registry files

When i try to import registry files that were exported on winodws 2000 into Windows ME i get this message:
"cannot import D:\1.reg: The specified file is not a registry script. You can only import registry files. "
Does Anyone know why i can not import this file?

Thanks in advance,
Dale

 

Been a while since I looked at either one's registry exports, but my first guess would be they use a different regedit version. Right click>Edit a registry export from each machine. Does one display REGEDIT4 and the other Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ?? ME has version 4 and 2000 has version 5

You need to use the version 4 format in ME. Often times it just means changing the first line to read REGEDIT4 instead of Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00, however there are some values that read differently and will not work, namely reg_multi_sz and reg_expand_sz values. To do it properly, you must get the export in version 4 format. You can do that from the command line or a batch. I'll use the following key as an example.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

To export in version 5 format;

regedit /e c:\lsa5.reg "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa "

Gives you the following value for Authentication Packages, a Reg_Multi_SZ type entry.

"Authentication Packages "=hex(7):6d,00,73,00,76,00,31,00,5f,00,30,00,00,00,00,\
00

Now, version 4 export;

regedit /a c:\lsa4.reg "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa "

Gives you the following for the same entry.

"Authentication Packages "=hex(7):6d,73,76,31,5f,30,00,00


You will also notice the header reads REGEDIT4 in the second export. Importing either registry file will give you the following value in the registry.

Authentication Packages = msv1_0


I would also note that the 2 operating system's registry structure differs, so be sure you're importing values and/or data and keys to proper areas of the ME registry.

It's really only necessary to wrap the registry path in quotes as I did above when the path has a space anywhere within it, but making it habit to always wrap in quotes is recommended.