How can I monitor the registry?

[Navid]

How can I find out what registry settings are added when I install a new program?

Is there a program that can store all the registry contents and then compare it to the registry after a program installation providing all the differences in a list?

 

[xtknight]

I use this:
http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/regmon.html

You watch the registry change (and you can pause it). But be ready to read text the volume of that in a novel when the thing is done. The registry changes a LOT, even when you're not doing anything. 😉

I'm not aware of any registry delta program, as you explain. But that would be kind of dangerous if other keys changed that really needed to be changed.

P.S. There's also FileMon for monitoring the file systems and named pipes.

 

[networkman]

RegProt is another decent utility for monitoring your registry, and choosing whether it accept changes or not. 🙂

 

[Navid]

OK guys thanks.

I re-install XP a lot! I install my programs on a different partition (D).
I only re-install programs that need to be re-installed. For example, I do not re-install most of my games. I just add a short cut to the .exe file to my start menu and that's it. For example, I do not re-install Call of Duty 2.

I also do not re-install Far Cry. I have found out which dll files are added to the sytem32 folder after it is installed. So, I have copied those files and restore them every time and do not have to re-install it.

But, I have to re-install Halo every time! I suspect it is because of some registry setting that need to be there.

I want to install Halo and use this program to find out what setting it is and add it the next time so that I do not have to re-install it.

Will that work?

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: Navid
OK guys thanks.

I re-install XP a lot! I install my programs on a different partition (D).
I only re-install programs that need to be re-installed. For example, I do not re-install most of my games. I just add a short cut to the .exe file to my start menu and that's it. For example, I do not re-install Call of Duty 2.

I also do not re-install Far Cry. I have found out which dll files are added to the sytem32 folder after it is installed. So, I have copied those files and restore them every time and do not have to re-install it.

But, I have to re-install Halo every time! I suspect it is because of some registry setting that need to be there.

I want to install Halo and use this program to find out what setting it is and add it the next time so that I do not have to re-install it.

Will that work?

It might be a tedious task. But, if it's just a few keys that can be exported/imported and still work then why not.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: xtknight
I use this:
http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/regmon.html

You watch the registry change (and you can pause it). But be ready to read text the volume of that in a novel when the thing is done. The registry changes a LOT, even when you're not doing anything. 😉

As you say, there are lots of changes reported that makes this approach impractical. Are there any other suggestions for finding out which keys are added due to the installation of a program (game)?

 

[theAnimal]

Try this.