Using the Registry (aka R3g!xtRY)

jro11 · Sep 25, 2023

"Registry" is not spelled "R3g!xtRY".

But it is so intimidating; so sensitive; so critically able to mess up your computer (or so I've been told), that for me to even consider trying to modify Win11 so that it acts more like Win10, a version of Windows that apparently respects its user base more than its successor, seems insane.
I've already given it a try, and failed miserably.

This should be easy. I'm going to supply a step-by-step guide. If I can get the first suggested registry 'repair' to work, I think it should be smooth sailing from there. But I've been wrong before--and anyway, I failed my first attempt.

Background: In researching this I was struck by the thread

Make Registry Values Apply to All Users

Thread parts 1-4 introduced me to four new terms/concepts: 'HKLM', 'default hive', 'selectively ignoring inherited HKCU keys, from the Default user hive'; user 'locale' and 'desktop preferences'. You would have to apply them after the user is 'provisioned'. The whole theme of the thread seems to be similar to what I'm going to attempt (namely, changing Win11 to make it more like Win10): my first project is "re-instating the classic right-click menu"--their second concern..

Further along there are seemingly valuable pieces of advice:

Avoid touching HKLM. Where you have absolutely no choice, hit HKLM in the build process before the user logs in. On first logon your script should only be touching HKCU. It keeps things simple and reliable, does not require elevated privileges, allows for rolling back to the default settings in HKLM, and is less affected by Windows updates and/or repairs that may roll back those HKLM changes.

The cherry on the top:

Ghot said:
I'm one of those people who occasionally use tools the wrong way, and feel no guilt when doing it.

Ghot said:
Now here's where using tools the wrong way comes in.
Obviously we can open any reg patch in notepad and see what's IN there.
So when I'm curious or trying to do something out of the ordinary, I cheat. I look inside the existing reg patches in the tutorials.

I wonder if my understanding will progress to the point where I can cheat and "

look inside the existing reg patches in the tutorials."

Ghot · Sep 25, 2023

jro11 said:
I wonder if my understanding will progress to the point

Assuming you've done the tweak to get classic context menus ...

Just right click a reg patch and choose: Open with > Notepad
Then a dialog box will open and you need to click "Run".
That will open the reg patch in Notepad.

Then you can "see" what registry keys, the patch alters.
And... it's not cheating. LOL

Like here's a reg patch for... Remove_Pin_to_Quick_access_from_context_menu

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

; Created by: Shawn Brink
; Created on: November 15, 2021
; Tutorial: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/add-or-remove-pin-to-quick-access-context-menu-in-windows-11.2807/


[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shell\pintohome]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Drive\shell\pintohome]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\pintohome]

[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Network\shell\pintohome]

It looks like it "deletes" (the minus sign at start of each line), a bunch of "pintohome" keys.

I just checked my registry (I used this patch a while back), for... HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shell\pintohome
...and sure enough, there's no "Shell" key (folder), under "AllFilesystemObjects".

I know that if I check the other three lines of the reg patch, that those "Shell" keys (folders), will have been deleted as well.

♫ This is how we learn to reg, learn to reg, learn to reg. This is how we learn to reg, all on a Tuesday morning. ♫

Back in the XP days, you could go to the store and buy a Registry "book". But these days...

If you google: Book: Windows 11 Registry, you'll see that there's not much out there. And there's nothing that's "just" Windows 11 Registry.

Here's a Windows XP Registry Guide, for example... Windows XP Registry Guide
"Back in the days when ships were wood and men were iron".

This title for power users and IT professionals is the authoritative source for information on the Windows XP registry and how to modify it to suit your administrative and personal needs. The Windows registry contains profiles for each user of a computer plus information about system hardware, installed programs, property settings, and more. Modifying the Windows registry gives users the utmost control over the PC, but it's been somewhat of a dangerous black art -- until now. This title is the complete reference to working with the Windows XP registry -- including everything from registry hacks for power users to management and deployment guidance for IT professionals. The book includes troubleshooting hints, common workarounds, and a guide to how to use the new registry editor. Written by a recognized expert -- the author of six books on the Windows registry -- this book is the authoritative resource for readers who want or need to work with the Windows registry. Highlights include chapters on pinpointing registry settings and scripting registry changes, dealing with registry permissions, using Windows Installer, and mapping Tweak UI settings to actual registry values.

But now-a-days, Microsoft doesn't want us to "modify the registry to suit our administrative and personal needs".
They'd rather play silly buggers with the registry.

End rant.

TIP:

When editing the registry...

1. Make a full backup of Windows first. Make sure you also make the backup software's "bootable rescue media".
2. I think it's much easier to edit the registry directly, than to do it through the command prompt.
3. Go slow... do your edits... reboot.
4. If you break something... restore from your backup, and try, try again.
5. Exporting registry keys is all well and good, until you break Windows and it won't boot. Then you need a backup.
6. So just make a full backup... first.

jro11 · Sep 28, 2023

I started this thread. Before introducing my first Registry Change problem, i was surprised and greatly pleased to see a cautious group appear and encourage me to not only copy/backup my current registry but to make sure I'm completely protected by backing up my entire computer.
So the time of reckoning has come and its time for me to Image my C-drive/Operating System.
Based on several threads I reviewed (and the fact that there isn't, despite claims to the contrary, any free Imaging software currently available. Nonetheless, I followed instructions on the forum and was able to download V8.0 of Macrium Reflect, and install it.

jro11 · Sep 28, 2023

I am looking at the Macrium Reflect V8.0 User Guide, and the Macrium Reflect KnowledgeBase and have on screen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO9gCwQjBSo and
part Two of a 14-part Macrium Reflect V7 Webinar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgmG2VInObI&list=PLkNTzIE3t_KTMEXUbRqGrWwJFtdUfPi-x&index=2
(btw neither of the URLs am I able to access by clicking on the links I provided--I was under the impression that when a link/link is enabled that if #1 I type the URL
#2 I enable the Link icon
#3 paste in the name attached to the link,
#4 The name attached to the link will appear and when you click on it the link in question (the link 'behind it') will be enabled.

Anyway, Macrium Reflect is a bear to use.

Ghot · Sep 28, 2023

jro11 said:
I am looking at the Macrium Reflect V8.0 User Guide, and have on screen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO9gCwQjBSo and part Two of a 14-part Macrium Webinar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgmG2VInObI&list=PLkNTzIE3t_KTMEXUbRqGrWwJFtdUfPi-x&index=2

Here, this may be like... 1000 times easier.

Macrium Reflect, AOMEI Backupper and Hasleo Backup Suite - GUIDES

How to use backup software... 1. When everything is working perfectly... make a full Windows backup. 2. Then, if something breaks... restore from the latest backup. 3. Then... try "whatever you were doing" a different way. If it still breaks Windows, then... go to step #2. 4. Repeat...

www.elevenforum.com

When building the Rescue Media... choose: Windows PE 11 instead of Windows PE 10.

Bree · Sep 28, 2023

Ghot said:
Back in the XP days, you could go to the store and buy a Registry "book". But these days...

This is, and has always been the 'Bible'....

Windows Internals Book - Sysinternals

Windows Internals book

learn.microsoft.com

Ghot · Sep 28, 2023

Bree said:
This is, and has always been the 'Bible'....

Windows Internals Book - Sysinternals

Windows Internals book

learn.microsoft.com

Well I must be a Rastafarian or something. My Windows bibles have always been the O'Reilly Annoyances books.
For example... Windows XP Annoyances

Unfortunately, the last one was Windows 7 Annoyances.

antspants · Sep 28, 2023

I was contemplating this last night, wondering why people try to make Windows 11 look or act like Windows 10 as apposed to the other way around. Expiration of 10 in the distant future might be my answer.

Bree · Sep 28, 2023

Ghot said:
Well I must be a Rastafarian or something. My Windows bibles have always been the O'Reilly Annoyances books.

Anything that includes Mark Russinovich (of SysInternals fame) as an author is gold dust. :wink:

In 1996, Russinovich discovered that altering two values in the Windows Registry of the Workstation edition of Windows NT 4.0 would change the installation so it was recognized as a Windows NT Server and allow the installation of Microsoft BackOffice products which were licensed only for the Server edition.[7] The registry key values were guarded by a worker thread to detect tampering, and later a program called NT Tune was released to kill the monitor thread and change the values.

Mark Russinovich - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Before joining Microsoft and becoming one of its most important software engineers, Mark Russinovich was in the business of pi**ing the company off.

Microsoft's Most Clever Critic Is Now Building Its New Empire

Before joining Microsoft and becoming one of its most important software engineers, Mark Russinovich was in the business of piddling the company off. This was the late 1990s, when Microsoft dominated the tech world, its Windows operating systems running so many of the world’s computers, from...

www.wired.com

Ghot · Sep 28, 2023

Bree said:
Anything that includes Mark Russinovich

Oh, I've known of Mark Russinovich, for decades.

Edwin · Sep 28, 2023

antspants said:
... wondering why people try to make Windows 11 look or act like Windows 10

I think it all started for me when they disabled 90% of the Taskbar functionality! It p*ssed me right off because, at that time, I was still using a nifty drag-n-drop Mail Chute pinned to the Taskbar...

antspants · Sep 28, 2023

Edwin said:
I think it all started for me when they disabled 90% of the Taskbar functionality! It p*ssed me right off because, at that time, I was still using a nifty drag-n-drop Mail Chute pinned to the Taskbar...

I’ve never understood why MS removes instead of just adding, therefore making it more customisable. It is a draw card so their reluctance is baffling.

Edwin · Sep 28, 2023

antspants said:
I’ve never understood why MS removes instead of just adding, therefore making it more customisable. It is a draw card so their reluctance is baffling.

Beats me, man!

The world may never know!