Registry Replication across dual boot of vista 64 and xp 64

[NeonSamurai]

Ok kind of an advanced subject, but do any of you know any software or anything that can monitor registry input from an installer program, and then replicate the changes onto a second OS on the system (IE dual boot)

Or a program which can easily grab the registry input from an installer and make a .reg file?

The reason I ask is I'm planning on doing a dual boot of XP pro 64 bit, and Vista home premium 64 bit on my new laptop, and I want to make it so I can run certain programs on both platforms from the same location on the hard drive (partition C will be XP, D will be Vista, and E will be for programs) with out having to do it entirely by hand, or doing install overs (install on one platform, delete the data, and then install on the other platform).

So basically I'm looking for a shortcut, something that can create the necessary registry changes across both OS when a program is installed to one OS, or automatically make a reg file.

Worse comes to worst I can just use process monitor and manually make the reg files (or just do the install over trick). Oh and ya i know this can be troublesome with games and save information, but I do have file replication programs so no big deal (assuming I can't change the reg file for the game to point to a new save location).

[CaptainHaplo]

There are a few software installation monitoring applications.

Though honestly - the best choice here would be something like SMS - as you can have in monitor an install, then create a package to roll it out (like you would if you needed to push a critical update out company wide for example).The key here is you just modify the package to not push files - but just the reg entries.

One big issue is that SMS isn't cheap or free. And it can be a pain to set up. If this was a already established environment it would be easy.

Thats the more "high tech freak answer" - but its also probably way overboard for what you want to do.

Try this - http://www.epsilonsquared.com/ - its free and supposed to do what you want - though you may have to do some legwork. I have never used it - but asked a quick Q and got steered to it. Good luck.

*** Why run xp64 - ugh! Hated that thing. 32 bit was great - 64 bit XP is a quirky bugger!***

[NeonSamurai]

Thanks :) SMS sounds like it would defiantly be too pricey (especially being a poor 35 year old university student right now and having just bought a rather expensive high powered laptop), but your other suggestion has the right price tag (Free) so I'll check it out

Same reason I'm running vista 64, cause i got more ram then a 32 bit os can address (6 gigs worth). Now of course I could run xp 32 but then I loose a good chunk of it. At what service pack did you try xp 64?

[CaptainHaplo]

I honestly don't even recall - its been too long. Its too old to go back to for me now, though I have to say win7 isnt as great as I had hoped. Still - a bit better than vista.