Registry Search + Replace is a Win32 utility which can be used to simplify maintenance of the Windows 95/98 or Windows NT registration database or also know as registry

Overview

Registry Search + Replace is developed by Steven J. Hoek Software Development. Registry Search + Replace is a Win32 utility which can be used to simplify maintenance of the Windows 95/98 or Windows NT registration database or also know as registry. Also, Registry Search + Replace help to automate the frequent maintenance of the Windows 95/98 and Windows NT registry. Simply, Registry Search + Replace is a Registry Maintenance Tool. Registry serves as the brain of the primary source of configuration information for operating system and applications. Registry Search + Replace will help when the user do not have the time or confidence to edit the registry by hand or want to get things done faster.

Registry Search + Replace is:

Efficient, easy to use tabbed-dialog interface
Fast
Accurate
Safe

Registry Search + Replace features include:

Search profile that can be save, restore, and automate search sets
Search registry for value search or data search
Integrated with Windows 95/98 and Windows NT
Many search criteria and other options
Many adminstrative features
Support remote registry search + replace operation

General Information about the tool

Name:	Registry Search + Replace
Current Version:	2.11
Release Data:	January 16, 1998
Files Size:	682K
Type of software:	Shareware
Minimum Requirement:	Windows 95/98/NT
Author:	Steven J. Hoek Software Delelopment
Cost:	USD $ 20.00

Tool Description

The main program is where the user chooses to start searching, close program or edit the registry manually. All the same three buttons will show at the right bottom of the windows in every tabbed dialog pages.

Search	This button will start the search + replace operation when it is clicked by the user
Close	When this button is click the Registry Search + Replace will close
Registry Editor	This button will open the Microsoft Registry Edit of Windows 95/98/NT. Picture of the Microsoft Registry Edit is shown below

The General page of Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog is where the user specify the high-level components of search profile.

Search Criteria:

Data to search for	Specify the string to be search for in the registry
Log result to file	Optionally log all the result to a specified file
Show matches (default)	Show a dialog when a match occurs
Match whole words	Match if and only if the to-be-search string matches exactly the same as the result string
Case sensitive matches	Only match when the two strings have the equivalent cases

Replacement Criteria:

None (default)	Only perform registry search
Prompted	When a match is found, prompt the user for the replacement string
Specified	The matches string will be replaced automatically when the specified string

The Advanced page of the Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog is where the user specify the low-level components of search profile.

Search Criteria:

Search for:
Values	Search for key value instead of key data
Data (default)	Search for key data instead of key value
Search these types of string data:
REG-SZ	Search for normal string data. NOTE: DOES NOT APPLY WHEN SEARCHING VALUES
REG-EXPAND-SZ	Search for expandable string data. NOTE: DOES NOT APPLY WHEN SEARCHING FOR VALUES
REG-MULTI-SZ	Search for multi-line string data. NOTE: DOES NOT APPLY WHEN SEARCHING FOR VALUES
Search these hives:
HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE	Search this hive of the registry. NOTE: IMPLIES HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
HKEY-CLASSES-ROOT	Search this hive of the registry. NOTE: DOES NOT APPLY WHEN SEARCHING A REMOTE REGISTRY
HKEY-USERS	Search this hive of the registry. NOTE: IMPLIES HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY-CURRENT-USER (default)	Search this hive of the registry. NOTE: DOES NOT APPLY WHEN SEARCHING A REMOTE REGISTRY

Registry Location:

Local Registry (default)	Search the local registry.
Remote Registry	Search a remote registry as specified by the computer name in the form of "\\COMPUTERNAME"

The Profile page of the Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog is where the user manage the saving and restoring of a search profile.

Current Profile	Shows the currently opened profile. The Default.RSP is the default profile if no other profile is opened
Open	Open a new search profile, which was saved previously
Save	Saves the modification to the current opened profile
Save As	Saves the modification of current profile to a new profile name
Options:
Auto Start this profile when it is opened	If checked when a profile is saved, the search + replace operation will begin immediately next time when this profile is opened
Close RegSearch when this profile is finished	The program will close when the current search + replace is done

The progress page of the Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog becomes active when you press the Search button to initiate a search + replace operation.

Progress:

Searched	Shows the progress of keys in the search set
Processed	Shows the overall progress in relating to all keys in the registry

Statistics:

Number searched	The number of keys that have been examined. The search set when searching values is all keys
Number processed	The number of keys that have been traversed during search. This number will be equal to the total of keys in the registry when the search completes, and is always greater than or equal to the Number Searched
Number matched	This number will show the number of times the search criteria has been matched
Number replaced	This will show the number of times a match has been replaced

The Registry Tree dialog is displayed when a match is found and Show Matches is on. The registry will be expanded to show the where the match was found.

Show Matches	This checkbox is another extension of Show Matches from the General page. If the checkbox is unchecked, the operation will continue without showing the Registry Tree dialog again.
Replace	When in prompted or specified replace mode, this button is shown allowing the user to confirm the replace operation. In the replace mode, the Prompted Replace dialog will show
Skip/Continue	In the replace mode, the Skip button is shown to skip over the current match. When not in replace, the Continue button allows the user to continue on searching
Abort	This will allow the user to abort current search operation

The Prompted Replace dialog will show when in the Prompted Replace mode and select Replace from the Registry Tree dialog.

OK	Proceed the replacement
Upper Case	Change the text in the edit to upper case
Lower Case	Change the text in the edit to lower case
Cancel	Do not proceed the replacement

The About page of the Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog shows the user about the current version, copyright information, support contact information, and registration information for the program.

The Registration page of Registry Search + Replace tabbed dialog informs the unregistered user the state of the count and detail on how to register the program. Once registered, this page does not appear.

Usage Count	In the evaluation Registry Search + Replace, the user have 25 times to execute it. After 25 times or the evaluation period is over, this page will show that the usage count has been exceeded and the Search button will never become enabled.
Register	After Registering the program, the user will receive a registration code. The user need to click this button to enter registration code for the program.

The Registration Information dialog is where the user the registration code. Once registered, the information will appears on the About page.

Registered User Name	The name used when registering the program. This name must match the name gave when requesting for registration code
Registered User Information	The addition information used when registering the program. This name must match exactly the information gave when requesting for registration code
Registration Code	This code is given to the user upon the receipt of registration request and payment. The user must enter the code exactly as it appears on the registration confirmation letter.

Appropriate and Inappropriate Uses

Appropriate

When the user is using Windows 95 client and is searching another Windows 95 client. Also, both machines must have to be running the Microsoft Remote Registry Service.
When the user is using Windows NT client and is searching another Windows NT client. Also, the remote machine must have its security set such that this type of access is allowed.
When the user familiar with Windows Registry.
When the user move an application for one location to another location on the user's system. Registry Search + Replace will help the user to change the old program path to new program path. This way the user does not have to reinstall or edit the registry manually if the application is not working when moving to another location.
When there are some leftover deris in the registry from programs that haven't uninstalled themselves correctly. Registry Search + Replace can help to clean them up.

Inappropriate

When the user is using Windows NT client and is searching a Windows 95 client or vice-versa because the program cannot search a remote registries with different Operating System.
When the user does not have any knowledge of registry, the user could mess up or skrew up the registry which could ruin the Windows for good.