System Preparation - Tweak Insurance

It's always good to plan ahead. These tips will show you how to back up and restore essential Windows Vista settings in preparation for this PCSTATS tip odyssey.

1. Back up and Restore the Windows Vista registry

Several of the following tips require editing the Windows Vista registry, a storehouse of settings and configuration information not usually accessible through the main Vista interface. Editing the registry can have dire consequences if the wrong values are changed, so it's always a good idea to make a backup of the registry first. This backup can be easily restored, allowing you to roll back any incorrect changes you made.

To backup the Windows Vista registry:

Open the 'start' menu and type 'regedit' in the search box. Hit Enter.

Highlight 'computer' in the left-hand pane.

Go to 'file\export'.

Choose a location on your computer to save the registry backup file. The preferable location is either on removable storage like a USB drive, or on a separate physical disk from the Windows directory, but anywhere will do in a pinch. Give it an appropriate name like 'registrybackup08'.

To import this image of the registry (and erase any changes made since), follow the first few steps above to open regedit, then go to 'file\import' and load the file you just created.

2. How to edit the Windows Vista registry

Now that we've backed up the registry, let's look at how to edit it. As mentioned previously, several of the following tips require the registry to be changed, so it's a good idea to get to know the process now.

To edit the Windows Vista registry:

Open the 'start' menu and type 'regedit' in the search box. Hit Enter.

This will open the Regedit program which we will use for any tips that require a registry edit. To navigate in Regedit, use the directory tree in the left hand pane.

The folders in this view are known as registry 'keys'. Keys can contain other 'subkeys' and sets of values which affect the function of Windows Vista. During this tips article we will be creating both new keys and new values.

To create a registry key:

Right click on an empty area of the right-hand pane and choose 'new/key'. Give the newly created key the name specified in the tip. Note that no saving is necessary. Once a change is made to the registry, it's made.

To create a registry value:

Though there are several types of registry values that can be created, the only one we are going to deal with in this article is the DWORD value type. To create one, navigate to the appropriate registry key and subkey as specified in the tip you are following, then right click on an empty area of the right-hand pane and choose 'new/DWORD value'.

Give the new value the specified name, click 'ok', then double click on the newly created DWORD to edit it. Enter the value again as specified in the tip you are following. Click 'ok.' The Windows registry hasn't changed much since WindowsXP, so if you'd like to learn a little more about the registry have a look at this PCSTATS guide on the subject.

3. Creating a system restore point in Windows Vista

Like XP before it, Vista includes the useful system restore utility. Under ideal conditions, this feature allows you to roll back the entire operating system (excepting personal data) to a previously created 'restore point' allowing you to undo errors caused by faulty programs or changes made to the system. Before we continue further with tweaks, it's a good idea to create one of these restore points and to understand how to return the operating system to a previously created restore point.

To create a system restore point:

Open the 'start' menu and right-click on 'computer'. Choose 'properties'.

From the tasks pane on the left, click 'System Protection'.

Click the 'create' button and give your new restore point an appropriate name like 'system before tweaks' and hit 'create'.

To restore Windows Vista to a previously saved restore point:

Open the 'start' menu and type 'system restore.'

Click 'next'.

Choose the restore point you wish to use by highlighting it and then hit 'next'.

Make sure you have saved any documents, then click 'finish'. The system will restart and revert to the settings saved in the restore point.