created a file called EAPRESET.REG that when I run from Windows explorer, 
runs REGEDIT by association and deletes the key.  The file looks like this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\EAPOL\UserEapInfo]

You can find information about the syntax on the web, or you can export your whole registry and look at it with a text editor but that is kind of a pain.

REGEDIT also has command line options but they don't seem to display using the normal strategy.  As I recall, they allow backing up and restoring the registry.  
Some discussion of ".REG" files with links to backing up and restoring the registry can be found at

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310516

The bottom line is that if you want to do something that is a little complicated or will be recurring, you may want to look at the above.  If you just need to do 
something once, REGEDIT isn't that bad once you get used to it and it has some advantages.  Remember that it has a search command as well.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Fri, 9 Apr 2010 10:49:30 -0500, John G. Heim wrote:

>Any tips on editing a Windows registry? I have used regedit but it seems 
>kind of klunky. Anything easier to use? Freeware or open source only.

>PS: Regarding our discussion about editing the Windows registry via linux, 
>according to wikipedia, it can be done: "It also possible to edit the 
>registry under Linux using the open source Offline NT Password & Registry 
>Editor." I haven't tried it yet though.


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