Remotely check if registry key exists

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Edited by HansV to replace % with [%] tags, since % followed by a hexadecimal number messes up the display.

I’m trying to use a BATch file to find if a registry key exists, and populate two lists from there. Here’s what I have so far, as well as the proposed usage using a command line utility called PsExec:

BATch File
—————————————–
@echo off
if exist “HKLMSOFTWAREGoogleGoogle Toolbar” GOTO GOOD
if not exist “HKLMSOFTWAREGoogleGoogle Toolbar” GOTO BAD
:GOOD
echo %computername% >> usmc_nfstranspoupdatesgoogletoobar.txt
GOTO END
:BAD
echo %computername% >> usmc_nfstranspoupdatesnogoogletoolbar.txt
GOTO END
:END
——————————————

I know I’m just missing something small, but I don’t remember what.

Usage:

c:> psexec @c:computers.txt -u admin -c usmc_nfsftranspoupdatesgoogletoolbar.bat

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Consider this thread

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I can’t afford a membership to that site to see the answer

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Just scroll down to see the answer, and don’t let the site set cookies….

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IF EXIST determines whether or not a FILE exists. It has nothing whatever to do with registry keys!

You need REG QUERY “registry key/value” (from a sufficiently-privileged account) and examine what is returned.

e.g.

@echo off
:: my PC is named DELLIGHTFUL.  Honest.
reg query "dellightfulhklmsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbar"
echo errorlevel was %errorlevel%
reg query "dellightfulhklmsoftwaregigglegiggle toolbar"
echo errorlevel was %errorlevel%

gives

! REG.EXE VERSION 3.0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbar
    test	REG_SZ	41

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbar4.0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbarBranding

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbarInstallations

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbarObsolete
errorlevel was 0

Error:  The system was unable to find the specified registry key or value
errorlevel was 1

So do the
REG QUERY xxx 1>nul 2>&1
to suppress all the output, good or bad, and test the resulting errorlevel.

John

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I’ve even done it for you…

@echo off
:: we assume that computer names are found one per line...
for /f %%a in (c:computers.txt) do call :process %%a
goto :eof

::--------------------------------------------------
:process    the computername passed from the FOR command

reg query "%1hklmsoftwaregooglegoogle toolbar" 1>nul 2>&1
if errorlevel 1 (
  ECHO GOOGLE TOOLBAR NOT FOUND ON %1
  REM  echo %1 >> usmc_nfstranspoupdatesnogoogletoolbar.txt
  ) else (
  ECHO GOOGLE TOOLBAR **FOUND** ON %1
  REM  echo %1 >> usmc_nfstranspoupdatesgoogletoobar.txt
  )
goto :eof

After testing it “as is” on your machine, presumably in your Administrator account, remove the word REM from the two lines where found, and the entire lines starting with ECHO in capital letters. You don’t always have to use PSEXEC!

John

PS I’ve not changed the TYPO in the filename “googletoobar.txt”…!!

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