Import, export or delete registry settings from a text (.REG) file
Syntax
Export the Registry (all HKLM plus current user)
REGEDIT /E pathname
Export part of the Registry
REGEDIT /E pathname "RegPath"
Import a reg script
REGEDIT pathname
Silent import
REGEDIT /S pathname
Start the regedit GUI
REGEDIT
Open multiple copies of GUI (XP and 2003 only)
REGEDIT -m
Key
/E : Export
/S : Silent Import
How to add keys and values from the registry:
Create a text file like this:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SomeKey] "SomeStringValue"="Hello"
When double clicking this .reg file the key and value will be
added.
Alternatively run REGEDIT MYKEY.REG from the command line.
How to delete keys and values from the registry:
Create a reg file like this, notice the hyphen inside the first bracket
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SomeKey]
When double clicking this .reg file the key "SomeKey" will be
deleted along with all string, binary or Dword values in that key.
If you want to just delete values, leaving the key in place, set the value you
want to delete = to a hyphen
e.g.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SomeKey] "SomeStringValue"=-
Again double clicking this .reg file will delete the values specified, or you can use REGEDIT /s MyDeleteScript.REG
Compare the Registry of two machines
Windiff
is your friend, this simple GUI utility from the resource
kit will list all the differences.
Comments
Within a registry file, comments can be preceded by "; "
e.g.
;
; Turn the NUMLOCK on at login
;
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard]
"InitialKeyboardIndicators"="2"
Under Windows NT 4 all registry scripts start with: REGEDIT4
(This version string will also work in XP and later versions of Windows.)
"I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones" -
John Peel
Related:
REG - Read, Set or Delete registry keys and values
SET - Display, set, or remove Windows NT environment
variables
SETX - Set environment variables permanently
WMIC REGISTRY - Set registry options through
WMI
Powershell: Get-ItemProperty / Set-ItemProperty - Retrieve / save registry Keys
Q322756 - How
to backup and edit the registry
Dureg - Registry Size Estimator. (Win 2K
ResKit)
XP Registry Keys - Commonly tweaked user interface settings