acessing slave harddisk registry?

[scoop]

I am using windows XP SP2 and have a few local harddrives installed, I am just wondering if there is a way to edit the slave's registry?

[Paul Komski]

Drives and partitions themselves dont have "a registry" in the way the term is usually used. Each partition is however "registered" in the WinXP registry at the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\MountedDevices" Key.

They do have other unique information on them (notably in the MBR, the Partition Boot Sectors and in the System Volume Information folders) so perhaps you meant something else. What is it that you want to edit?

[Sylvander]

Hey Paul...
The EBCD includes "Registry Tool" [for Win98/ME], and that will work from outside the Windows environment to backup and edit the contents of the Windows registry files on the system/boot partition on the HDD.
[What is the difference between a system and a boot partition?]

Is there nothing similar for WinXP?

And scoop...
I'm having trouble understanding the meaning of what you said; could you explain further?

[Paul Komski]

I'm having trouble understanding the meaning of what you said; could you explain further?
The registry is unique to each operating system however many hard drives are attached to a system. Assuming Windows can be accessed so can its registry. This is no different for all versions of windows that have a registry.

Hard Drive information is stored in the Windows registry which is different from other metadata information stored physically on each drive and partition.

The most specific thing about each HDD's data (excluding its geometry etc) is its disk signature which can be changed with a hex editor or 3rd party software or simply renewed with fdisk /mbr (but not with fixmbr).

[scoop]

Hi Paul,

I have accidently deleted some keys and wondering if there is a way to undo it...

[Paul Komski]

Unless you have some way of restoring your system there is no undo if you change your registry. You could try a system restore but you may have to do a repair installation: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm or a clean reinstall.

But do you know which keys or what area you edited and especially what the actual consequences have been?

[masterleous]

I have accidently deleted some keys and wondering if there is a way to undo it...
Hi,

One way to undo your registry, is to Restart your windows in DOS-Mode, or After restart directly go in DOS Modes. and than in Command Promt type this;

C:\scanreg /restore This will restore your registries to previous date....

And let see other users answers too.

[Paul Komski]

WinXP has no DOS nor any scanreg utility.

It does have system restore which (as long as it was turned on) can be accessed by entering %SystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe into the run box.