Need to compare registry before and after an install and end up with a merge-able regfile
December 5, 2008 11:41 AM Subscribe
I need to scan an XP registry BEFORE an installation, then rescan the registry AFTER the installation, and end up with a merge-able reg file that I can then apply to multiple computers via AD or startup script.
Finding a program that simply compares before or after (like regshot), or exporting a text file before and after and comparing then via, say, Windiff, is easy. But with the results being in the many thousands, I need a way to end up not with a text list but an actual regfile that contains said changes.
If I may call upon a rather out-of-favor Mefi-ism, Administrators! Hope me!
Finding a program that simply compares before or after (like regshot), or exporting a text file before and after and comparing then via, say, Windiff, is easy. But with the results being in the many thousands, I need a way to end up not with a text list but an actual regfile that contains said changes.
If I may call upon a rather out-of-favor Mefi-ism, Administrators! Hope me!
Response by poster: You can use WinDiff from the Support Tools
I mentioned that in my question, actually. The problem is that WinDiff, unless I'm missing a function i'd love for you to tell me about, will happily show me the differences, but doesn't give me any kind of output option to end up with a merge-able regfile.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 12:01 PM on December 5, 2008
I mentioned that in my question, actually. The problem is that WinDiff, unless I'm missing a function i'd love for you to tell me about, will happily show me the differences, but doesn't give me any kind of output option to end up with a merge-able regfile.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 12:01 PM on December 5, 2008
Some scripting software does this one I know of is called Wise.
There is also some old software I used to use called Picture Taker Enterprise Edition that allows you to do exactly what you are talking about.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:39 PM on December 5, 2008
There is also some old software I used to use called Picture Taker Enterprise Edition that allows you to do exactly what you are talking about.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:39 PM on December 5, 2008
Best answer: Ah, missed that part. I haven't tried it since we're a Novell shop and I just use the ZENworks Snapshot tool, but I have heard good things about RegSnap. It's not free but relatively cheap.
posted by JaredSeth at 12:40 PM on December 5, 2008
posted by JaredSeth at 12:40 PM on December 5, 2008
Response by poster: It looks like RegSnap does EXACTLY what i needed, even in its free form.
As always, this place comes through. Thanks :-D
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 2:12 PM on December 5, 2008
As always, this place comes through. Thanks :-D
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 2:12 PM on December 5, 2008
Guess I'll need to add that one to my toolkit too, JKF. Never know when I might just need the registry changes.
posted by JaredSeth at 10:15 AM on December 8, 2008
posted by JaredSeth at 10:15 AM on December 8, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Jairus at 11:53 AM on December 5, 2008