How to replace registry?

Question

I messed up my registry using regedit so my machine won't boot (blue screen with movable cursor only). With the recovery console from a boot using the reinstallation cd I have found the registry copy I saved to another drive partition before damaging the original registry. The copy which I believe is good is has a 'reg' extension. I don't know where in C: to find the damaged master registry file. Where is it and what is it's extension? As I recall, If my machine would still boot from the C: drive, I would just execute the saved copy and it would replace the damaged master. How do I replace the master with the good copy when working from the Recovery Console booted from the CD? The machine is a Dimension 8200 running XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 and all updates. There are two internal hard drives partitioned as 1: c: & e: and 2: d: and f: with an external hard drive normally named I: In the recovery console the command line seems to call that external drive I: to be drive D: Thanks.

dunedin · Answer

The first thing to do is to try System Restore from the Safe Mode Options screen.

Boot into Safe Mode by pressing F8 at bootup and choose
'Safe mode with command prompt' (use the arrow keys)

Hopefully this will open System Restore which will replace the registry

At the command prompt type

C:\Windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

Pick a Restore Point in BOLD before the problem started.

kfh777 · Answer

Do you mean F8 for safe mode while booting from the CD? Either I missed it or it is not there. I got a screen which showed me 'Profile 1' and a couple of choices including 'Last good ...'. There was a count down timer and I ended up with a solid blue screen and movable cursor only. I assume I need to start rstrui.exe from the command line in Safe Mode and not from the command line I reached as reported in my initial post.

mombodog · Answer

No CD involved, start tapping F8 right after you power up the PC.  Then choose Safe mode with command prompt.

maxd · Answer

I'd say your best chance of recovery via Windows is the Last Known Good Configuration option (of the Advanced Menu) that you mentioned. Don't know how you saved your registry (and have never needed to replace a backup of it) but I think the Recovery Console will likely end up being the only option that might work. Some use XP's Backup feature to handle registry backup; in this context it's referred to as System State. Unsure of the limitations of it but I tend to do every so often just in case it may get me out of those regedit messes.

kfh777 · Answer

F8 at boot does not give access to Safe Mode. It does give a prompt to 'hit any key to boot from CD'. Doing nothing continues to the blue screen. How can I get to Safe Mode from the Recovery Console? When I say I saved a version of the registry I mean I 'export'ed it from regedit before my disastrous editing. That yields an ascii file with an reg extension. If Windows was running I could just execute that reg file and the registry would be returned to that saved state. That would be good.

maxd · Answer

Take the cd out of system. Switch your boot order in BIOS back to:   1. floppy 2. HDD 3. CD-Rom   Save changes and exit.   When lights on keyboard start flashing tap the F8 key until the 'Advanced Menu' comes up. Select 'Last Known...' and exit/restart. I'm sorry to say I think your chances are limited but give it a shot. I'm not familiar with using a floppy or Recovery Console to replace the damaged registry.

Windows General

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