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Thread ID: 91489 2008-07-09 03:10:00 Registry tracking software utopian201 (6245) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
686687 2008-07-09 03:10:00 Does anyone know of, or more importantly -use- any free, lightweight-run-in-the-background software (like antivirus/firewall) that monitors changes to the registry?

I'd like to know which programs are adding/removing things (eg start up at boot time etc) from the registry.
utopian201 (6245)
686688 2008-07-09 03:16:00 Process Monitor:
technet.microsoft.com
dyewitness (9398)
686689 2008-07-09 03:17:00 What?? What makes you think its a program, and not a person, who's doing it?

The only thing that should be removing whatever, would be you. Unless you've got a hacker somewhere
Speedy Gonzales (78)
686690 2008-07-09 03:22:00 Actually I'm a big fan of the entire suite of Sysinternals apps.
technet.microsoft.com

Another interesting one (part of that suite) is autoruns, which will give you an audit of what's currently defined in all of your systems auto start/run locations.
dyewitness (9398)
686691 2008-07-09 03:39:00 What?? What makes you think its a program, and not a person, who's doing it?

The only thing that should be removing whatever, would be you. Unless you've got a hacker somewhere

I was more thinking, for example, each time I install a piece of software, a program will alert me that it is adding itself to my startup list for example.

When I was using windows 98, i used the nortons one. I would use it to record the registry entries for each program when I installed them (the larger ones anyway), so when it came to wiping my windows install, I wouldn't have to reinstall my programs again; id just have to reinstate the registry entries and it would work.
utopian201 (6245)
686692 2008-07-09 03:41:00 Ccleaner would tell you whats in startup. Well it wont tell you everytime you install something. You'll have to run it, to check it

But at least you can disable, or delete it
Speedy Gonzales (78)
686693 2008-07-09 03:44:00 dyewitness: thanks, I'll check those out. Do they run in the background (eg a little icon in the notification area) or are they like an actual program that appears on the task bar?

Its not only the startup entries im interested in, but other things eg if something is trying to change my dns entries, icons, preferred programs. I'm hoping to use it as another layer of defence against trojans etc, and know about it just as it has changed things, rather than wait for the results at next boot time.
utopian201 (6245)
686694 2008-07-09 03:50:00 You could try Boclean (www.comodo.com)

Dont know what its like now tho, havent used it for a while
Speedy Gonzales (78)
686695 2008-07-09 04:01:00 Ahh, didn't really read your requirements too carefully.

They're not really like antivirus/malware protection programs, but just give you insight into what's currently running/being changed on your system.

I guess a typical use for Process Monitor would be to start it up prior to installing the intended software and then look at the snaphot of what files/registry items were changed during installation/initial run.

It won't block and prompt those changes though.
dyewitness (9398)
686696 2008-07-09 04:10:00 I dont know if the latest version of Avast will do this.

But if you uninstall it, it brings up a warning.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
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