Preparing for Registry Editing

So, you need to open the registry and solve your problems by modifying it. This is a normal situation, and I suppose you'll edit the registry directly. Some methods of configuring and troubleshooting the system, discussed later in this book, do require direct editing of the registry.

However, before you go any further, you'll need to backup the registry. Registry backup is the first thing that should be done before you begin editing the registry. Never start editing the registry without backing it up. No one is insured against errors, and registry editor (which will be discussed in the next chapter) doesn't have the Undo command present in most programs. Don't create unnecessary problems for yourself (unless you're fond of this!). There's a ready solution, and this solution is registry backup.

Windows XP provides various methods of registry backup and recovery, along with reliability enhancements. Some of these features were inherited from Windows NT/2000, while other ones were first introduced with Windows XP. This chapter provides detailed instructions on performing these procedures, and I tried to cover nearly all existing methods of registry backup.

Microsoft documentation and Microsoft Knowledge Base articles always contain standard warnings, which inform the user about the potential danger of direct registry editing. Microsoft doesn't guarantee that the problems caused by registry editing can necessarily be solved. If the system registry becomes corrupt, and you have no backup copy, it's highly possible that you'll need to reinstall the operating system.