Backing up the Windows 98 Registry

Backing up the Windows 98 Registry*
(see the KB Articles at the bottom for more info)
*Not for Win95

From Windows:

Step 1) Click Start
Step 2) Click Run
Step 3) Type SCANREGW.EXE /BACKUP
(note the space between the two commands)
Step 4) Click OK

From DOS Mode:

Step 1) Type SCANREG /BACKUP
(note the space between the two commands)

Note: This is not from a DOS Window

Your Registry backup is stored in Windows\Sysbckup. The files are RBxxx.CAB where the xxx is a number from 000 to 005. There is no particular scheme to the naming. RB005.CAB may be older than RB001.CAB. The date/time stamp on the file is what's important. By default, Windows 98/Me backup the Registry on the first boot of each day. You can manually force a backup as outlined in the above instructions.

To restore the system Registry, boot your computer from your Win98 Startup Disk. At the DOS prompt, type SCANREG /RESTORE You will get a screen with a listing of the 5 latest backups. Choose the one that was created when you backed it up. Choose by DATE, not by file name. If there is any doubt (2 files with the same date) then exit SCANREG and from the DOS prompt type CD \Windows\Sysbckup. Then type DIR RB*.CAB and look at the TIME stamp as well.

That wasn't painful was it?

Description of the Windows Registry Checker Tool (Scanreg.exe)
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q183/8/87.ASP

Command-Line Switches for the Registry Checker Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q184/0/23.ASP

How to Manually Restore the Windows 98 Registry
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q221/5/12.ASP