Try copying the files again.
If you have a point from before the corruption occurred, this is the preferred method for recovery.
Right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value , and name it EnablePeriodicBackup . Set Value: Double-click it and set the value data to 1 .
If you are trying to use the standard copy command from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) and finding it ineffective, here is how to address the issue. 1. Re-enable Automatic Backups regback copy not working
This is the most effective fix for Windows 10/11 systems where the RegBack folder contains empty files.
If you are trying to recover a crashed Windows system using the Command Prompt, you might try to copy backup registry files from the System32\config\RegBack folder. However, instead of finding your backup files, you likely see that the , or the files inside show a size of 0 bytes .
Starting with Windows 10, version 1803, Microsoft made a controversial change: by default, the system stopped creating full, restorable registry backups. Instead, the RegBack folder would contain or would not be updated at all. This was intended to save disk space, but it left users without a built-in recovery method. Many users and IT professionals reported that "regback copy not working" because they found the files were empty or outdated by months. Try copying the files again
This time, the files had real sizes (e.g., SYSTEM was 10 MB, not 0 KB). The copy worked.
Windows will now back up your registry during regular maintenance tasks, and the RegBack folder will contain actual data. Method 2: Use System Restore in Windows RE
If System Restore is enabled but the interface fails, the registry hives still exist within shadow copies. This requires advanced Command Prompt skills to locate the System Volume Information folder and manually copy hives back to 3. Last Resort: Reset This PC If no restore points exist, use the Reset this PC Set Value: Double-click it and set the value data to 1
Once the registry key is created, Windows relies on a scheduled task to create the backup. You can run this task manually to populate the folder immediately. Click the Start menu, type , and press Enter .
But what happens when this safety net fails? When regback copy not working , you are left vulnerable. This article dives deep into why this failure occurs, how to diagnose it, and, most importantly, how to fix it—whether you are running Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server.
Once the scans finish, close the Command Prompt, return to the main menu, and select . Method 5: Perform a Custom Reinstallation