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Registry Checker

The Registry Checker, by default, keeps a backup of the last 5 good bootups. Two part question: 1) When there are no backup files or they are only a couple and they are from months ago, what is going on that Win 98 is not backingup the registry? The computer seems to boot up fine and work!
2) Run the Registry Checker manually, and it states that a backup of today's registry has been completed but when scanreg is run from a command prompt, it shows the present date backup as "not started".
So what is going on with the computer that it can seem to start fine but I do not get these registry backups as started or not at all?
Thank You!!!

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

rayt333

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BillDL

Find the file C:\Windows\SCANREG.INI and open it in NotePad.

Here's exactly what it should say:

;
; Scanreg.ini for making system backups.
;

;Registry backup is skipped altogether if this is set to 0
Backup=1

;Registry automatic optimization is skipped if this is set to 0
Optimize=1

ScanregVersion=0.0001
MaxBackupCopies=5

;Backup directory where the cabs are stored is
; <windir>\sysbckup by default. Value below overrides it.
; It must be a full path. ex. c:\tmp\backup
;
BackupDirectory=

; Additional system files to backup into cab as follows:
; Filenames are separated by ','
; dir code can be:
; 10 : windir (ex. c:\windows)
; 11 : system dir (ex. c:\windows\system)
; 30 : boot dir (ex. c:\)
; 31 : boot host dir (ex. c:\)
;
;Files=[dir code,]file1,file2,file3
;Files=[dir code,]file1,file2,file3

Look particularly at the 2 entries:

Backup=
MaxBackupCopies=

If yours says anything other than the default 1 and 5 respectively, then this could be the reason.

Just for your information, SCANREG.EXE is the utility that is used during the DOS boot sequence. If you run the "SCANREGW" within Windows, it actually uses the DOS version to do its dirty work.

rayt333

I hate to disagree with Bill, but he is mistaken this time (doesn't happen very often though)
"Scanregw" is the one run at the bootup process
"Scanregw" runs in Protected-mode

Here is link to help explain differences:
http://support.gateway.com/s/SOFTWARE/MICROSOF/Win98/FAQ/faq016.shtml

rayt333

Another link to explain differences:
http://cwdixon.com/support/win98_support/registry02.htm

BillDL

Thanks, rayt333.

Yes, I am also the first to admit when I am wrong. In this case, although I understood the principle, the brevity of my explanation has indeed stated the facts wrongly.

As Microsoft "technet" pages say, the mitigating circumstances to support my poor explanation are the key phrases from rayt333's second linked page:

ScanRegW Runs automatically - every time computer is started
Scanreg Runs automatically - *** IF *** a registry problem is detected

ScanregW Compresses backup - Yes
Scanreg Compresses backup - No

ScanregW Restores registry - No ** (it calls Scanreg to do its "dirty work")
Scanreg Restores registry - Yes

ScanregW Fixes Registry - No ** (it calls Scanreg to do its "dirty work")
Scanreg Fix Registry - Yes

ScanregW Backs Up Registry - Yes
Scanreg Backs Up Registry - Yes

ScanReg scans the system configuration files EARLY in the boot process.
IF errors are found, the program warns you and prompts you to start Scanreg /Restore to restore a known good copy of these files.

ScanRegW runs automatically when the system is started, scans and then backs up User.dat, System.dat, Win.ini and System.ini (the "comprehensive" expression referred to above).

IF ScanRegW detects a problem with the registry, it offers to restart the computer to fix the problem. An error message on boot suggests that you run ScanReg to "fix" the registry.

Clearly I was wrong about ScanregW using Scanreg when invoked withing Window, however hopefully this clarifies the matter about my expression "doing the dirty work". It only does so when errors are detected.

Thanks for raising that rayt333.

Damn, I hate being wrong :-)

BillDL

Actually, you got me thinking there Ray.

Here's an edited section from my (customised in a hex editor) IO.SYS file that shows my boot options menu at startup:

00010F6B: Microsh*t Windows 98 Screwup Menu
00010FBA: Enter a choice:
00010FCE: F5
00010FD3: Safe mode
00010FE7: Command prompt
00011000: Step-
00011008: -step confirmation
00011096: Press any key to continue
000110B9: Windows is bypassing startup files.
0001117D: Windows will prompt you to confirm each startup command
000111BB: Load DoubleSpace driver
00011295: Process system registry
000112C3: Create a startup log file (BOOTLOG.TXT)
000112FD: Process startup device drivers (CONFIG.SYS)
00011340: Process startup command file (AUTOEXEC.BAT)
00011383: Load Windows graphical user interface
000113BF: Warning: Windows has detected a registry/configuration error.
Choose, Command prompt only, and run SCANREG.

I'm sure IO.SYS is processed during normal boot even when MSDOS.SYS isn't forcing the boot menu to display, but maybe I'm wrong again. I hope not :-)