The registry backup file (.reg) before fixing things with Reg. Cleaner is only about 20K. The actual W10 registry is about 500MB. Clearly CCleaner's Registry backup is NOT backing up the full W10 registry.
What is it backing up? Only the changes being made by Registry Cleaner?
Does the RESTORE re-insert only the fixes RC made?
Thanks.
No, it doesn't backup the full Registry.
Yes, only the entries that are ticked when you hit Fix Selected Issues... are backed up.
Yes, double clicking the saved .REG file to restore only re-inserts the saved entries before registry cleaner made its changes.
right clicking the saved .REG file and selecting Edit would have verified all your questions.
It backs up and restores only the entries it removes.
If you want a reliable full registry back up tool for Win 10 maybe have a look at Tweaking.coms Registry Backup. Free.
http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/registry_backup.html
I actually use EruntGUI but it doesn't appear to have been updated for Win10. I mention that in case any of my associates on here wonder why I'm not recommending it.
Of course Win10 may have it's own registry backup, but not having Win10 I have no idea.
Hope that helps.
EDIT: Damn, you just ninja'd me mta.
Windows 10 (or any previously) has no in-built registry backup feature.
I've simply gone into RegEdit, right click on Computer and select Export.
Takes about 30secs and makes a 530meg'ish file.
The registry backup file (.reg) before fixing things with Reg. Cleaner is only about 20K. The actual W10 registry is about 500MB. Clearly CCleaner's Registry backup is NOT backing up the full W10 registry.
When a program makes a "so called full backup" of the registry into a single .REG file that way of exporting the registry as a "backup" has and never will work to fully restore it - simply because Windows will not allow it - this is from way back in the Win98 era to current. This is about a full backup, it has absolutely nothing to do with restoring single settings how CCleaner makes backups.
To make an actual working full backup of the registry the hives have to be copied elsewhere on the hard disk such as what DennisD mentioned in his post being the new way to do it. The old way is how ERUNT and Ray Geide's WinRescue always worked since a reboot to copy the backup over the current active registry was necessary.