Closing all branches in Regedit

[redbeard1]

Does anyone know if there is a way to close all open branches when your in the registry? On the occasion when I have to do some sort of extended searches to manually remove numerous entries, all of the trees or branches stay open. I don't like leaving them that way, because they stay open after you close regedit and make it harder to browse things if I have go back in.

Anybody know of some tweak to change this behavior?

 

[stash]

Right click on any expanded key and click collapse. So if you right click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and collapse, it will close the entire branch.

 

[redbeard1]

That only works to close whatever key you use it on. If you close the main branch, any open ones below it are still open if you go back into that branch.

 

[horhey]

So far all I have found is that the key "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\LastKey" controls what folder regedit will open to the next time it starts.
There is a nice vbscript that deletes that key and then opens regedit found here
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/regopen.htm

This is the only way I know how to do what you are asking. If you know another easier way please let me know.

 

[CTho9305]

asterisk will toggle open/close everything. it takes a while to open everything though

 

[redbeard1]

I can't seem to get the asterisk thing to work for me on XP pro.

 

[CTho9305]

oh, looks like it won't close the tree, only open it.

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: horhey
So far all I have found is that the key "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\LastKey" controls what folder regedit will open to the next time it starts.
There is a nice vbscript that deletes that key and then opens regedit found here
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_desc/regopen.htm

This is the only way I know how to do what you are asking. If you know another easier way please let me know.

This really isnt neccisary, just collapse everything to the root and make sure "my computer" is selected before you quit regedit.

If you close the main branch, any open ones below it are still open if you go back into that branch.

it's true that while you are working in regedit this is the case however once you close it down it doesnt save which sub-folders are expanded (just the current view).

-Erik

 

[spyordie007]

oh just had a thought that expands on this, if clicking the little minus sign every time you quit is too much for you than do it once and relaunch regedit than deny your account "write key" privilages on this key:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\LastKey

than it will be saved the "default way" and wont get re-written as something else.

-Erik

EDIT: Just tested it and it appears to work fine. Do keep in mind that the regedit window settings are also stored in this key so make sure it's sized how you want it to appear every time...

 

[redbeard1]

if clicking the little minus sign every time you quit is too much for you

Well.....I've recently gone through four manual registry removals of corrupted Norton products for customers, and closing hundreds of branches is not my idea of fun. I don't like leaving the registry with all of those open branches. It is a nuisance if I need to go back in and look around some more.

That said, the tip about exiting regedit with My Computer selected works. I just opened a bunch of branches and left with them open, and then quit with My Computer highlighted. Going back in, all of the branches were closed.

Thanks

 

[spyordie007]

actually I meant the minus sign next to my computer (so everything gets collapsesd); not every single one of them