How can I edit the registry from the Windows Vista Recovery Tool?
The recovery tool provides 5 options:
- Startup Repair
- System Restore
- Windows Complete PC Restore
- Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
- Command Prompt
I can click Command Prompt, from where I can type:
X:\Sources>regedit
And RegEdit appears. But it is editing the registry of the mini-Windows environment that is running the recovery tool – it's not my registry.
I need to edit
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MUI\UILanguages\xx-YY
and change it to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\MUI\UILanguages\
en-US
What I tried
I tried creating a dummy key:
HKCU\Software\TempTestFoo
and then using File -> Import to import the registry hive file:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\system
and it does, it brings in every key, except CurrentControlSet:
\CurrentControlSet001
\CurrentControlSet002
\CurrentControlSet003
\LastKnownGoodRecovery
\MountedDevices
\Select
\Setup
\WPA
Best Answer
The quick answer, you're pretty much there. Check value of
Current
in the keyHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Select
. This will tell you which of theCurrentControlSet00X
's you need to make your change in.For example, if
Current
is set to2
, you need to editHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet002
with your changes.The way it works is this:
Windows always keeps a few copies of this key, suffixed 001 to 003 (only 2 in Windows 7 I think?). CurrentControlSet001, CurrentControlSet002 and CurrentControlSet003. Think of them as the master keys that are persistent while the computer is switched off.
When you log into Windows, it picks the last used key, using the value of
Current
in theHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Select
key. The content is copied into a key calledHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
. This key is what Windows plays with while you are logged on.When you log off of Windows, changes are written back to the key that was original copied from when you first logged on.
CurrentControlSet002
for example.CurrentControlSet
vanishes, so to speak. This is why you are unable to see it while you are logged off, working from the recovery console :-)Probably a bit over the top with my answer (I blame the Red Bull), but I figured I'd answer a detailed question with a detailed answer.