Registry Migration

Registry files are database of configurations for applications using the windows kernel.The centralise approach to registry databases makes it difficult for users to hunt down individual registry entries of application and then back them up or transfer them to another machine.The particular location of the registry entries of applications can be found in the documentation of the application where available or on FAQs or troubleshooting websites that involves modifing the registry values.The find tool in Regedit , an application in window for editing registry enteries, also works for hunting down the registry entries of particular programs.However these registry entries tend to be scattered around different locations of the database, and there may be a number of registry entries making it a troublesome process to find and use individual registry entries. An easier but wasteful approach is to transfer all registry values, the entire registry database from a windows installation to the WINE platform on Linux machine.Transferring registry enteries across operating system is a simple trick to make some windows based applications work on Linux machine.This is not a sure fire trick to make every windows application work on a Linux system, but is usually a good idea when applications dont seem to run well on WINE.What we will be doing is to export the registry entries on a Linux machine.There are some pre-requisites for this operation though. You will need a Linux machine setup and have installed WINE on it.WINE is a babkronym for wine is not an Emulator and emulates a windows environment.WINE is different from a virtual machine and the application run in the same desktop environment as other Linux applications.WINE creates a virtual C drive and a rudimentary windows directory structure without partitioning the hard drive on which WINE is installed.All windows applications run from a virtual C:/program files location. Before starting the procedure you will have to install the windows version on a windows machine.Continue with any past installation procedures that the software might have, including activation and verification. After this you will have to install the same version of the software on the Linux machine using WINE, make sure that the software license you have allows you to do this. This procedure will work for the same machine in a dual boot setup or multiple machine. Now you are ready to transfer the registry enteries from one machine to another. Remember that the same procedure can essentially be used on two windows machine as well or for that matter between two linux on one of which this operation has been carried out.Go to start>Run>regedit. The repistry editor window will open up.Select the topmost segment in the registry directory and go to File>Export. Give any file name to the file , and save the file as .reg file.If you have lot of application installed this will take some time and the machine will appear to hang wait for regedit to export the file.Now transfer the .reg file to an external storage device and start up the linux machine or boot up the linux operating system if you are using a dual boot setup Drive on a fresh installation of WINE there should be only two folders, program files and windows, Navigate to windows and run regedit.exe If you have other application installed through WINE, backup the existing registry entries in case anything goes wrong. Now go to File>Impnrt and select the exported registry entries.

Transferring application data files between machine

This should be the last resort when installin applications intended for windows machines on a linux system.If the application is located in C:/program files/applications, transfer it to the identical location in the virtual C : drive created by WINE on your Linux machine.The application will be in correct location as long as it installed on the C : drive on the windows machine.Make sure that the paths are also the same.Windows application use .dll files which are not always saved in the same location as the application.The most common directory for these .dll files are C:/windows/system 32 and C:/windows/system. Copy the .dll files from these directories to the same location on the virtual C drive on WINE.If there is no lack of hard disk space on the Linux machine, you can transfer the entire C: drive from windows machine to the virtual C: drive on the Linux Machine.

Dual Booting Windows

If you've decided to make the move to windows 7 but aren't convinced you'll be sticking with it, or are concerned about other issues, a dual boot option is probably wisest.To dual-boot a pc you'll need to partition your hard drive using a program such as partition Magic (http://partitionmagic.com) .You need to create NTFS partition and will require at least 20 GB of available hard disk space if you wish to run two operating systems alongside each other.Remember that you'll also need to retain a comparable amount of space for your existing XP or Vista system.Once you've got a suitably partioned drive, boot back into windows and you should find a new drive in My Computer.Double click you can open it.To install windows 7,insert the disc as soon as the PC starts up or insert while your existing version of windows is running.When the screen appears asking where you want to install windows, ensure you choose the partition matching the drive letter you've just created.Because that partition is empty , windows 7 will perform a clean installation.