How to Backup Your Registry

Whenever you install a program or change a value of a system configuration, a change is made in your registry. You can go into the Registry Editor to manually change a value or to inspect your registry. This runs the risk of causing instabilities in your system if you make an incorrect change.

It's always a good idea to backup the registry whenever you're attempting to change a value in it. While Windows automatically backs up the registry on shutdown, nowadays, many people keep their computers on for days at a time so the chances of having a registry problem go up.

To manually backup the registry:

1. Bring up your registry editor by going to Start->Run and typing in "regedit".

2. Once the Registry Editor pops up, right-click on My Computer and choose Export.

3. Choose a directory to save the registry file in and give a memorable name to it like registrybackupCurrentDate.

4. Click Save.

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