Michael Robertson, on Windows NT, 2000 or XP? :D

That's always been one of my criticisms of registry cleaners offering backup -- if Windows won't run, you can't restore that backup, so it presents a false sense of security. Setting a restore point doesn't always work either. ERUNT worked with Win7, but nothing newer, and like a few newer tools available today, you could restore a registry backup after booting to a USB stick. Problem there though is that nowadays booting to a USB stick can be iffy. The only bootable USB sticks I've found to reliably work on every device [PC, laptop etc.] are those created with Macrium Reflect, so the best solution *to me* is to create a full backup image using Macrium Reflect, free or paid versions.

ricohflex, as user, I saw the location of the backups on a 32 bit computer:
C:\Program Files\Ashampoo\Ashampoo Registry Cleaner 2\Backups
My backup file is called RC_2020_10_02_19_18_13_064.reg
and it is a normal registry file. In the name you see today's date and the local time.

If I double-click on it, all entries are restored. If I do not want them all restored, I can delete them from this file, using a normal text editor.

ricohflex, please be aware that System Restore points are not 100% reliable. They are no substitute for real alternate media backups. Restore attempts can fail for many reasons.

ricohflex, in the summary listing at the far right of each line is a magnifying glass icon that when pressed takes you to a further listing that itemises each entry it could delete. Each entry is selected but can be deselected.... and they list the registry locations each entry refers to and supposedly permit opening the registry entry in regedit BUT i found it did not pass the key URL to regedit so regedit just opened where it was last closed and not at the desired location.

It should be possible to navigate to any shown registry entry and selectively delete it or really repair it if it's in some way damaged.

one can deselect ALL entries and then dig down and select just a single entry to delete... prior to deletion a .reg file backup is made in the Backups folder so one could open an offline registry hive and import the backup reg files from a winPE envirnoment, in theory.

Each deletion button press creates one .reg file backup file containing ALL the entries deleted in that event.
Files are named by date and time of delete event:
RC_2020_10_02_22_48_54_901.ini
RC_2020_10_02_22_48_54_901.reg contents:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\FirewallRules]
"{C460F527-C3CA-455F-93F7-4B0A9167ED63}"="v2.0|Action=Allow|Active=TRUE|Dir=Out|App=C:\\Program Files\\AceThinker\\AceThinker Video Editor\\AceThinker Video Editor.exe|Name=AceThinker Video Editor|Edge=FALSE|"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\FirewallRules]
"{6834329B-D850-4558-9977-5B8522EFDF9A}"="v2.0|Action=Allow|Active=TRUE|Dir=In|App=C:\\Program Files\\AceThinker\\AceThinker Video Editor\\AceThinker Video Editor.exe|Name=AceThinker Video Editor|Edge=FALSE|"

I see no indication that it is capable of repairing any corrupted keys, just offereing "delete now" as only action button.

It is possible the regedit parameter passing problem may be due to the fact I am testing this under Vista and VIsta is not listed as supported here or on their website...

System Restore is not used or relied upon by this program.

Mike, Hi Mike I have no connection with Ashampoo, Im an independent Microsoft trained I.T. Engineer and Tutor, In my answer to your first post #1 I was Not telling you to use a built in restore point in the program I was advising you to make a Restore point before installing this or any other program to do this you would,

In the search box on the taskbar, type Create a restore point, and select it from the list of results.
On the System Protection tab in System Properties, select Create.
Type a description for the restore point, and then select Create. Then you can install any program you wish knowing that you can go back to a safe place if you need to.

regards Patrick

Mike, Hi Mike simple answer is Yes I recommend backing up before any new installation I have been working in I.T. for 23 years and seen some real nightmares because people did not make a Restoration Point

Mr Patrick McDonald,

I am certain he knows about the need to make backup, before tampering with the registry, hence his question.

What he asked was: Does this program create restore points AUTOMATICALLY (by default), before it starts tweaking the registry?

And do you speak for the author of the program or you speak for yourself?
Thank you.

Dan, I think you are looking at his second post #2 not the first #1 which i answered.

I have nothing to do with the company that made the program I was just offering my personnel opinion to his question.
Patrick