# Is there a registry scanner program that does this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-registry-scanner-program-that-does-this/255381 "2004-07-16T07:18:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-registry-scanner-program-that-does-this/255381/1 "2004-07-16T07:18:28Z")
I’ve installed a bit of software on one Windows XP machine and it works OK, but there have been a number of coincidental changes to folder settings and defaults in other parts of the system; I have to install it on another machine later today and what I’d like to do is compare snapshots of the registry immediately before and after installation. Is there a bit of software out there that can do this easily for me? (I know I could just back it up and use an ordinary file comparison tool, but I’d rather have something that was a little more aware of the registry structure). ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-registry-scanner-program-that-does-this/255381/2 "2004-07-16T07:25:15Z")
[Regshot](http://www.majorgeeks.com/download965.html) , a small freeware program, does exactly what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2004, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-registry-scanner-program-that-does-this/255381/3 "2004-07-16T07:37:36Z")
Smashing, thanks!