How to Customize Registry Checker Tool Settings

ID: Q183603


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 98


SUMMARY

This article describes how to customize the Registry Checker tool by manually editing the Windows\Scanreg.ini file. You can also customize the Registry Checker tool (without manually editing Scanreg.ini) by using the SREdit tool included with the Windows 98 Resource Kit. The SREdit tool is located in the Config folder on the Windows 98 CR-ROM. Both the MS-DOS version (Scanreg.exe) and the Windows 98 version (Scanregw.exe) of the Registry Checker tool use settings in the Scanreg.ini file.


MORE INFORMATION

By default, the Registry Checker tool makes a backup copy of your registry files (System.dat and User.dat), the System.ini file, and the Win.ini file the first time you start your computer on any given day. Every time you restart your computer, the Registry Checker tool scans your registry, and if it finds a problem, it automatically replaces the damaged registry with the most recent backup copy. By default, registry backups are stored in the Windows\Sysbckup folder as Rb0<nn>.cab files, where <nn> is a number between 00 and 99.

The Scanreg.ini file contains the following entries that determine how the Registry Checker tool makes backup copies of your registry:

NOTE: To edit the Scanreg.ini file, use any text editor (such as Notepad).

Backup=

A value of 1 (default) causes a backup copy of your registry to be made the first time you start your computer on any given day (determined by the system clock).

A value of 0 disables registry backup.

NOTE: Disabling registry backup is not recommended.

Optimize=

A value of 1 (default) automatically optimizes your current registry if it contains 500 kilobytes (KB) of unused space.

A value of 0 does not automatically optimize your current registry by removing unused space.

MaxBackupCopies=

A value of 5 (default) saves the last 5 registry backups in the Windows\Sysbckup folder. This value can be between 0 and 99.

NOTE: When you restore a registry backup using Registry Checker for MS- DOS, only the five earliest backups are displayed.

BackupDirectory=

By default, this entry does not contain a value, and registry backups are automatically saved in the Windows\Sysbckup folder. To change the location in which registry backups are saved, type the full path to the folder. For example, if you want to save registry backups in the c:\registry\backups folder, change the "BackupDirectory=" line to read:

BackupDirectory=c:\registry\backups

NOTE: If Registry Checker cannot save a backup in the location you specify, the backup is saved in the Windows folder.

Files=

This entry does not exist by default, and is used to specify additional files you want to back up in the .cab file. To specify additional files to be backed up, type Files=<folder code>,<file name>, where <folder code> is the numerical code for the folder in which the file you want to back up is located, and <file name> is the name of the file you want to back up. If you want to back up multiple files in the same location, separate each file name using a comma (,) an no spaces.

The following table lists the possible folder codes:

   Folder code   Folder
   ------------------------------------------------------------
   10            <windows> (for example, Windows)
   11            <windows>\System (for example, Windows\System)
   30            Root folder (for example, c:\)
   31            Root host folder (for example, c:\) 

For example, if you want to back up the 3d Maze.scr and Actmovie.exe files located in the Windows\System folder, type the following line:

Files=11,3d maze.scr,actmovie.exe

If you want to back up the Asd.log file located in the root folder of your C drive, type the following line:

Files=30,asd.log

For additional information about the Registry Checker tool, click Start, click Help, click the Index tab, type registry, and then double-click the "Registry Checker" topic.

Keywords : kbenv kbtool win98
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: February 2, 1999
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