sysandprog
asked on
Registry files strategy question
This question relates to WINDOWS 98SE only.
I have created a new directory C:\BACKUP\TODELETE in which to save files (pending future deletion) that appear to be "dead". In this directory there is a README.BAT file that shows the date moved over, plus the complete original path.
For example, there are old registry SYSTEM and USER files with extensions like .---, .1ST, .BAK, .PAK NU6, .NEW and others. These I have moved over.
Normal automatic backups with .DAT extensions are stored in 6 cabinets (rb000.cab - rb005.cab) in C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP directory. I don't touch these.
Still others with an extension of .RSC are stored in C:\WINDOWS and appear to be normal transient backup files, so I don't touch these. I do wonder how these might be used in system recovery.
What is strange, however, is that 3 USER (but no SYSTEM) files with .DAT, .BAK, and .PAK extensions are stored as HIDDEN and READ ONLY in C:\WINDOWS\PROFILES\DEFAUL
These USER files are not in plain English, but the ASCII representation as shown with QUICK VIEW PLUS appears like normal Registry USER files. However, the file LENGTH is only about half the size of the regular ones.
If you have PERSONAL knowledge of what these files are and their purpose, please respond. Can they be deleted? Should I substitute a normal length USER file? If so, why isn't this done automatically?
Thanks for your time.
I have created a new directory C:\BACKUP\TODELETE in which to save files (pending future deletion) that appear to be "dead". In this directory there is a README.BAT file that shows the date moved over, plus the complete original path.
For example, there are old registry SYSTEM and USER files with extensions like .---, .1ST, .BAK, .PAK NU6, .NEW and others. These I have moved over.
Normal automatic backups with .DAT extensions are stored in 6 cabinets (rb000.cab - rb005.cab) in C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP directory. I don't touch these.
Still others with an extension of .RSC are stored in C:\WINDOWS and appear to be normal transient backup files, so I don't touch these. I do wonder how these might be used in system recovery.
What is strange, however, is that 3 USER (but no SYSTEM) files with .DAT, .BAK, and .PAK extensions are stored as HIDDEN and READ ONLY in C:\WINDOWS\PROFILES\DEFAUL
These USER files are not in plain English, but the ASCII representation as shown with QUICK VIEW PLUS appears like normal Registry USER files. However, the file LENGTH is only about half the size of the regular ones.
If you have PERSONAL knowledge of what these files are and their purpose, please respond. Can they be deleted? Should I substitute a normal length USER file? If so, why isn't this done automatically?
Thanks for your time.
Add-on to previous:
As far as candidates for deletion:
Windows will only use the .dat files, and possibly .da0
during a restore.
Do you by any chance have a registry (or system) snapshot program installed ?
I'm curious with regard to the .rsc, files, far as I
know windows does not create them.
Also, just a guess, the .nu6 and.new have been created by some application program perhaps at install.
Perhaps somebody else know which program(s) creates
them and can enlighten you (and me :-) ).
As far as candidates for deletion:
Windows will only use the .dat files, and possibly .da0
during a restore.
Do you by any chance have a registry (or system) snapshot program installed ?
I'm curious with regard to the .rsc, files, far as I
know windows does not create them.
Also, just a guess, the .nu6 and.new have been created by some application program perhaps at install.
Perhaps somebody else know which program(s) creates
them and can enlighten you (and me :-) ).
Well,
the .nu6 is indeed created at appl. install.
It is backups of the registry at the time you install
Norton Utilities.
the .nu6 is indeed created at appl. install.
It is backups of the registry at the time you install
Norton Utilities.
ASKER
There are no files with the .da0 extension. I have a hunch that they would only be created in WINDOWS 95 as .da0, .da1, .da2, etc., and would (probably) correspond to the entries in the (newer) WINDOWS 98 cabinet system. I vaguely remember seeing files like that when I used WINDOWS 95.
ASKER
Increasing points to try to get response from others with more experience. I need an EXACT answer, not clues.
Ok,
well here is an exact answer with regard to the
rsc files. I found them on a machine with Norton Utilities
installed.
Search for NU and found that they are registry backup
files created by NU (rescue set). For their intended
use see: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nunt.nsf/ae4ef3970d92c2f2852567c50043aaa9/34d91698c2bc9c2f882567360056b751?OpenDocument
And yes, the .da0 files turned out to be leftovers from
a previous win95 install. Win98 uses .bak
Good Luck, Bjorn
well here is an exact answer with regard to the
rsc files. I found them on a machine with Norton Utilities
installed.
Search for NU and found that they are registry backup
files created by NU (rescue set). For their intended
use see: http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/nunt.nsf/ae4ef3970d92c2f2852567c50043aaa9/34d91698c2bc9c2f882567360056b751?OpenDocument
And yes, the .da0 files turned out to be leftovers from
a previous win95 install. Win98 uses .bak
Good Luck, Bjorn
ASKER
You did provide a clue, and I will award you some points, but I had hoped that an expert with PERSONAL experience in this area would respond.
I am going to ask the moderators to reduce the points because the main part of my question remains unanswered and it doesn't appear that anybody else is going to jump in with a solution. Here is what I asked...
"What is strange, however, is that 3 USER (but no SYSTEM) files with .DAT, .BAK, and .PAK extensions are stored as HIDDEN and READ ONLY in C:\WINDOWS\PROFILES\DEFAUL
"These USER files are not in plain English, but the ASCII representation as shown with QUICK VIEW PLUS appears like normal Registry USER files. However, the file LENGTH is only about half the size of the regular ones."
"If you have PERSONAL knowledge of what these files are and their purpose, please respond. Can they be deleted? Should I substitute a normal length USER file? If so, why isn't this done automatically?"
I am going to ask the moderators to reduce the points because the main part of my question remains unanswered and it doesn't appear that anybody else is going to jump in with a solution. Here is what I asked...
"What is strange, however, is that 3 USER (but no SYSTEM) files with .DAT, .BAK, and .PAK extensions are stored as HIDDEN and READ ONLY in C:\WINDOWS\PROFILES\DEFAUL
"These USER files are not in plain English, but the ASCII representation as shown with QUICK VIEW PLUS appears like normal Registry USER files. However, the file LENGTH is only about half the size of the regular ones."
"If you have PERSONAL knowledge of what these files are and their purpose, please respond. Can they be deleted? Should I substitute a normal length USER file? If so, why isn't this done automatically?"
sysandprog asked to have this question closed. If there isn't any objection I will
PAQ & refund
in 72 hours.
** Mindphaser - Community Support Moderator **
PAQ & refund
in 72 hours.
** Mindphaser - Community Support Moderator **
I don't really care about points,
and have no objection at all with regard to
closing the question.
Good Luck, Bjorn
and have no objection at all with regard to
closing the question.
Good Luck, Bjorn
ASKER
I do want to award partial points, especially for the response about the .rsc extension.
ASKER
Here is a dummy question awarding 250 points...
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20566418/Points-for-bjorndahlen.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20566418/Points-for-bjorndahlen.html
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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here is part of the answer:
You already seem to be aware that the rb*.cab files contain
the system files including user.dat and system.dat
and are created and deleted in a round-robin fashion by
scanreg /backup.
System.* files contain registry entries related to the system as a whole, such as hardware info, installed programs etc, so you don't get one of these for each user.
User.* files contains info related to the the logged on user and if you enabled individual user setting you will get one user.dat in the profilepath pointed for each user
pointed to by the ProfileList, usually
C:\windows\profiles\xxxx and one for the default user.
The *.dat are current files, *.da0, a backup, *.1st are created at windows install.
I'm not sure about the *.bak and *.pak.
They are not present on any of my systems.
They would likely be backups
How about useing regedit to take a look?
In command mode type
regedit /L:system.xxx /R:user.xxx /E xxx.reg
where system.xxx is the full path of the system file
and user is the full path of the user file and
xxx is the extension you want to look at, say .pak
rename the xxx.reg file xxx.txt right away to
avoid an accidental update of your current
registry, and take a look.
Bjorn