Import backup registry on windows startup

Question

Is there a way to import a backed up registry into windows if it does not start after using a registry cleanup service?

Answer 1

Things you can try if you have a corrupted registry:

1. Last Known Good Configuration from the F8 boot menu or System Restore from the DVD.

2. A repair install.

3. Booting from a BartPE or WinPE disc/USB, running Regedit, loading the hive files (see default locations for Win95-XP here and Vista+ here) and importing your .REGs might work.

4. Copying the hive backups located in windows\repair and overwriting the corrupt files in windows\system32\config (XP), or from windows\system32\config\regback to windows\system32\config (Vista+) might also work.

   User-specific settings would be in Documents and Settings\UserName\NTUser.dat (XP) or Users\UserName\NTUser.dat (Vista+), if you have those backed up as well.