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Erunt - The Emergency Recovery Utility NT.

If you like the idea of using a third party tool to backup the registry, Erunt - The Emergency Recovery Utility might fit the bill. Unlike System Restore, which also backs up some critical system files, this tool backs up just the registry. But backups are fast and take up far less space than System Restore and should you wish, you can also delete individual backups from the backup folder.

Erunt is fairly easy to use, but it is important to read the extensive and somewhat intimidating help file first (read the basics, but ignore the more exotic settings, unless you are quite geeky),
You can restore the registry using Erunt from within Windows, or if Windows will not start, from the Windows Recovery Console.
If like me, you do not have a Windows CD, you can use the freeware Barts PE Builder to create a boot disk.

Note: Included in the Erunt download, is NTRegopt, a tool that optimizes the registry, by removing spaces and compacting it.

Note: You can use System Restore and Erunt together, Erunt providing a handy backup if System Restore should fail.

Freeware -- Download size 800k -- Win NT,2000,2003,XP,Vista

http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

System Restore helper -- System Snapshot.

A useful addition to System Restore, is the freeware utility System Snapshot. This small tool can be set to start with Windows, where it can manually create a dated restore point from the system tray, without starting the System Restore interface.

It can also create a restore point when Windows starts up, or by using Windows scheduler, or a third party scheduler.
System Snapshot is easy to use (once you have read the help, as not all the controls are immediately obvious) and consumes less than 5k of ram. Creating a restore point is quicker than using the normal System Restore interface, as the program opens instantly from the system tray and you don't have to enter a description for the restore point, unless you wish to.

Freeware -- Download size 673k -- Win XP.

http://www.angelfire.com/wizard2/hkeylocal/system.htm

Double Driver v1.0.

With Double Driver you can view which drivers are installed on your computer and you can backup the drivers you choose, save and print the driver list, and more.
Seems to work well, the help file is a little sparse, but the program is easy to use.
Can be very useful to identify which non-Microsoft drivers you will require, if you reinstall Windows. ( There is usually no point backing up Microsoft drivers.)

Note1: Although Double Driver does a pretty good job of backing up drivers, I have found that they do not always work.
Note2: It is best when possible, to visit the device manufacturers web site and download any drivers you may require before reinstalling Windows. (Unless of course you have a driver disc.)
Note3: If you are having trouble finding a driver, visit the DriverGuide web site, it is free to register.
Freeware -- Download size 1.37Mb -- Win 95/98/Me/2000/XP

http://boozet.xepher.net/

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