Hello Everybody,

Sometimes I do registry backup. There are also checkpoint in win xp.

As the pc use always modify the registry, I'm perplex: If I doa restore, at any moment,  all the modifications beetween the backup and this moment are not backed up. So what should happend???

So I think that backup is useless!!

What's wrong in my point of view or i there a solution?

Thank you very much

It's true that Windows is constantly modifying its registry, mostly for what the system people used to call "housekeeping" - but most of these modifications have little long-term significance, and some have none.  It has happened many times that my registry was seriously damaged, usually by installing some third-rate software or by something that happened during a power failure; sometimes it was so badly damaged that the system wouldn't boot at all.  I fixed it by restoring the registry, sometimes from a backup a few days or a few weeks old.  Sometimes some silliness like a program's recently-used-file list disappeared in the restore, sometimes some minor changes in system or application configuration disappeared, and sometimes an entire app which had been installed since the last backup had to be reinstalled.

I would rather have a recently-used used file list disappear, or even have to reinstall an application, than to have to reinstall Windows and almost all of the applications, which is sometimes the alternative if the registry is badly damaged.

If you are very worried about the problems of using an old registry, you could back up the registry before every software installation, and before almost any major change in system configuration.  There are also ways of backing up the registry on a schedule, e.g., every night.

Good luck.
C.

   When you, or faulty software, or a virus messes up the registry and the computer will not start, the only solution is to restore a backup.  Doing so can really get you out of a bad spot.  The Restore Points are not available when Windows crashes, so they are no good in that situation.
   Yes, you may lose some recent changes, but usually the recent changes are not something you will miss.  I have restored backups over a week old and not have any problems.
   Making more backups will lessen this problem.

Quoted from Ray Yes, you may lose some recent changes, but usually the recent changes are not something you will miss.  I have restored backups over a week old and not have any problems.   Making more backups will lessen this problem.

Quoted from Cassandra I would rather have a recently-used used file list disappear, or even have to reinstall an application, than to have to reinstall Windows and almost all of the applications, which is sometimes the alternative if the registry is badly damaged. C.

Dear Cassandra and Ray,

I thank you very very much for your answer.

I am convinced by your logical explanations. If the changes are minor certainly I also prefer to not reinstaal all the computer.

I shall work according to your experience.

One time more: thank you.