Validating Results

Now let’s do some test to make sure that the registration info we found is really the data we want. To do this, we’ll use Registry Workshop (see “Tools” directory).

Because we have exported registration info to a .reg file (RegInfo.reg, remember?), we should open it with a text editor to see what registry key we want to find. Here’s the content of RegInfo.reg:

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{B0CC8D3F-EF1A-4400-A5C7-1A2230AA0B8C}]

“Days”=”584592960BAF3BEA”

“Name”=”Portable”

“Code”=”35AE664E73E18872″

So the key we need is

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{B0CC8D3F-EF1A-4400-A5C7-1A2230AA0B8C}

Or simply “HKCRCLSID{B0CC8D3F-EF1A-4400-A5C7-1A2230AA0B8C}”

Normally you should use the left-side browser in Registry Monitor but because the key is somewhat difficult to find that way, we’ll do it in another way.

Launch Registry Workshop and paste this line to its address bar (at the top of RW’s main window, under the toolbar):

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{B0CC8D3F-EF1A-4400-A5C7-1A2230AA0B8C}

Now press Enter and RW should jump to this key instantly.

To test if it is the key that stores registration info, we’ll delete it. We can do this because we can use the undo function of RW if we want. So select the key name in the left-side browser window and hit Delete button (or select Delete from the context menu). On the confirmation box, select Yes.

Now the registration info is not present in the registry, so let’s test MNK if it works. Because we deleted the registration data from the registry, MNK should revert back to Trial mode.


Go to its install folder (“C:Program FilesMy Notes Keeper”) and launch it with “MyNotesKeeper.exe”.

Yes, the trial warning appears when launching it. Great, the registry key we have deleted was the registration data of MNK.

If you want to play with it a bit more, enter the registration data again in MNK and see if the registry key comes back in the registry (hit F5 in Registry Workshop).

As you could see you have to decide what changes are important and what are not. Sometimes it is easy to distinguish important changes but sometimes it is not (especially when examining registry changes). After the third or fifth portable you create you’ll be able to decide what are those changes that you should pay attention to.

Now we have all the program files and the registry changes in our pocket, we can uninstall My Notes Keeper. Go to Control PanelAdd or Remove Programs and uninstall MNK or use your favorite uninstall software. Make sure that all the program files and its directory is removed from “C:Program Files” directory (or wherever you installed it) during the uninstall process. If something’s left there, delete the directory manually.

Note: in some cases registration info is not so easy to find. See “Hidden Registration Data” in Chapter III for more info about it.