Menneisyys
10-01-2007, 12:11 PM
I’ve dedicated several articles (for example, THIS (http://forum.brighthand.com/showthread.php?t=215073)) to tracking Registry changes. In addition to the WinDiff-based method I’ve explained, there are also other solutions doing the same; most importantly, SKTracker and the pretty new, free, highly recommended CeRegEditor (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=327511) (see the Registry Editor Bible (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/menneisyys/UltimateRoundupOfRegistryEditors.asp) for more info on the latter).
Now, however, an, in some cases, MUCH better, dynamic tool, RegLogger has been released for both current Windows Mobile platforms: Pocket PC (Windows Mobile Classic / Pro) and Smartphone (Windows Mobile Standard – man, I DO hate these name changes and the subsequent need for ever entering both names...).
It allows for dynamically tracking what changes there have been in the Registry dynamically (in runtime). Just an example of creating a subkey called “menneisyys da king” (see the, in the first screenshot, highlighted “Create” action) and, later, setting a String value “yeah” (see ID 144 in the same screenshot):
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerPPCMain.png
(WM6 VGA Pocket PC screenshot. Note that the value I’ve given to the new string can’t be seen; neither can be seen the full registry tree I’ve attached the new subkey to. These problems might be fixed in the subsequent versions.)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerSPMain.png
(WM6 QVGA Smartphone screenshot)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/reglogWM2003Main.png
(WM2003 PPC screenshot)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/reglogWM5MainResco.png
(WM5 VGA PPC screenshot showing Resco Registry Editor’s reading out all the Registry values)
Availability, compatibility
Get the PPC / SP version HERE (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1549726). It’s compatible with all PPC and Smartphone platforms starting with WM2003. Just unZIP the file, transfer its contents to your handheld and run REGLOGGER.exe. To start logging, enable Log / Capture. Note that, on some Smartphones (NOT on my CID / app unlocked WM6 HTC Vox / s710!) you might also need to import TestCert_Privileged.cer, should you encounter authentication problems.
Tips
Because of the HUGE amount of Registry access going on all the time, there are two text input fields and some checkboxes in Log / Settings you will need to make extensive use of.
First, if you’re absolutely sure the app you’re running and would like to track its Registry changes doesn’t have any active code in \Windows, which would result in the Registry change you’d like to find out, you can just enter \Windows (feel free to just leave out the leading backslash) to filter out most of the, in this case, unnecessary traffic in the “Exclude processes with this sub-str” as can be seen in the following:
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerExcludeprocesses.png
Note that several programs put an executable file under \Windows; for example, Pocket Controller 6’s (the best Windows Mobile device controller app with a brand new remote Registry editor) PCCommLoader.exe under \Windows\StartUp. In these cases, you won’t want to filter out \Windows but, instead, enter PCCommLoader (or a substring of it) to the other text input field, “Include only from processes with sub-str”, as can be seen in the following screenshot:
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/SotiPCCommLoaderConf.png
You can also set which operation you’d like to track; by default, everything is logged, even reading (querying). You’ll most probably want to limit the number of the enabled checkboxes at the bottom.
Finally, you may also save the tracking results to a file using File / Save As (http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/regloggersaveas.png). Note that, currently (as of version 1.0), it doesn’t contain the missing for example full Registry tree information either.
Now, however, an, in some cases, MUCH better, dynamic tool, RegLogger has been released for both current Windows Mobile platforms: Pocket PC (Windows Mobile Classic / Pro) and Smartphone (Windows Mobile Standard – man, I DO hate these name changes and the subsequent need for ever entering both names...).
It allows for dynamically tracking what changes there have been in the Registry dynamically (in runtime). Just an example of creating a subkey called “menneisyys da king” (see the, in the first screenshot, highlighted “Create” action) and, later, setting a String value “yeah” (see ID 144 in the same screenshot):
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerPPCMain.png
(WM6 VGA Pocket PC screenshot. Note that the value I’ve given to the new string can’t be seen; neither can be seen the full registry tree I’ve attached the new subkey to. These problems might be fixed in the subsequent versions.)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerSPMain.png
(WM6 QVGA Smartphone screenshot)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/reglogWM2003Main.png
(WM2003 PPC screenshot)
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/reglogWM5MainResco.png
(WM5 VGA PPC screenshot showing Resco Registry Editor’s reading out all the Registry values)
Availability, compatibility
Get the PPC / SP version HERE (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1549726). It’s compatible with all PPC and Smartphone platforms starting with WM2003. Just unZIP the file, transfer its contents to your handheld and run REGLOGGER.exe. To start logging, enable Log / Capture. Note that, on some Smartphones (NOT on my CID / app unlocked WM6 HTC Vox / s710!) you might also need to import TestCert_Privileged.cer, should you encounter authentication problems.
Tips
Because of the HUGE amount of Registry access going on all the time, there are two text input fields and some checkboxes in Log / Settings you will need to make extensive use of.
First, if you’re absolutely sure the app you’re running and would like to track its Registry changes doesn’t have any active code in \Windows, which would result in the Registry change you’d like to find out, you can just enter \Windows (feel free to just leave out the leading backslash) to filter out most of the, in this case, unnecessary traffic in the “Exclude processes with this sub-str” as can be seen in the following:
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/RegLoggerExcludeprocesses.png
Note that several programs put an executable file under \Windows; for example, Pocket Controller 6’s (the best Windows Mobile device controller app with a brand new remote Registry editor) PCCommLoader.exe under \Windows\StartUp. In these cases, you won’t want to filter out \Windows but, instead, enter PCCommLoader (or a substring of it) to the other text input field, “Include only from processes with sub-str”, as can be seen in the following screenshot:
http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/SotiPCCommLoaderConf.png
You can also set which operation you’d like to track; by default, everything is logged, even reading (querying). You’ll most probably want to limit the number of the enabled checkboxes at the bottom.
Finally, you may also save the tracking results to a file using File / Save As (http://www.winmobiletech.com/102007RegLogger/regloggersaveas.png). Note that, currently (as of version 1.0), it doesn’t contain the missing for example full Registry tree information either.