Registry key refuses to import. What am i missing?

So i transferred my displayfusion registry settings from my main PC to my backup PC.

at first glance, they all seem to import. Bindings are there, settings are there, license is there.

However one of the folders with some high priority settings imports, but has no keys in it.

I was finally able to get it to import by going to File>import as opposed to double clicking.


I have an idea of whats going on, but im looking for someone to lay it out for me so I know how to address this in the most streamlined way going forward.

I use Registry Finder exclusively. When using its menu to file>import, as i mentioned - no problamo.

However when I try double clicking, its trying to import ala regedit I assume, as all .reg files have the regedit icon after all.

So what is stopping them from being able to import via regedit and how can I get around it?

at current im left either importing the long way, or literally double checking everything i import to make sure every single key is there (unrealistic for bigger stuff obviously).

id prefer to be able to double click with peace of mind :P

It's going to be difficult to diagnose this without seeing some samples of what is not working. Any chance of posting a sample of .reg entries that are causing problems? If there is any sensitive data, feel free to alter that of course, but we need something with which to work.

Thanks!

Try3 said:

I agree that we need to see examples before suggesting that the Registry Keys concerned have Permissions that are restricting your ability to alter them directly.

I don't know that utility you mention so I should not hazard the guess that you are giving it Admin permission to run and that it is applying that when altering those Registry Keys

Denis

I believe your very likely close to the mark. Its weird though, im stuck. I do run registry finder as admin as its the only way I get access to some keys.

however, i tried to merge every way possible. I took an export from robocopy, an export from regedit, and export from registry finder both with admin on, and admin off.

a double click will not merge any of them. a file > import will not merge any of them in regedit. a file > import will merge all of them in registry finder both as admin or otherwise.

im officially lost.

heres a the key/string that wont go in apart from a file>import with registry finder.

Ill get the WindowPositionProfiles key, but the only string it will populate with is (Default)

I just ran into a similar issue with a context menu registry entry for bash, the icon string would NOT go in. I got that working by double backslashing the path to the icon file which I never had to do previously.

This is likely coincidence though id think.

hopefully you guys know better than I.

WindowPositionProfiles.reg

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just tried on another pc. same business. wont import that key with a double click, only a file > import in registry finder

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well, if its helpful - that bash context menu reg file i was referring to. I figured id run a test with that.

Turns out the double back slashes in the path to the icon arent needed if i do a file > import. However if I try to merge it with a double click, I dont get the icon key at all.

what does it all mean?

Add Bash context menu.reg

Try3 said:

I don't have your software so I cannot comment on the Keys concerned. Select the Key then right-click & select Permissions to see what the situation is.

Denis

well software aside, it should be importable in its entirety with regedit right? forget about registry finder, thats just the means i can actually GET It to import.

that makes me wonder though. I was unaware individual registry strings or keys under the same software can have differing permissions.thats kinda crappy. means that some you would flat out need to open regedit as admin and file > import or use the command line to do so - period? no means to double click em in if they have strings that require elevated permissions?

that almost makes sense except im importing with file>import using registry finder whether i run it as admin or not. Unless windows needs time or a restart to clear that flag and it was still running as admin after i toggled or something.anyhow, gonna peek at permissions of the keys relative to one another RQ.

Try3 said:

No, not if you do not have the necessary Permission to change the Keys. Registry Key Permissions are like folder & file Permissions - if you do not have the necessary Permission then you cannot do it.
{by 'your software', I meant the applications referred to in the .reg files you posted not your Registry finder thing}

What you need to do depends on what the permissions are for any given Key.
- Just for example, the only limitation that I normally encounter is one involved in setting 'metered' network default values.
- I change key ownership & write permissions to Administrators [note the plural - using the singular would create additional problems] so that I can open the Registry as Admin {with any of my Admin accounts} and then make any changes I need to.
- Once I've changed ownership & permissions I could use a .reg file to set the values I want but, since I'm in the right place when I change the permissions, I just go ahead and change the values manually.
- I have to repeat the change after Version updates because these updates set many or all Registry permissions back to their defaults.

Denis

Ah, i misunderstood. Apologies.

Also makes complete sense now! I guess its partially due to never running into it before, at least not often. Im certainly familiar with needing to take ownership and permission of certain windows related keys in order to modify or remove them.

however i find it odd that (potentially) keys that (in this case) are from software thats not even installed (its portable) and purely save settings, would be importable, minus the last one, regarding window position locations.

As for the second example (the bash context menu entry) the only thing I can surmise regarding the path to the icon not importing, is that it points to the WindowsApps folder which is hidden (and i had to take ownership to access).

that being said, it imports fine with a double click if i use the path-to-exe(icon) with double backslashes instead of single.

so perhaps the two registry files have overlapping symptoms if you will, but different causes.

still working that out considering the bash context menu entry had/has no means or need to export as it was never there. It was created/custom.

Try3 said:

Was that a typo? We have not been discussing context menu entries but Registry keys. Or you meant the Registry keys associated with some change you have made in the Registry to change your context menu? I have never seen a Registry key that could not be exported.
Denis

no, no. A reg key that was custom made to add an item to the context menu. I was implying that it wasnt something pre-installed thus nothing could have given it overbearing permissions. It could be as simple as requiring double backslashes with that one for whatever reason.

the displayfusion one is causing me major grief though. A regedit started as admin, and using file>import STILL will not take that key.

looking at permissions, best I can tell - theyre all identical.

i took a screenshot of a key that populated with all its strings, and of the offending key that didnt. The results were identical.



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ive literally deleted the key. Let the software re-create it. exported it, and tried to import it back. No dice.