Ways To Save Settings

[miketurn1234]

I am sure this has been covered in many places, but hopefully someone can help me.

I am looking for the most simple / best way of saving my settings within Windows 7.
I do not want to have to install any software to do this, I am looking for methods built into Windows.

I want to be able to save just general Windows settings that I have customized with the intention of being able to apply them to other machines that do not have the same hardware / software.
I thought an overall export of registry would have been a possibility but this takes hardware and software modifications to the registry with it, making it not work on other machines when trying to import the saved reg file.
I see that you can create regedits based on selection, but this might get tedious.

Here are some of the settings I customize that I am looking to save.....
Start Menu settings show/hide items
Taskbar icons located on right in the notification area show/hide/etc.
Regedits to remove items from Windows Explorer navigation pane
Group Policy Editor hiding items in Control Panel
Windows Explorer settings
Services.msc disabling items
Visual Effects
Pagefile.sys settings
Hibernation settings
Windows Features On/Off
Game Settings
Desktop Background
Themes
Control Panel Item Adjustments
Power Options settings
Sound settings
Internet Options
Etc.

I think you get the point, a bunch of random settings that I am getting tired of keep on setting!
Probably not, but Is there a branch in the registry that I can select that contains all these items or at least many of them?

I have seen all kinds of options but not sure what covers the most, I would assume Resistry....
Backup and Restore method
Saving Windows User Profile
Windows Easy Transfer
Save Registry
Save Group Policy Editor settings
Etc

Obviously doesn't have to cover everything, but just as much as possible to not have to keep on applying these settings over and over and over.

Anyways, thank you to anyone who reads this and for any advice.

 

[Megahertz07]

I have used Easy transfer (%windir%\system32\migwiz\migwiz.exe) but it transfer user settings. Your list also includes general settings (Pagefile.sys settings, Hibernation settings, Windows Features On/Off etc) that isn't transferred.
As all settings are saved on the register, try to find each one (on the register) and export the key.

 

[miketurn1234]

Megahertz07
Thank you for your response.
I figured the registry would be most complete way to accomplish this.
Unfortunate thing is, is that it is also the most cryptic method as well.
I have been able to find sites showing the location of many of these items so I will give it a shot.
I think I have a couple of tricks to make this easier but not sure yet if they will work.

Thank You again

 

[Megahertz07]

You're welcome.

 

[RoWin7]

It's much easier not to look for all those registry keys, and just back up the entire HD to an exterior HD. If your data is on a partition D, then partition C will have all your settings with Windows and Program Files..

 

[Alejandro85]

It's much easier not to look for all those registry keys, and just back up the entire HD to an exterior HD. If your data is on a partition D, then partition C will have all your settings with Windows and Program Files..

This don't cover the OP's case, he wants to transfer a few selected things into other, already running computers. Overwriting the whole hard disk just for a few settings seems overkill, but most important it'll wreak havoc in case of different hardware.

And generally speaking, a full disk copy is useful in a few selected cases only, a poor alternative to a proper backup.