Need to save Sound Scheme for next install

[sibot]

Hey,

I customized my XP sound scheme and saved it. But it does not save a particular file as such that I can restore it back when I reinstall XP, not having to go through to modify every sound.

Can there be a way by which i can create a registry entry, which on double clicking would load the sound scheme.

Thanks in advance,

Sibot

[suicide_pact]

You can find your windows sounds in the Media folder in your Windows folder. You can copy the .wavs from there.

[sibot]

  suicide_pact said:

You can find your windows sounds in the Media folder in your Windows folder. You can copy the .wavs from there.

Thanks for the reply! Though thats not quite what I'm looking for. I have my own sounds which I have set up in the Windows Sound Scheme. I need to save them changes for the next install I do.

[suicide_pact]

Do you have them saved to that same folder? If so I would just note the file names for each action (write it down, etc.) then save the files to a backup destination with a text file indicating which files go to which actions. Or better yet, once you've copied your custom sounds to a different location, you could rename them. for example BlahBlah.wav rename to sibot_newmail.wav Then once you reformat and reinstall, you can copy these files back into the new Media folder and browse for the files under the sound manager.

[sibot]

  suicide_pact said:

Do you have them saved to that same folder? If so I would just note the file names for each action (write it down, etc.) then save the files to a backup destination with a text file indicating which files go to which actions. Or better yet, once you've copied your custom sounds to a different location, you could rename them. for example BlahBlah.wav rename to sibot_newmail.wav Then once you reformat and reinstall, you can copy these files back into the new Media folder and browse for the files under the sound manager.

Hmm, nice idea...thank.. yeah i could do that, i could rename the files to the exact same file names in the media folder and overwrite them. But i was looking for more of a registry tweak.

[suicide_pact]

You got me on that one. Good luck though. Please post back if you do find one.

[Unholy Moley!]

It's probably stored in some registry key somewhere.

[sibot]

  suicide_pact said:

You got me on that one. Good luck though. Please post back if you do find one.

Will do, thanks for trying -)

  Unholy Moley! said:

It's probably stored in some registry key somewhere.

Indeed but I'm not quite familiar with the registry and its something you don't want to mess around with. -)

[Barry Gurung]

Messing with Registry is bad thing unless you know what you are looking for.

To put your own sound after next installation, you need to make your own XP if you know how to make it.

There is one software called Nlite where you can modify your xp and create a new one. I hope you can even change XP sound with your one.

GOOD LUCK. Its quite a risk making your own XP. You can even save some space.

Suppose i don't need any games, I removed from the XP CD and thats gonna space 100 mb space. :D

[sibot]

Alright,

This is basically an update.

I'm trying to make a registry editor file that i can execute to set my personal sound scheme w/o having to set them one by one.

This is how far I have reached till now -

I created a registry edit command or basically edited an already existing one to suit my purpose.

  Quote

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\.Default\WindowsLogon\.Current]

@="<insert file location>"

and all the sound schemes are saved here in the registry being defined into 2 sub-categories under every sound -

Current & Default.

Now this will be my first registry editor file that I will make. I hope it all goes well, if I attain success, I will post the file online for everyones disposal.

Will keep updating.

[JRosenfeld]

See my reply to your other post:

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=618630

The .current keys just echo the data in the corresponding key of the currently spplied sound scheme.

What you could do to save your existing sound schemes, is to export the contents of

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes to a .reg file.

To do that, right click on HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes, click export, save the file with a .reg extension.

Then when you reinstall XP, merge that file back into the registry by double clicking on it. That will then copy your scxhema0 scheme (I assume that the .wav files that are used in that scheme will be in the same location after reinstall as they are now). It will also overwrite the default scheme, but that should not matter, as that is defined by the Windows install anyway.

[sibot]

Hey thanks for the comprehensive reply! You do have a very valid point that I cannot change the .current value w/o changing it in the scheme.

But I found a way around it -

I was sitting in my car with my friend and discussing the same matter and it struck me then, what if I export the Sound Scheme directory in registry to a registry editor file and reload it whenever I reinstall.

So putting the plan into action, I deleted the Schema scheme in the sounds and devices option and edited the default XP sound scheme, upon which it was saved as blank - this only makes the .Current value in the registry change and does not change anything else.

So after inputting all my personal sounds, I exported the <<HKEY_CURRENT_USER\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps>> to a registry file. Then I reloaded the default XP sounds back upon which all the personal sound schemes were deleted.

Now i executed the stored registry file and voila! I have my personalized sounds =) by just double clicking a registry file.

Thanks again!

P.S. - Mod please close the thread -)

[sibot]

Update- Added a tutorial in the "Collection of Essential Guides" On NeoWin forums

Link

Thank you all for all your help -)

[Joel]

Run a sysprep and image your drive. No reinstalling needed next time and no sound customising needed either.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

[sibot]

  Joel said:

Run a sysprep and image your drive. No reinstalling needed next time and no sound customising needed either.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Nice, I never knew Microsoft provided us with such a tool. Is this is like Acronis True Image by any chance, it seems to be to me :p

Thanks fo' replying!

[Volatile]

could you not do file and settings transfer wizard? ^throwing that out there.. never tested it to see if it would work...

[Joel]

  sibot said:

Nice, I never knew Microsoft provided us with such a tool. Is this is like Acronis True Image by any chance, it seems to be to me :p

Thanks fo' replying!

No, sysprep is a tool for deploying multiple PCs with preset parameters. You could just image your drive also. :p

[Elad Karako]

Exporting Your Windows Sound Scheme is very Easy, yet not quite straightforward:

the global thing you should do is to export the registry key

HKEY_USERS\S-1-....something-something-something........\AppEvents\Schemes

*

Computer ID is a long string of letters starts with s-1.....

every time your computer is reFormated, a new ID is assigned..

let us say you have to reformat you computer, the reg file will STILL BE GOOD,

but a small adjustment should be made, using any notepad (the "Notepad2.0" freeware is very good for this):

you have to press CTRL+H (for replace mod), (this could be done also with simple windows notepad)

and replace the (in the reg file..) long old string of letters "s-1...-....-...." with your new one.

?- how sould I know my Computer ID ???

A-open regedit or another registry editor ("registry workshop" is the best) now go to HKEY_USERS

click to expand first sub keys, now you could copy in any other way (by hand or clicking once on the name for rename, but only press ctrl-C to copy the long string, this could be done with "registry workshop".

come back to your open reg file in notepad, make sure the old ID is in the FIND (first textbox), and the new (your current ID) is in the "replace with" (the 2nd textbox), now click replace, if you use the windows notepad, this could halt your machine so use NOTEPAD2.0 it is very fast.

conclusion (example):

before formating computer...

open regedit

export "HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2025429265-1614895754-1177238915-1003\AppEvents\Schemes"

(all sub keys and values under Schemes would be exported).

save the exported reg file anywhere.....

install another windows copy.....

open regedit

find the new ID under HKEY_USERS\->_______s-____________________________

copy somehow the long (new,current) ID.

open your reg file from the old installation of windows,

search&replace old s-............... with new IDs....

save reg file

import the reg file to the registry (press enter/dbl click it).

if you got the ID wrong you will get an error, cause the HKEY-USERS will only allow the current user ID to be inserted to sub keys.

You could use this reg file on any number of computers,

just make sure you change to any computer- the right ID in the reg file,

changes you make with applying the registry file will be effected immediately ! :)

you can enter control panel- sound's stuff right after applying the file, and see all sounds in right location (logically..) you still have to make sure to files are (physically) there.. copy wav files if you needed...

hope that's helpful it certainly took me some time to get this information nice and interpreted...

Elad Karako

Israel

Edited January 5, 2009 by Elad Karako

[sibot]

^^ thanks alot for the info.

I kinda figured it out long time back and made a guide for it. Its posted in the Forums you can check it out here - LINK