For many years now I've been using .REG files to deploy registry changes - quick, easy and notepad-compatible. The problem is that I could easily add or modify keys with this, but couldn't erase them - there was no notation in the REG file format to erase a key or value - or at least none that I know of...

I don't know which version of Windows first started supporting it, but on Win2000 it works like a charm - when specifying the name of the key, simply add a Minus sign in the beginning, and the key will be wiped clean without a trace.

I don't know if it's possible to erase a value inside a key, too - never tried it. But it wipes a key with all sub-keys and values easily.

Ex:

This creates a key:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MyStuff]
"MyLittleValue"=dword:00000001

And this erases it!

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MyStuff]
"MyLittleValue"=dword:00000001 (This line is meaningless when erasing a key).

2 Comments

• AT said Wednesday, May 19, 2004 9:00:00 PM

  Your code will delete entire HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MyStuff key.
  
  MyLittleValue line has no any effect in erase file example.
  
  
  If you need to delete single or multiple values instead of key use:
  
  Delete values:
  
  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MyStuff]
  "MyLittleValue"=-
  "MyLittleValue2"=-
  
  But if you still need to delete entire key
  
  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\MyStuff]

• Avner Kashtan said Thursday, May 20, 2004 5:56:00 AM

  Aha. I knew there must be a notation to erase a single value, but I didn't know what it was.
  
  Thanks!