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  1. #1
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    Question for NooNoo

    Please - no NEW question until the last question is answered. tx

    My question: Why is it necessary to clean old registry entries for a bad install? Doesn't a re-install just overwrite the old ones?


  2. #2
    Registered User shamus's Avatar
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    If you reformat..then yes.
    An over the top or upgrade install will still have reg files from the previous install.
    Am I not right Bev?

  3. #3
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Depends what you are installing....

    If it's hardware, you get a whole new set of keys, because each install is uniquely identified. Software is a bigger problem, lazy installers will check the presence of the key, but not necessarily the value, so the install won't work because the wrong values are in the keys.

    Why do you think there are so many reg cleaners and utilities for cleaning up old installs?
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

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    Further: Would I be correct in saying the NEW software/hardware triggers the assignment, by Windows, of NEW registry keys and unfortunately such assignments are NOT tracked such that uninstall operations can completely remove them (ie, Add/Remove Programs)?

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    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Again depends on who is writing a driver and what for and how they are implementing it under windows. Have a read here http://www.catch22.net/tuts/kernel1.asp
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

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    It appears to be a complex business writing drivers and entering them. I suppose, like everything else, if you do enough of it it gets easier. The last semi-serious stuff I did was on a Commodore 64 - used all 38kb that was available. - lol

    Why hasn't someone produced a 'registry before - registry after = registry changes' routine?

    Then you would know exactly what changes were made when you installed something.

    Maybe.

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    http://www.evansprogramming.com/tracker.asp

    This one says it does show the before and after.

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    Anyone familiar with it?

  9. #9
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    no, but since it is easy to export the entire registry (which is after all a text file) a number of text editors do file comparisons..
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

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    OK -last item on this from me;

    IF one were to make a copy of the registry BEFORE a new install, and IF the install went bad and made things worse, COULD one simply replace the NEW registry with the OLD and be happy?

    In other words, one could do this before any install and never have to worry about untangling a messed up registry.

  11. #11
    Driver Terrier NooNoo's Avatar
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    Yup! but you would also have to get rid of the files replaced in windows sub directories... otherwise you may have file version errors.
    Never, ever approach a computer saying or even thinking "I will just do this quickly."

  12. #12
    Registered User rgharper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CCT
    OK -last item on this from me;

    IF one were to make a copy of the registry BEFORE a new install, and IF the install went bad and made things worse, COULD one simply replace the NEW registry with the OLD and be happy?

    In other words, one could do this before any install and never have to worry about untangling a messed up registry.
    Why would one do this unless one is using an operating system that doesn't support System Restore (or has unwisely turned it off)? System Restore is the perfect response to many of those "OOPS!" moments in life.

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    Perhaps one didn't have 'system restore' to use.

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