Author Topic: Cannot back up my registry (Read 14220 times)

ijw · « **on:** January 22, 2014, 10:09:40 pm »

I downloaded both registry backup and windows repair programs, and neither will make a backup of my registry. The attachment shows the result that I'm getting.

Shane · « **Reply #1 on:** January 23, 2014, 10:18:27 am »

Thats very odd. Can you post the backup logs? It will tell me what happened.

But I am willing to be it was a problem with the volume shadow copy.

So try this, in the settings, go to advanced settings and put a check on the box that says always use fallback method. Then try it again

Shane

ijw · « **Reply #2 on:** January 23, 2014, 05:17:35 pm »

Thanks Shane,

The screen shots basically tell the story I think. Nothing is being saved it seems. I assume the logs would normally be saved in the program folder, but I can't find them. I followed your suggestion and used the fallback method, but with the same result. (Registry Backup b 1)

To be honest with you, I think it's probably not your program, but something to do my OS. (Windows 7 Ultimate.) Other programs I've used haven't been able to save the registry either. Even System Restore, although reporting a restore point has been saved - I have been unable to actually have one of these points work. Causing me some grief, I can tell you.

With this in mind, I tried Windows Repair V2.1.1. I followed the suggested steps; and a lot seemed to happen with the resulting bunch of reports shown in the attachment. Would one of these be helpful?

Cheers Ian.

Shane · « **Reply #3 on:** January 23, 2014, 05:22:16 pm »

The backup logs are saved with each backup, so check the save location for the backups C:\RegBackup

You will see sub folders there and such and will find the logs for each backup attempt.

Those logs should tell me why the program was unable to backup the registry

You can also click the view logs button on the main screen after you try to backup and it will open the folder for you

Shane

ijw · « **Reply #4 on:** January 23, 2014, 08:30:48 pm »

As you can see with the screen shot, there is nothing there except DESKTOPPC, which is my computer name. That folder is also empty. When you click view the logs button, nothing happens.

Ian (ijw)

Shane · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2014, 09:43:20 am »

That explains it then, if nothing is in that folder then the program will fail to copy the registry to the destination since it isn't there.

After the folder with your computer name there should be a folder showing date and time like this "1.24.2014_7.26.52-AM"

Then in that folder will be the backup and the logs. The program uses the API MakeSureDirectoryPathExists
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms680352%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

I need to adjust my code to report if that API fails to make the folder path.

So the question now is, why did it fail? It failed at the part to make the folder with the date and time, the only way I could see it would fail at that is if for some reason the date and time format has chars that are not allowed to be in a folder name.

In the control panel open up Region and that will show what formats for date and time and all that are set, post a screen shot of that for me please

Shane

ijw · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2014, 03:53:36 pm »

Done!

Shane · « **Reply #7 on:** January 24, 2014, 03:58:18 pm »

Ok good. As a test would you mind setting the format to match mine, reboot and then try a backup?

If it works then I will know how to replicate the problem, which means I can fix it :-D

Shane

ijw · « **Reply #8 on:** January 24, 2014, 08:12:32 pm »

Changing the date format did the trick. Backing up a treat!

However, still looking forward to a fix in a new version. I'm too long in the tooth to cope with too much change in my life - changing to the American date format permanently might be too much for me.

Shane, much obliged mate.

Ian

Shane · « **Reply #9 on:** January 24, 2014, 11:02:46 pm »

Ok found the problem.

The program takes the date separator that is set on the system and replaces it with a period when saving the folder name, so normally 01/24/2014 will be 01.25.2014. Because normally a / cant be used in a folder name. But I noticed when i set my system to the same time format as yours the short date didn't change even though I set it to the same region as you. So you must have set it yourself on that part, and so when I did as well Windows changed the date separator from / to ", " (comma and a space).

So the / wasn't being removed from the folder name since windows wasnt reporting it as the date separator and thus the folder couldn't be created. So the fix was to make a command that checks and replaces all the chars that cant be in a folder name with a period instead. tested and works fine on my system

By doing it this way it should cover any other custom date formats a user might set.

Look for the new version out soon.

Shane

ijw · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2014, 02:46:16 pm »

Shane, I just downloaded version1.6.9 of Registry Backup, changed my date format and - Voilà!! Marvellous! Thanks mate for all your help, and needless to say - donation is on its way.

Tweaking.com - nice find.

Cheers, Ian (ijw)

Shane · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2014, 11:43:46 am »

Thanks and I am always happy to help. As you can see I care about my work

And any bug I can replicate is a bug a I can fix.

Shane