Regedit and regedt32

[CondorMan]

Hi everyone

I use XP Pro SP2 and am aware that there are both regedit.exe and regedt32.exe are available to me. I've seen several post and articles which mention registry tweaks and some say use the first editor whilst others say use the second. The obvious question is "What's the difference?". I suspect it may be like command.com vs cmd.exe in that one was used in previous versions of the Windows OS but I came across this comment in a NG:

"regedit does not support the multi string or expanded string values that are sometimes used in NT. Edditing these with regedit can cause you big problems"

Instinctively, I use regedit as my registry editor but it seems that I may have to be a bit more selective, assuming that this quotation is correct. Is it correct and are there any other major differences between the two?

Thanks in advance.

 

[linney]

Regedt32.exe and Regedit.exe load the same registry editor in XP.

In Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, Regedt32.exe is a small program that just runs Regedit.exe.

The differences apply to earlier operating systems.

Differences between Regedit.exe and Regedt32.exe

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/141377/en-us?FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[CondorMan]

Thanks - that's reassuring. So the comment that I quoted is a load of tosh then!

 

[linney]

Only as it applies to XP and later operating systems. Applying it to pre-XP systems it is probably correct.

 

[thefourthwall]

There are instances in pre-XP operating systems, like W2K, where regedt32 is necessary to do things that should not be done in regedit, but the distinction is meaningless on current OS's as linney says.

 

[CondorMan]

If both are not needed in XP, I'm surprised that they're there. I'm sure that MS have a good reason for including them both.

 

[chipk]

I'm sure that MS have a good reason for including them both.

LOL, sorry, but I had to laugh. I never assume MS has good reasons for doing anything.

It's kind of like, for those who remember win 3.1, File Manager still worked in NT 4.0.

 

[linney]

Probably something to do with backward compatibility so that older scripts run on XP if they call regedt32 for any reason?

 

[CondorMan]

Hmm - good point, but I wouldn't expect anything else from you!

 

[Whitemtntn]

How about the ability to access the registry on another machine remotely???

I manage a network and I used to use Regedt32.exe all the time if I need to make a change to Local_Machine on a remote computer -- this feature is indispensable for an IT manager.

So what do we use now, Microsoft?? Do you ask people who actually use your products before you make these decisions?????

 

[wolluf]

Whitemtntn - have you not tried the connect network registry feature in regedit?