Importing and Exporting a Registry Key

Whether you're backing up a Registry key, restoring from a backup, or simply copying a Registry key from one computer to another, the steps are very similar. The following steps show you how to copy a Registry key from one computer to another:

1. In the Registry Editor, navigate to the Registry key you want to export.

2. Select the key, and then select File, Export to display the Export Registry File dialog box.

3. Select a location to save your exported file and give the file a name.

4. The Registry Editor exports only the selected Registry branch by default. You can export the entire Registry by selecting the All button, but it's much better practice simply to back up the Registry, as explained previously in this appendix.

   CAUTION

   Exporting the entire Registry is a valid method of backing up the Registry. However, never import one computer's entire Registry into another computer. The Registry contains detailed information about the users, hardware, and software on a computer. Using another computer's Registry is a recipe for disaster.

5. Click Save to save the file.

Importing a Registry key is very simple. You can double-click the .reg file and Windows automatically adds the information to your Registry. You can also open the Registry Editor and select File, Import. Navigate to the location of the .reg file you want to import and select Open. Windows informs you when the information has been successfully imported.