Microsoft explains the lack of Registry backups in Windows 10

TairikuOkami · 01 Jul 2019

Well that explains problem restoring registry backups, since there were none.

Windows 10 crashed after update and is now unbootable

So why has Microsoft done this? In the company’s own words: “to help reduce the overall disk footprint size of Windows”.

To recover a system with a corrupt registry hive, Microsoft recommends that you use a system restore point.

System restore is automatically disabled on computers with a low disk footprint!

Microsoft explains the lack of Registry backups in Windows 10-tumblr_n4adkjatue1tzpsxyo1_500.gif

ThrashZone · 01 Jul 2019

Hi,
Last I looked 10 is getting as large as win-7 is on clean install is that considered a small foot print now

Bree · 01 Jul 2019

Thanks, @dalchina and I have been investigating the (lack of) registry backups for about a year now. So MS finally comes clean and admits we've been flogging a dead horse? Would have been nice if they'd admitted that a year ago

krzemien · 01 Jul 2019

Does this mean that famous Last known good configuration option has been rendered effectively useless?

(It's been quite a while since I used it though! Does it even exist anywhere in Windows 10 boot menus?)

And yes, hilarious, obviously!

Ztruker · 01 Jul 2019

I checked the Regback folder and mine was empty, no 0 length files in it. I added the registry entry and rebooted and the 0 length files were now there.

I then opened Task Scheduler and ran the RegIdleBackup task and now the files are populated. So it looks like the files have to exist, even as 0 length files before the scheduled task will actually backup the registry.

Now that it has worked once I expect it will continue to work, probably until the next Feature Update when I'll have to fix this again.

krzemien · 01 Jul 2019

Many thanks - have done the same and the size I ended up with is ~160MB.

This change is by design, and is intended to help reduce the overall disk footprint size of Windows.

Quite. Mind boggles.

(I wonder how did this glorious moment of realisation ' have we not included' etc. really looked like!)

Ztruker · 01 Jul 2019

Repeated this process on my main PC, same results. Regback occupies 114MB so it's a bunch of BS about MS wanting to save space in the Windows 10 footprint. There is no valid reason I can think of for MS doing this other than whimsy or plain stupidity.

Hanlon's razor is a saying that reads: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

Should be able to automate this with a simple registry hack and either command prompt or powershell command to runt eh scheduled task.

Bree · 01 Jul 2019

Ztruker said:

...it's a bunch of BS about MS wanting to save space in the Windows 10 footprint. There is no valid reason I can think of for MS doing this other than whimsy or plain stupidity....

My theory is that they broke it in 1803 and can't work out how to fix what they broke, so just called it a 'feature' instead.

Ztruker · 01 Jul 2019

Not so easy to automate a fix, rats. Has to be a two part before and after reboot hack. Oh well.

Code:

From Elevated Command Prompt or Powershell window:
REG ADD "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager" /V EnablePeriodicBackup /T REG_DWORD /D 1

Reboot

From Elevated Command Prompt or Powershell window:
SCHTASKS /RUN /I /TN RegIdleBackup

Edit: That doesn't work:

SCHTASKS /RUN /TN RegIdleBackup
ERROR: The system cannot find the file specified.

The task exists and schtasks can see it:

Folder: \Microsoft\Windows\Registry HostName TaskName Next Run Time Status Logon Mode ================ ======================================== ====================== =============== =======================DESKTOP RegIdleBackup N/A Ready Interactive/Background