i want to know what does [hyphen] sign before a registry hive does to the system . i am sharing a registry hive downloaded from somewhere & confused to see that sign before each & every key . when i tried to merge this registry nothing happens. Code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools] "Position"="Bottom" "Icon"="imageres.dll,104" "Subcommands"="" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell] [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\001flyout] @="All Tasks" "Icon"="control.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\001flyout\command] @="explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\002flyout] @="Computer Management" "Icon"="Mycomput.dll,-204" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\002flyout\command] @="C:\\Windows\\system32\\mmc.exe /s C:\\Windows\\system32\\compmgmt.msc" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\003flyout] @="Control Panel" "Icon"="control.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\003flyout\command] @="control.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\004flyout] @="Device Manager" "Icon"="devmgr.dll,-201" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\004flyout\command] @="explorer shell:::{74246bfc-4c96-11d0-abef-0020af6b0b7a}" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\005flyout] @="Local Group Policy Editor" "Icon"="gpedit.dll" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\005flyout\command] @="mmc.exe /s gpedit.msc" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\006flyout] "Icon"="wsecedit.dll" @="Local Security Policy" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\006flyout\command] @="mmc.exe /s secpol.msc" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\007flyout] @="MSConfig" "Icon"="msconfig.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\007flyout\command] @="msconfig.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\008flyout] @="Programs and Features" "Icon"="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\appwiz.cpl" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\008flyout\command] @="explorer shell:::{7b81be6a-ce2b-4676-a29e-eb907a5126c5}" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\009flyout] @="Registry Editor" "Icon"="regedit.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\009flyout\command] @="regedit.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\010flyout] @="Run" "Icon"="imageres.dll,-100" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\010flyout\command] @="explorer.exe Shell:::{2559a1f3-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\011flyout] "Icon"="filemgmt.dll" @="Services" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\011flyout\command] @="mmc.exe /s services.msc" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\012flyout] @="Snipping Tool" "Icon"="SnippingTool.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\012flyout\command] @="SnippingTool.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\013flyout] @="Task Manager" "Icon"="taskmgr.exe" [-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\System Tools\shell\013flyout\command] @="taskmgr.exe" Thanks & Regards
Brother that means if i remove those hyphen signs that will merge the registry . thanks a lot tested worked as suggested by you .