--- In CourierEmailForum@yahoogroups.com, Michael Shannon <mshannon_lsoft@...>
wrote:
>
> >And the backup includes every setting you have - colors,
> >folders, skins - everything - except your registration
> >code ('cause that is in the registry.)
>
> Of course, this begs the question:
>
> Any reason the registry key can't be exported and similarly backed up? The
only reason I could think that this wouldn't work is if it's hashed or encrypted
in some way.
>
> If it's not, then in the event of needing to do a full restoration you could
simply re-import the key back into the registry and you're back to where you
were before. Possible?
>
> --
> Michael
>
Well, I don't know exactly how PM manages the registration process (they don't
tell me everything...) but a software vendor runs a big risk in doing this. If
the backup included the registry settings, then you could create a backup and
give to your friends.

Now, I'm sure that isn't something that you would do, Michael, but a lot of
people would. And, it serves no real purpose, since you would have to reinstall
the software anyway and we assume that you kept a copy of your registration
information.

This could also create complications because no vendor can know how Microsoft
will change the registry from one OS to another. PM only puts into the backup
those data elements that are under full control of PM (for example, that custom
dictionary from Microsoft is consciously omitted.) The backup that PM creates is
fully portable from one Windows OS to another.
david