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From: John John - MVP on 11 Dec 2009 20:53
bilm wrote:
> Is there a program that can rebuild the registry from the last
> restore point that works in DOS mode ?
>
> When I get a crash caused by a corrupt registry, Windows won't boot.
> I'm familiar with the pains taking method where the Windows install
> DVD is used with the Recovery Console. Lots of typing and rebooting.
>
> I was hoping for an easier way.

Is this for use on your own computer or for use when working on other
people's computers? You realize that you can save and batch these
Recovery Console commands? The MSKB article tells you how to do this.

You're asking for a pretty tall order to find a utility that will run on
an antiquated operating system like DOS and that will not only be able
to read and write to NTFS but that will also be able to extract the
registry files from restore points. I know that to someone with a bit
of programming experience, or even with advanced batch file skills this
is probably not too difficult; use an ntfs driver that will allow DOS to
read and write to the NTFS drive and the rest is probably not all that
difficult for those who know how to do it. But other than for a few
arcane tasks few of the experts use DOS to repair problems on Windows XP
machines.

Make yourself a Bart PE disk ( http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ ) or do it
the easy way and download a pre-built one ( http://www.ubcd4win.com/ )
or even use a live Linux CD and you will be able to do whatever you want
while you are booted with one of these discs, Windows will be fast
asleep and you will be able to copy whatever you want on the Windows
drive! All you have to do is make a copy of the System32\Config folder
and if you later need to you can just use it to replace the original
folder. That is all there is to it.

You don't want the hassles of booting to a live CD? Then get yourself a
disk imaging or cloning utility and it will be able to backup (image) or
clone the Windows installation from the up and running Windows session.
You can then extract the System33\Config folder from the image and
then just copy the folder to the System32 folder of the Windows
installation and give it a name like Config2 and then if you ever need
to use it you can simply rename the folders from the Recovery Console.
In the case of a cloning utility the folder will be cloned along with
the rest of the Windows installation to another hard drive.

Still too much trouble or you think that imaging or cloning is too time
consuming? Use the NTBackup utility (it's on your Windows CD or
available for download on the Internet) and do a System State data
backup. Select to backup only the System State data, don't select any
other files. The backup will take about two to three minutes to
complete. Then do a restore of the System State backup but *restore it
to a different location!* In other words restore it to a special folder
that you will create just for this task. The restored system state will
contain a folder named REGISTRY, copy the folder over to the System32
folder and when needed rename it from the Recovery Console as mentioned
earlier. After you reboot the machine to recover from a corrupt
registry you can then do a System Restore to a recent point or if you
have a fresh backup of the System State data you can restore it to its
original location.

John
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