Registry Backup Beta

[Shane]

Ok try this 

Grab the attached file, extract it and replace the exe you have with it.

I have it to where it makes a file int he windows folder and updates the log and restore.cmd file

Try it out and see what you think

Shane

[Ztruker]

Just to finish the thing with vol, this works:

Code: [Select]

@echo off
set l=c:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

set l=d:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

set l=e:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

set l=f:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

set l=g:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

set l=h:
vol %l% | find "C89E-70E8"
echo %l% errorlevel %errorlevel%
if %errorlevel% EQU 0 goto found

"C89E-70E8" drive not found
goto done

:found
echo "C89E-70E8" is drive %l%

:done
On my computer, C89E-70E8 is the VSN for my C: drive where Win 7 is installed and where I ran the reg backup. Doing it this way would not require you to write or look for a specific file. Just a suggestion.

There may be a way to put the above in a for loop but I couldn't figure out how to do it.

[Shane]

Thats not a bad idea.

No file has to be made. Just have the program write the serial number of the drive in the restore.

I could use this api in the program to get it
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa364993%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

lpVolumeSerialNumber [out, optional]

    A pointer to a variable that receives the volume serial number.

    This parameter can be NULL if the serial number is not required.

    This function returns the volume serial number that the operating system assigns when a hard disk is formatted.

But there is a drawback.

Some times windows gives the same ID!!!
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/178466-two-drives-same-volume-serial-number.html

Perhaps making the file is a good idea.

Try the new exe for that and let me know. i attached it to a earlier post.

Shane

[Ztruker]

See what you mean about VSN. If disk imaging is used to clone two drives or partitions then the VSN will be the same. Bummer. I don't know how to find the Disk Signature that same thread mentioned.

Tried the new exe. It still has both tests, so need to drop the first set.

Code: [Select]

IF EXIST "K:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=K:
IF EXIST "J:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=J:
IF EXIST "I:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=I:
IF EXIST "H:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=H:
IF EXIST "G:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=G:
IF EXIST "F:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=F:
IF EXIST "E:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=E:
IF EXIST "D:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=D:
IF EXIST "C:\Windows\System32\Config\sam" set WindowsDrive=C:

IF EXIST "K:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=K:
IF EXIST "J:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=J:
IF EXIST "I:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=I:
IF EXIST "H:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=H:
IF EXIST "G:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=G:
IF EXIST "F:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=F:
IF EXIST "E:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=E:
IF EXIST "D:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=D:
IF EXIST "C:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-DELL-P370.dat" set WindowsDrive=C:
The problem still exists where I can have a multi-boot system and ran the backup from I: one time and from C: another.  Your test would always find the one on C: and copy the files saved from I: to C:.

As I mentioned before, I have Win 7, called DELL-P370 on I: and Win 8 Consumer Preview, also called DELL-P370 on I: I do it this way so the computer name is always the same on my network irregardless of which version I boot. Makes sharing much easier.

[Ztruker]

Just had a new thought.

Take a page from ERUNT and create a folder under \Windows that holds the backups, removing the ability to specify where the backups are written. Then it's real simple to refer to directories using \.

attrib -h -s "\Windows\System32\Config\default"
attrib -h -s "Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
del "\Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
copy "\Windows\System32\Config\default" "\Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
del "\Windows\System32\Config\default"
copy "C\Windows\System32\Config\default" "\Windows\System32\Config\default"

[Shane]

Tried the new exe. It still has both tests, so need to drop the first set.

I left those on purpose. In case a user deletes the file int he windows dir

As I mentioned before, I have Win 7, called DELL-P370 on I: and Win 8 Consumer Preview, also called DELL-P370 on I: I do it this way so the computer name is always the same on my network irregardless of which version I boot. Makes sharing much easier.

What if I added the windows version to the file name as well?

Take a page from ERUNT and create a folder under \Windows that holds the backups, removing the ability to specify where the backups are written. Then it's real simple to refer to directories using \.

attrib -h -s "\Windows\System32\Config\default"
attrib -h -s "Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
del "\Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
copy "\Windows\System32\Config\default" "\Windows\System32\Config\default.old"
del "\Windows\System32\Config\default"
copy "C\Windows\System32\Config\default" "\Windows\System32\Config\default"

This would kill the purpose of letting a user decided where to keep the backups though.

Shane

[chris635]

Hey Bud

   Great Program man. Hey is there anyway the program can let me know if the backup was good for a scheduled back up? Say for instance if I set it for 1:00 am, when I wake up, could there be some sort of good or failed back up notification?


Chris

[Ztruker]

Some people have multiple installs of the same version so that could still be problematic, better though.

How important is it to allow people to decide where they want to save the backups? Mine run 137MB which is peanuts with the size of today's hard drives. Even 30 days worth of backups is only 4GB.

It's beginning to sound like a unique file name stored in the \Windows directory  is the only sure way to handle this, bummer. If there was an API to find the Disk Signature then that would also solve the problem.

Hmmmm, what about generating a timestamp as the file name?

tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss  (or something similar)

No way that can occur on two partitions unless some dummy manages to set the clock back exactly right and if they do then they deserve what they get 

[Shane]

Hey Bud

   Great Program man. Hey is there anyway the program can let me know if the backup was good for a scheduled back up? Say for instance if I set it for 1:00 am, when I wake up, could there be some sort of good or failed back up notification?

Chris

Thats a good idea. Did you have any certain way in mind?

Some people have multiple installs of the same version so that could still be problematic, better though.

How important is it to allow people to decide where they want to save the backups? Mine run 137MB which is peanuts with the size of today's hard drives. Even 30 days worth of backups is only 4GB.

It's beginning to sound like a unique file name stored in the \Windows directory  is the only sure way to handle this, bummer. If there was an API to find the Disk Signature then that would also solve the problem.

Hmmmm, what about generating a timestamp as the file name?

tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss  (or something similar)

No way that can occur on two partitions unless some dummy manages to set the clock back exactly right and if they do then they deserve what they get 

The goal is to only make one file. So right now I do computer name. I need something unique from the system to name the file with. But something the program can always pull.

I built it with techs running it from a thumb drive in mind.

Right now the computer name and os version seems like a good middle ground. I cant think that to many people would have the same OS installed more than once (if some do it can't be to many). Normally dual boots are different OS's. Myself I keep each other OS in vmware

Shane

[peterr]

I just knew Shane and Ztruker would work well together -this is great!
I wish I could contribute; David has joined from across the pond as I noticed in the other thread.
I am happy he received my link.
He will also be of great assisstance.
Peter

[chris635]

Hey Shane
   What I have grown accustomed to in a program I use to image my hard drive and certain files every night, is it will email me the results (successful or failed back up). I don't know how involved you want this to be, if emailing is out of the question then maybe some kind of notification in the system tray. I'm not quite sure what would be best for the masses.


Chris

[Shane]

Hey Shane
   What I have grown accustomed to in a program I use to image my hard drive and certain files every night, is it will email me the results (successful or failed back up). I don't know how involved you want this to be, if emailing is out of the question then maybe some kind of notification in the system tray. I'm not quite sure what would be best for the masses.


Chris

Email would be big to add. SSL, smtp protocol. I never wrote one from scratch which means I would need a 3rd party DLL, which I would have to pay for.

As for the pop ups I thought of that as well. Except one problem.

When running the program under the system account from the task scheduler you dont see the program, because it is being ran as the System account and not the account logged in. So a pop up wouldn't work their either since it wont show.

Only thing I can think of would be to have it right a file to locaiont like the desktop for all users. But that too is kind of pointless.

Shane

[chris635]

Yeeeaaaaahhhhh lets just scratch that idea lol. Sounds to involved to keep the program free.


Chris

[Shane]

 

Shane

[Ztruker]

You could add another line to backupinfo.txt which is the full path name to the file, something like:

Marker: \windows\tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss

where tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss (or any unique name) is generated by your backup program during the backup process. Then dos_restore.cmd could read that info from the backupinfo.txt file to know what to look for with this backup.

[Shane]

You could add another line to backupinfo.txt which is the full path name to the file, something like:

Marker: \windows\tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss

where tweakBack_yyyymmdd-hhmmss (or any unique name) is generated by your backup program during the backup process. Then dos_restore.cmd could read that info from the backupinfo.txt file to know what to look for with this backup.

For now, and in the next update I will have it do the file name like this for now

C:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-SMC-Microsoft-Windows-7-Ultimate-(64-bit).dat

That should be unique enough for systems that have dual booting

Shane

[Shane]

Quick question.

Do any of you use Erunt's optimize registry?

Here is what it does. It calls the regsavekey api which reads the output file. It reads what is in there, same way it does its backups but small and slower.

The registry is a database. And just like all databases becomes bloated with old info that never gets wiped out, overhead I believe is the correct term.

So lets say I have used a database and done a lot of adding and removing. The database becomes bloated and has overhead. You optimize it and it reduces it size getting rid of the over head. You get a smaller faster database.

No different for the registry. I have the code to do this. Should this be something I should add or make another program for, or not worry about it at all?

Just a thought. I figured since I got the code to do it why not ask

Shane

[Ztruker]

I would say no. Registry optimization is a waste of time as are Registry cleaners. Both are basically "feel good" operations. By that I mean they make you feel good but have no measurable impact on performance.

If you want to do it, a separate program would be better.

Just my $.02 worth.

[chris635]

Hi Shane
    I agree with ztruker. Now if your one of those guys who is crazy about an oderly kept machine even if there is no gain in speed, then a program like that would most likely get used. I have used the erunt optimizer, but not a whole lot. The times I have used it, it only optimized my registry by about 3% to 7%. Not that big of a difference. I say 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.


Chris

[Shane]

Yeah I will just skip it then.

It doesn't change anything in the reg. It just reads out the registry to a new file. Same as compacting a database file.

I one of my machines that hadn't been reinstalled in over a year, I had so many registry keys added and removed the the software section was 158 MB in size. Did erunt on it and got back down to 67 MB.

But I really didn't notice any speed increase. Really the only speed benefit you will get with the registry as with any file, is file fragmentation. But you cant defrag files in use.

Oh well. Lets just focus on the backup

The program has come a long way in a short time and is looking really good. I am itching to get the help files and videos done. But I dont want to do them till the program is done in case there is more interface changes.

So the question is, how much longer till I take it out of beta?

Shane

[peterr]

Shane
This is a response to your program that I found in WTT;because I do not understand it, but because it sounded like there was an issue, I though I would bring it to your attention so you can address it if you wish to.
"Has to be restored from the recovery console? Bad luck If you haven't got one installed or an OS install disk handy.

I'll stick with the simple and faithful ERUNT until the reg. restore on that app. is just a click away ... like with ERUNT.

I do like the idea of the portable version though as that would be very handy, if the restore could be simplified and included in the program. Backup and restore both portable."
Peter

[Shane]

When I make the help and videos I will show where people can download free tools to boot up their system with in case they don't have the recovery console.

As long as you have an internet connection you will be able to get it working one way or another

Shane

[Shane]

I have a list of things to do for the help file and videos.

Here is my list as I have it. Anything you can think of that I should add to the list to do?

Registry backup help and video ideas:

Videos showing how to use the program, restoring, recovery console, unbuntu and barts pe. Use vmware in the videos to show how.

Help files should have details of everything in the program and the reason why things where done they way they were.

Make sure to show how the program can be used from a thumb drive and on multiple systems for techs.

Make sure to put the respect I have for Erunt. Also list the improvements over it and refer Erunt as a fallback option for machines that are pre-XP or the volume shadow copy service isn't working.

Make sure to have help guides for every volume shadow copy repair I can find, including my own repair tool for it.

Shane

[chris635]

Looks like you pretty much cover it 


Chris

[Ztruker]

One more update with the new marker file to test:

C:\Windows\tweaking.com-regbackup-SMC-Microsoft-Windows-7-Ultimate-(64-bit).dat

then I think it's ready for prime time.