Registry Editor Could Not Accomplish the Requested Operation

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SYMPTOMS

When you run Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe), and attempt to restore the registry information of a specific key by choosing Restore from the Registry menu, the following error message appears:

   Registry Editor could not accomplish the requested operation.

CAUSE

This error can be caused by trying to restore a key that was saved with the Save Subtree As... option from the registry menu. This cause is described in this article.

Additionally, attempting to use Load Hive with a key that was saved using Save Subtree As... causes the following error:

   Registry Editor could not load the key.
   The file is not a valid registry file.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q139600
   TITLE     : Registry Editor Save Key Saves Key on Wrong Computer

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

When saving the key, instead of clicking the Save Subtree As... option, click the Save Key option from the Registry menu. When trying to restore the key, click the Restore option from the Registry menu. The saved key will be restored without error.

MORE INFORMATION

The Save Key option saves, as a file, the information contained in a registry key and in all of its subkeys. A file created using Save Key can be loaded into the registry (with Load Hive), or can be restored (with Restore). This format is readable by the Registry Editor and should be used when trying to move or save registry keys from one registry to another.

The Save Subtree As... option saves the contents of the currently selected key as a text file, including all subkeys and value entries for that key. This format is used to provide a user readable text format for verifying all of the entries in a key or subkey, and it is not meant to move or save registry keys.