How to backup Registry Keys in Windows XP

How to backup Registry Keys in Windows XP?

Making changes to the Windows Registry in Windows XP can be a little intimidating considering how important and sensitive the registry is.

Before you make any change to any registry key, you should export any registry subkeys that contain values that you're planning to make changes to.

Once backed up, you can feel comfortable that just about any minor change you make can be undone quickly.

Follow these easy steps to backup registry subkeys in the Windows XP Registry.



Step1. Click on Start and then Run....


Step2. In the text box in the Run window, type regedit and click OK. This will open the Registry Editor program.


Step3. Using the [+] icon, navigate down through the branches until you reach the subkey (the folder on the left) that contains the value(s) you're going to change in the window on the right.


Step4. Make sure the subkey you navigated to in the previous step is selected on the left.

Step5. From the Registry Editor menu, choose File and then Export....



Step6. In the Export Registry File window that appears, choose a location to save the file in.

Note: I recommend choosing your desktop or the C:\ drive. Both are easy to access in case you run into problems later and need to use the file.

Step7. Locate the File name: text field and enter a name for the backup file.

Note: This name is for you to remember what the exported registry file is for. This name has no effect on anything and doesn't have to be named something technical. If you're backing up a registry subkey named {EFA24E64-B078-11D0-89E4-00C04FC9E26E}, feel free to call it My Reg Backup or whatever makes sense to you.

Step8. Click the Save button.

Note: A Registration File with an REG file extension will be created in the location you chose in Step 6 and with the file name you chose in Step 7. Continuing the example from the last step, the file would be named My Reg Backup.reg.

Step9. You can now make changes to the registry keys inside the subkey that you just exported.

Step10. If at any point in the future you'd like to undo any changes you've made to these registry keys, simply restore the registry keys back into the Windows XP Registry.




Note: If you feel the above operation is difficult and not convenient. Here we recommend Registry Booster, a powerful tool helps you to clean, backup, restore and defrag registry by few clicks.

Related Restriction Tips

• How to restrict users from changing desktop wallpaper

  How to restrict users from changing desktop wallpaper? Restrict users from desktop wallpaper through registry. You can do this just by setting different value of the certain registry...

  Add Time:06.26, 2008    Hits:14,449

• How to unlock registry keys

  How to unlock registry keys? In Microsoft Windows, registry keys are used to store configuration information: the value of a relevant key is changed every time a program is installed...

  Add Time:07.14, 2008    Hits:10,017

• How to change the name of My Computer

  How to change the name of My Computer Here shows you how to change the name of My Computer through registry. (See: Windows Registry Structure )You can do this just by setting...

  Add Time:06.25, 2008    Hits:8,405

• How to clear Internet Explorer address bar auto-complete entries

  How to clear Internet Explorer address bar auto-complete entries Clear Internet Explorer address bar auto-complete entries through registry. The following are the detailed steps. Note...

  Add Time:06.26, 2008    Hits:7,138

• How do I Auto-Hide the Taskbar Using the Registry

  How do I Auto-Hide the Taskbar Using the Registry If you are interested in modifying the look of your Windows desktop one way to accomplish this is to auto- hide the taskbar. The...

  Add Time:07.08, 2008    Hits:6,241

• How to edit registry key in Windows XP

  How to edit registry key in Windows XP? Editing registry key can be very complicated and highly risky. Please do NOT try this unless you are absolutely positive that you might mess up the...

  Add Time:07.14, 2008    Hits:5,338

• Using Windows Scripting Host to Modify the Registry

  Using Windows Scripting Host to Modify the Registry First introduced as an add-on in NT 4.0, WSH is now an integral part of Win2K. The idea was to take the scripting container available in...

  Add Time:07.11, 2008    Hits:5,218

• You do not have access to logon to this session

  You do not have access to logon to this session Error message when you try to use the Remote Assistance feature on a computer that is running Windows XP or...

  Add Time:09.04, 2008    Hits:4,889

• How to uninstall Norton or Symantec Anti-Virus Program

  How to uninstall Norton or Symantec Anti-Virus Program? Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might...

  Add Time:07.27, 2008    Hits:4,643

• How to Remove an ActiveX Control in Windows

  How to Remove an ActiveX Control in Windows? Remove an ActiveX control from your computer, error messages that may occur when you attempt to remove an ActiveX control, and the use of multiple...

  Add Time:08.21, 2008    Hits:4,278