Solved Registry Backup Gone Wrong Wrong Wrong

[tidybear12]

[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]I am still looking to fix the internet access problem (now Day 3!!!) that I posted about elsewhere on the forum. (Connected to network but no internet access.)[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]So I read that the problem with being blocked (Access Denied) from starting Wwan Autoconfig might be caused by a corrupted file in the registry. [/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]I also read that before making any changes (and actually, before any problems, it's brilliant to back up the registry - how I wish I had done that!) you should backup your registry.[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]So, dear friends, in the process of backing up the registry something went wrong. It seemed like such a straightforward process but for people like me (any other ADD'ers on this forum?) the simplest first 1 then 2 then 3 can be fraught with difficulty. (Not listening to "This American Life" through my headphones might have helped too. [/FONT][FONT=.AppleColorEmojiUI][/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText])[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]I SHOULD have followed these instructions from Microsoft support:[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]Back up the registry manually[/FONT][/FONT]

1. [FONT=.SFUIText]Click [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]Start[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText], type [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]regedit.exe[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText] in the search box, and then press Enter. If you're prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.[/FONT]
2. [FONT=.SFUIText]In Registry Editor, locate and click the registry key or subkey that you want to back up.[/FONT]
3. [FONT=.SFUIText]Click [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]File[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText] > [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]Export[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText].[/FONT]
4. [FONT=.SFUIText]In the Export Registry File dialog box, select the location to which you want to save the backup copy, and then type a name for the backup file in the [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]File name[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText] field.[/FONT]
5. [FONT=.SFUIText]Click [/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText-Bold]Save[/FONT][FONT=.SFUIText].[/FONT]

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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]Instead I went to my favorite site Lifewire to follow what they say and that's were things became a little confusing. [/FONT][/FONT]
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1. [FONT=.SFUIText]I wanted a copy of the entire registry, just in case. But instead of following the exact and lengthy instructions I exported each key separately into a folder I had created in Public Documents so I have access to it from everywhere. (Proud of myself I thought of that.)[/FONT]
2. [FONT=.SFUIText]I ASSUMED I had made a COPY, not exported the keys. Even though it said of course "Export." On the other hand, this process is called a BACKUP, so by definition that should mean it's a copy, right? When you backup your hard drive for example your are not exporting your hard drive to another location. I mean, how was I supposed to know it's any different with the registry?[/FONT]

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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]After all this was done I went back to the registry to have a look and that's when I realized I had screwed up big time.[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]There is now the root key, all the folders are tight there in alphabetical order like before but without any possibility to go any higher in the hierarchy. The very first folder has a *. That's it. There is nothing else, and why this wasn't also "exported" if that's what I did, I don't understand. The root key is the very first one I copied or exported since I went in order, and it is in the appropriate Documents folder.[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]What gives? I'm stunned and completely paralyzed, afraid to go anything on this machine. Is it going to crash now?[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=.SF UI Text][FONT=.SFUIText]Please help the resident idiot!!![/FONT][/FONT]
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[tidybear12]

Quick update! It's all good! I feel foolish now. After posting the above I scrolled to the end of the key files, and the other folder keys were there as well, and when I scrolled up again I could see Computer again, so, phew. (Feeling foolish now but my sense of relief surpasses that. Lol! And yippeee!

Now I still have to "fix" the Wwan Autoconfig file.��