You can choose any of several precautionary methods before making changes to your system that will affect the Registry. Some of these methods are integrated into WinXP, so we'll discuss those first.

Protection of your Registry using WinXP falls into three basic categories: light, medium, and heavy duty. Each is effective in certain situations, but you'll need to be familiar with the ins and outs of each method to know which one to use.

Light. The light method involves exporting Registry keys (containers of other keys and associated values; in the Registry Editor, keys appear as folders) from the Registry Editor. To use this method, you must know exactly which keys your tweaks will be affecting, and if you're not directly editing the Registry, this could be difficult. Nonetheless, the backup process here is simple.

Using the Registry Editor, you can back up individual Registry keys by selecting the key, opening the File menu, and clicking Export. Although this backup method is efficient, it can be confusing if you're not sure what key(s) to back up.

First, click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open field, and click OK. Find and highlight (by clicking) the key you'll be editing or the key your tweaks will modify. Click Export from the File menu, and in the Save In drop-down menu, choose a location of where to save the file. Type a file name in the field below and click Save. To restore this key at any point in the future, simply click (or double-click) the backup file ending in the .REG extension, and the original settings will be restored.

Although technically you could back up a whole Registry hive (a primary root key, such as HKEY_CURRENT_USER, that houses numerous other keys and values) or even the entire Registry using this method, it's not a good idea. One reason is because you could be left with a gigantic backup file (we've seen 50MB Registry backups) that won't do more than consume space if you never need it. More importantly, if you ever do need it to restore your Registry, double-clicking this file will likely overwrite much more than you'd like, disabling programs and settings that you installed and configured since the backup.

Medium. The medium protection method is more robust. WinXP's System Restore utility returns your system to a previous state, such as one that existed before you tweaked (and subsequently damaged) your Registry. System Restore won't restore your entire system. Instead, it keeps track of crucial system files, such as your Registry, and creates restore "points" at logical intervals (for instance, before changes occur). You also can set restore points manually, and this method is what you'd use before editing your Registry or tweaking other parts of your Windows environment.

To use System Restore, first you'll need to see if it's turned on. Open the System control panel (click Control Panel from the Start menu and choose the Performance And Maintenance category) and click the System Restore tab. Make sure there's not a check mark in the checkbox next to Turn Off System Restore (On All Drives) and that the status for your root drive (where Windows is installed) states Monitoring. From this tab, you also can change the amount of drive space available to System Restore (if you allocate more than the 200MB minimum, WinXP may allow for more restore points).

Next, click Help And Support from the Start menu. In the Pick A Task section, click Undo Changes To Your Computer With System Restore, which will launch the System Restore Wizard. Select the Create A Restore Point radio button, click Next, and then type a name for your restore point in the Restore Point Description field (don't bother including a date and time in your name because the utility automatically adds this information to your restore point name). Click Create to create the restore point.

To restore your computer to a previous state, launch the System Restore Wizard, select the Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time radio button, and click Next. The wizard will present a calendar with restore choices, and once you've chosen a restore point, click Next to implement it. When you click some of the restore points, you'll notice that Windows automatically created restore points for several events, such as program installation.

Windows XP's System Restore tool can return your system to a previous state, which is especially useful if Registry modifications damaged your current Windows environment.

System Restore is handy because, unlike full backups, it doesn't affect your personal files (such as documents, email messages, and your browsing history). It's also a relatively quick and painless process, which is useful if you regularly edit your Registry. On the downside, it's not flawless. Ironically, although it's intended to restore your system to a functional state, it won't function well itself at times (and unfortunately, there's no System Restore Restore utility).

For example, if edits to your Registry damaged your current Windows configuration, you can select a restore point to return to a prior state, however, System Restore will sometimes inform you that it can't restore the system, without giving you a reason. Furthermore, the restore process can take an extremely long time—as long as an hour during our tests. And when you're waiting to see whether you can recover from a system disaster, this can seem like days.

Finally, many users have reported that System Restore simply stops functioning at times, neglecting to automatically create restore points. If you configured the utility to create restore points on a regular basis to coincide with your regular tweaks, you may be in for serious trouble if System Restore isn't doing its job. In addition, it's important to remember that by design, System Restore becomes inactive if it doesn't have sufficient drive space (again, 200MB is a minimum); and even though it will start functioning again when drive space becomes available, all previous restore points will be gone. With this in mind, always manually create restore points if you're using System Restore as your Registry protection method, and always make sure you have enough drive space for the utility to run properly.

Heavy duty. The most thorough tool in WinXP for preserving your Registry is Microsoft's Backup utility. This tool protects your data by saving it to a separate drive or medium (such as a tape) just in case the Registry becomes damaged or your hard drive fails. If such a failure or damage happens, you can restore the data using the utility's Restore Wizard.

The Backup utility is included with the WinXP Professional installation, but it isn't included in the default installation of WinXP Home Edition. Even so, the WinXP Home Edition CD-ROM does include the Backup utility, and you can install it as part of your hard drive's WinXP installation. Directions for installing the utility are available online in Microsoft's Knowledge Base. Visit http://support.microsoft.com, type 302894 in the Search The Knowledge Base field, press ENTER, and click the How To Install Backup From The CD-ROM In Windows XP Home Edition link.

Please note, however, that even though WinXP Professional includes ASR (Automated System Recovery) as part of its Backup utility, WinXP Home Edition doesn't include ASR or support it. For more information, see the "ASR & Recovery Console" section of this article and/or "Find, Install & Use Backup & Restore" on page 55 in this issue.

Although you can back up your entire hard drive, you also can choose to just back up essential system files, including your Registry. To do so, first make sure you have permission as an administrator or backup operator on the computer. Next, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then Backup to launch the Backup Or Restore Wizard. Click Advanced Mode and then choose the Backup tab. From the Job menu, click New. Here, you'll see a Windows Explorer-like interface that lets you select drives, files, and/or folders to back up. Below the My Computer tree, place a check mark beside System State. Choose the backup destination in the Backup Destination drop-down menu, and if you choose File, you can choose the file name and path in the Backup Media Or File Name field (if you don't have a tape device installed, the backup destination will default to File).

By using Windows XP's Backup utility to back up the System State, you can quickly preserve your Registry before making any changes.

Next, click Start Backup, which will launch the Backup Job Information dialog box. In the If The Media Already Contains Backups section, you can choose whether you'd like to append the backup to the media or overwrite media that already exists at the backup destination. Next, click Advanced and select the Verify Data After Backup checkbox. You also can select the type of backup you'd like (in the Backup Type area). You can choose from Normal, Copy, Differential, Incremental, or Daily, and descriptions for the different types are available when you click them. Finally, click OK and Start Backup. When the backup finishes, click Close.

To restore the Registry using the Restore Wizard, again make sure you have permission as an administrator or backup operator on the computer. When you launch the Backup Or Restore Wizard, click Advanced Mode and the Restore And Manage Media tab. If you're restoring from a backup file, expand the file and then expand the backup file itself. If you're restoring from a backup stored on a tape, expand the media name. To restore the Registry (along with other system files), place a check mark in the System State checkbox. In the Restore Files To drop-down menu, choose Original Location. Click Options from the Tools menu and select Always Replace The File On My Computer. Click Start Restore, and then click OK if the following message appears: "Warning: Restoring System State will always overwrite current System State unless restoring to an alternate location."

Once you click OK at the Confirm Restore prompt, the process will begin. Click Close when the process finishes. Restart the computer if prompted.

Although this method is more thorough than the previous methods, it also can be a hassle on two levels. First, the backup process itself can be too time-consuming if you're only tinkering with one part of the Registry. Second, if you do need to restore your Registry, most of your OS (operating system) settings will return to their default settings, so you'll need to reconfigure your Windows environment according to your preferences. Granted, System Restore also will return your environment to a previous time, but at least some of your settings will remain, depending on the restore date you choose (if the restore works, of course).



Third-Party Backup Sources.

The WinXP protection methods aren't the only guns in town. There are excellent third-party utilities that can preserve your Registry before you do any editing, and some of these are actually easier to use than Microsoft's utilities.

ERUNT (Emergency Recovery Utility NT) is a freeware utility that was designed for one purpose: backing up your Registry. This tool (compatible with WinXP, as well as Windows NT/2000) lets you back up your Registry quickly and easily. ERUNT only saves Registry files that are in use by the system, so the process is extremely efficient and provides a painless way to preserve your Registry before editing it or installing and testing programs. You can download the tool from the utility's home page at http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.hederer/erunt. Plus, the download package includes NTREGOPT, a Registry optimizer.

Restoring your data using the Backup utility is as easy as backing it up; just choose a backup file and click the Start Restore button.

Super Win Software's WinRescue XP (shareware, $24.95 to register; http://www.superwin.com/findex.htm), provides a multitude of backup and restore options. The program works in a method similar to Microsoft's System Restore in that it takes snapshots of WinXP and restores it to a previous state if a program or Registry modification damaged the system. This tool includes RegPack, which removes unnecessary Registry content and rebuilds it to decrease the Registry size and increase WinXP efficiency.

ERS (Emergency Recovery System) 2K/XP from Backtec Software backs up vital Windows files, including the Registry. This tool implements Windows 98 MS-DOS files to effectively recover from a corrupt environment. ERS only supports FAT32 (file allocation table, 32-bit)-formatted hard drives and doesn't support NTFS (NT file system). This shareware grants you 30 uses, after which you must
register for $25 (http://www.backtec.com/ers2000.htm).

These are just a few of the many utilities you can use to back up your Registry. In fact, you can use any backup software (and there are dozens of titles) to preserve your system. Whether you want to perform complete backups each time you edit your Registry might be another story, but backing up your system on a regular basis is always a good idea.



ASR & Recovery Console.

Although the previous methods are the most common for backing up your Registry (or your system state), Microsoft also has included two advanced tools that can help rescue your system in the event that Windows doesn't start at all.

The first of these tools is ASR, which, as we mentioned previously, is integrated with WinXP Professional's Backup utility but is not available or supported for WinXP Home Edition. ASR restores all signatures, volumes, and partitions on the hard drive(s) required to start the computer, and then it installs a simplified version of Windows and initiates a backup restoration. Of course, because it restores a backup, you must create a backup beforehand using the Automated System Recovery Wizard, which also creates a handy, save-your-behind floppy diskette in case of emergencies.

To use ASR, open the Backup Or Restore Wizard and click Advanced Mode. Then, click the Automated System Recovery Wizard button and click Next in the following dialog box. Here, you can select the backup media type (if no tape device is installed, it will default to File) and the backup media or file name. Clicking Next will complete the preparation phase, and when you click Finish, the wizard will create a backup of your system files. You'll need to insert a diskette afterward. When the process is complete, you'll be able to use this diskette in the future if your system tinkering leaves you unable to boot WinXP.

The next tool Microsoft provides is the Recovery Console, which you also can use if System Restore or backup restores are unsuccessful, or if you can't boot into Safe Mode. To use the Recovery Console, you have to use basic commands to identify and locate problem drivers and files, which means you'll need to be familiar with general system troubleshooting.

You can access the Recovery Console by booting your computer with the WinXP installation CD-ROM, and when prompted during the text-mode setup, pressing R to launch the Recovery Console. If your computer doesn't boot from the CD-ROM, you'll need to enter your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and change your boot configuration so the computer boots from the CD-ROM drive first. Check your motherboard manual for more information about making changes to your BIOS; you might even discover that your BIOS doesn't support CD-ROM booting, in which case, you'll need to install the Recovery Console on your hard drive so that it appears as an available option during the boot phase.

If you've damaged your system and can't boot into Windows XP, you can use the Automated System Recovery Wizard to try to fix it. This handy wizard will walk you through the necessary preparation steps.

The Recovery Console lets you access your hard drives so you can enable or disable drivers or services, copy files from the installation CD-ROM for the OS to work properly, or copy files from other media. You also can create a new boot sector and a new MBR (master boot record). Because the Recovery Console is a complex tool, you'll need to become familiar with its functions and commands before you delve into it. For a description of its contents, visit http://support.microsoft.com, type 314058 in the Search The Knowledge Base field, press ENTER, and click the Description Of The Windows XP Recovery Console link.

Microsoft also outlines a detailed process for using the Recovery Console to recover from a corrupt Registry. However, this process isn't guaranteed to work, and it's extremely detailed. Nonetheless, if you're stuck with no remaining options, give it a try after checking with a related Microsoft Knowledge Base article. Visit http://support.microsoft.com, type 307545 in the Search The Knowledge Base field, press ENTER, and click the How To Recover From A Corrupted Registry That Prevents Windows XP From Starting link.



Have A Safe Trip.

If you made it this far, consider yourself unique. Many system tweakers, whether casual or connoisseur, neglect to take precautions before editing their Registry. Some of these people will never experience a problem resulting from the changes they've made, but if they do, then what? Without a proper backup, they could be in serious trouble.

All the methods outlined in this article vary in both their ease and effectiveness. For example, backing up a single Registry key is much quicker than executing a full system backup. Similarly, using System Restore is quicker than launching full backups, but you're not guaranteed a successful restore if you do run into trouble. Your choice should depend on your comfort level and experience with the methods described here. If you find that locating (and backing up) single Registry keys is a breeze, do it. But if you're new to Registry editing in general, consider more hearty backup options. Whatever your choice, modifying your WinXP environment will be much more rewarding knowing that you have a fail-safe plan in store to repair any potential damage.

by Christian Perry

Take The Virtual Route Imagine being able to try that new Registry tweak on a test computer so that it doesn't screw up your existing WinXP installation. Sounds like a luxury, right? Not necessarily. Although many of us can't afford second computers for testing our whimsical experimentation with tweaks and program installations, there exists another option that's a little more reasonable: VMware Workstation from VMware Inc. ($299 for electronic version, $329 for packaged version; http://www.vmware.com). This program is a virtual machine, a software environment that lets you run a completely independent installation of an OS (operating system) within your existing OS. Virtual machines have existed for many years as test environments for many industries. Throughout the last decade, computer power users have discovered that virtual machines (particularly VMware Workstation) allow them extreme flexibility in their ventures. Because the activity within a virtual machine doesn't affect the host computer whatsoever, you can tweak the OS residing in a virtual machine to the maximum with no ill effects on your real system. Although a virtual machine, such as VMware Workstation, and your system share certain system components (including drivers) and other resources, you can still create a safe test bed for your experimentation. But at $299, is it worth the price? Because VMware targets the corporate market, its software's functionality runs extremely deep and garners a high price tag. Yet, even at $299, it's cheaper than a semi-powerful second system, and if you're a regular tweaker, you might find the comfort of a virtual machine well worth its price. Currently, VMware is the only major player in the virtual machine market, although several experimental projects show promise. Unfortunately, most of these serve to emulate Windows in a Linux environment, not Windows within a Windows environment. You also can extend the concept of virtual machines beyond virtual machines themselves. If you're interested in testing Registry edits and other tweaks in a separate environment, you could install two OSes in a dual-boot configuration. For more information about dual-booting your computer, see "Set Up A Dual-Boot System" on page 58.