18 Aug 2003, 07:36, Charles Angelich (1:106/2000), wrote to Matt Mc_carthy:

Hi Charles.

 MM>>>> Five other files often VERY handy to keep spares of are
 MM>>>> the Registry Backup files located in the Hidden directory
 MM>>>> "C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP". Those are rb000.cab, rb001.cab,
 MM>>>> rb002.cab, rb003.cab and rb004.cab. 
.................

 CA> Something is missing in this equation. I remember being told to
 CA> save copies using 'regedit' prior to changing the registry. If
 CA> these copies made by the OS were adequate why would I manually
 CA> create backup?

Here is a listing of the files in their native sequence.  Note particularly
the filename sequence, and the filedates:

 Volume in drive C is W98-20G-C  
 Directory of C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP

RB001    CAB     1,241,536  08-19-03  1:26a rb001.cab
RB000    CAB     1,241,731  08-18-03  5:09a rb000.cab
RB005    CAB     1,241,559  08-17-03  7:47a rb005.cab
RB004    CAB     1,241,571  08-16-03  1:39p rb004.cab
RB003    CAB     1,241,253  08-15-03  2:34a rb003.cab
         5 file(s)      6,207,650 bytes
         0 dir(s)     184,451,072 bytes free

Note that there is no RB002.CAB.  That is the current registry file which
is actually running while I am typing this.  When I finish and shut down
the system, my current registry will be saved as RB002.CAB, and the last
listing at the bottom with the oldest date, RB003.CAB will be discarded.  

When I power up tomorrow, the newest file, now named RB002.CAB will be
loaded into memory, the file named RB002.CAB will inherit the date time
stamp of power-up, and at power-down that copy in memory will be saved as
RB003.CAB (which will at that time be the 'missing filename').  

This process continues with each power-up and power-down.  The USER.DAT and
SYSTEM.DAT files maintained under the WINDOWS directory are the
uncompressed versions of the 'topmost' RB00x.CAB file, and are used for
warm re-boots that may take place between power on-off cycles.

Now, back to the question:  Why save a copy(s) when using REGEDIT?  It is
always 'comfortable' to have a spare, known good, _current_ working
registry when working in the editor.  Minor changes, as innocent as
swapping a different monitor three days ago, will show up when using one of
the RB00x.CAB files.  You will see the familiar "New hardware
found", "Installing drivers for 'unknown device'", etc.  Any
software installed since the date of any particular RB00x.CAB file will
also have to be re-installed, even though the software is visible in
directories and takes up space on the drive..

WinXP uses the same files and principles for their "Go-Back",
with the addition of saving copies of the FATs (whatever NTFS uses), as
well as copies of the directories.  When you use "Go-Back" on
WinXP, you get the old directories and 'FATs', in addition to the old
registry, so that in effect, whatever changes were made _after_ that time
simply no longer exists, and any programs installed after that time no
longer appear in any directories.  

Hope this helps a little...


     Good luck...  M.

--- Msged/386 TE 06 (pre)