Beginning with Windows 10 version 1803 Microsoft began the campaign of "reducing the on-disc footprint size" for devices to ensure they can continue to update to the latest versions. To that end, Windows 10 no longer does periodic registry backups at boot time. Forbes has an article, however brief on the issue. There is also a registry workaround posted HERE by Microsoft. Please note the screenshots below from my W10 Pro x64 system. Not only are the hives files NOT present, the registry key is also missing from the system registry as seen in Regedit.
I created the registry entry per the MS article and am rebooting. Will post the results when done. I hope this isn't old news and can help someone in the long run.
Wow....registry restore using command prompt is over-my-pay-grade.
Q1: do my saved System Restore points still have a copy of registry without RegBack backups.
Or, is RegBack where my saved System Restore points retrieves copy of registry?
Q2: do my saved image backups (local external drive) still have a copy of registry without RegBack backups.
Or, is RegBack where my saved image backups retrieve copy of registry.
If the registry is being backed up on a regular basis, and I have to restore to a previous point the loss of system settings should be fairly minimal as compared to say, a once a month backup. A reference backup image should also include at least the last reg backup and save the day if needed. Since I do my backups to a local removable HD, it can also contain the last and frequent registry backup file as well. Turning off backing up the registry was fools gold for MS, and for the sake of "a smaller footprint" is just nonsense. There's no second guessing whether Windows is backing up the registry, I have always done backups in case of a worst case scenario, and, if we don't look (as I didn't until the article I read suggested doing so) we will be on the losing end of things when the need arises. IE: A corrupted recovery image or none at all, or as in the case with Windows 10 version 1809 wiping ALL restore points on systems. Microsoft will continue to do things under the hood that aren't in their customers best interest. Bank on it. Here is a nice article on restoring the registry from the command prompt.
SoulAsylum
Yes, backing up (Export-Import) the entire Registry is not best practice. The simplest way to backup the Registry is to create a restore point.
That's why I remain curious...how was Registry backup used when Windows created Registry backup (RegIdleBackup) and how might Registry backup be used....now, that I've created the task to create Registry backup (RegIdleBackup).
Maybe, I shouldn't second guess Windows not creating Registry backups anymore.
bjm. This is the simplest article I can find from MS on the backup and recovery of the registry. Some of the links there seem to be dead. This article will also explain things a bit clearer. Using system restore to restore a registry backup seems to be the best suggestion as they both will work hand in hand.
Edited: Below are screenshots where I created a "new trigger" for the task in task manager, then confirmed it.
So, how might I use the registry backup in RegBack. I don't find restore from backup nor imagine I can restore registry backup on an active machine. I mean how was registry backup used when Windows created registry backup and how will it be used now that I've created the task to create registry backup.
bjm, that was the same on my system as well. My first screenshot showed NOTHING in the system32 regbak directory. The task now shows as running after the registry edit was performed.
bjm, that was the same on my system as well. My first screenshot showed NOTHING in the system32 regbak directory. The task now shows as running after the registry edit was performed.
The scheduled task to create the backups was still running and the run result indicated that the operation completed successfully, but Registry backups were not created anymore.
I'm finding RegIdleBackup has never run nor has any Triggers. So, head scratch.
To recover a system with a corrupt registry hive, Microsoft recommends that you use a system restore point.
Of course, System Restore is now disabled by default. Even if you enable it, the next Windows 10 version update will disable it again, so you need to remember to enable it again every time you upgrade the OS.
I created the registry entry per the MS article and am rebooting. Will post the results when done. I hope this isn't old news and can help someone in the long run.
Cheers
Cheers