Windows 7: Set the Registry Size Limit to "unlimited"

Hi folks,
I've got a question:

I found this thread
Turn Windows features on or off - empty list - Vista Forums
because I was experiencing the same problem (Turn Windows features on or off - empty list and not able to download updates anymore) and I applied the hack on my Toshiba.

Thing is that that Toshiba died after 2 weeks ...the motherboard decided not to function anymore and now I'm wondering if that hack might have been the cause.

What does setting to unlimited the registry size really mean?
How does it affect the system?
Can it burn something that is not supposed to be burnt?

I installed win 7 pro on my main machine now and I'm experiencing the same problem.

Should I do it again?
The toshiba was a 3-year old machine so, maybe it was just "its time to go" nothing to do with this hack.

Any hints on this one?

Thanks,
m

There is no RegistrySizeLimit in Windows XP and greater.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/292726/

Thanks for replying logicearth but it didn't really help
I'd read that article before and honestly it confused me even more.

So, if there's no RegistrySizeLimit anymore, why did I have to set it to unlimited to have the system properly working again?
Why people over the web have been experiencing the same problem and the only way to solve it was that hack?

I don't understand....can you be more specific? What am I really changing when I do that? (cause I did it and it worked...no other solution worked) and how is my sys affected by it? (keeping in mind that my only concern now is not to burn another - my last - machine...I couldn't stand it)

Cheers,
m

I have nothing to add about the registry size limit. But I thought I would chime in that I do know that Visual Studio (prety much all versions) really clog the registry. The main culprit is that the default install path is huge and it is put in the registry hundreds of times on a full install.

Therefore I always install my MS dev tools, MSDN etc in a shortened path. Namely something like "C:\DevTools\VS8" instead of the default "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8" and it seems to help.

You rebooted correct? Then installed Visual Studio right after that? It was not the registry value because it is not used at all. It was the reboot.

I can confirm that the changing the registry size in Windows 7 to unlimited DOES WORK.

I had an issue where several computers, with a clean install of Windows 7, had repeated windows update failures as well as Visual C++ Redistributable install failures (both 2005 and 2008).

This one change in the registry, of increasing the size of the registry, took care of both issues.

Thanks for the solution.

IT DOES NOT WORK, because it is not USED. PERIOD.
The Registry key has NO effect.

This setting only applies to Windows 2000, NOT to Windows XP and above.

Are you sure?

Weird error 1935 message in Windows 7, Solution is RegistrySizeLimit registry entry! | Edwin Friesen - Application & Desktop Delivery

I think this is the issue :

From Vista on the RegistrySizeLimit (rsl) has allegedly been deprecated. However there seem to be some installer components which result in an O/S request for dynamic resize of the sysvol pagefile leading to the creation of the RegistrySizeLimit. If it is present and is not set to the 0xffffffff value--it has probably been generated during an automated pagefile resize operation.

I could be wrong - this is not an area I am that familiar with.

Therefore, I am cautious about making very definitive statements.

Yes, I am sure. This Registry key does nothing in Windows 7.
The functionality was removed a long long time ago.

This key was in Windows 2000 because the Registry was limited to a set size, a maximum size.
In Windows XP and 2003 Microsoft removed this limitation. Making the above key obsolete.

Further more, you would be surprised how often "rebooting" tends to fix these installation errors.

LOL, I just expanded my post -you might have missed that last bit.