Script to read and compare registry entries

Question

I am very new to PowerShell and I am getting stuck on this question.

Read the registry entries from both of the locations named in the project description.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run
Compare each entry to a list of acceptable entries. The acceptable entry list is from a text file named "Acceptable_Reg.txt" that will accompany the script when the script is downloaded.
Produce a text file report that lists all unacceptable registry entries. Save the report using the computer name as the file name.
Transmit the report file to the following intranet address: intranet.xyzcompany.com/bad_reg.aspx

I have come up with this so far...but I don't think this is the right way to go about it. I know I will probably need to use the compare-object cmdlet but am unsure how to apply it.

$path1 ="HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
$path2 = "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
$destination = "(FileName.txt)"
$results = Get-ItemProperty $path1 $path2

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated because my professor is unable to provide me any type of help with the actual script.

What are "both of the locations named in the project description"? What is the format of Acceptable_Reg.txt? What results does your code produce? I can see that your first line should be $path ="HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" (note the colon and backslashes). — Lance U. Matthews
If I could get help on the compare task that would be most helpful. I am just lost. I have seen things like PS C:\> $file1 PS C:\> $file2 compare-object $file1 $file2 but was unsure if this would work for registry entries? — NewCoder04
@NewCoder04, yes that should work to get the differences as long you have exported both reg files. e.g Compare-Object $(Get-Content "$location1\file1.reg") $(Get-Content "$location2\file2.reg") | Out-File "c:\temp\differences.txt" — derloopkat

derloopkat derloopkat · Accepted Answer · 2019-07-07T12:34:18

For comparing if you have exported the reg files, you can do:

$location1 = "C:\temp\location1";
$location2 = "C:\temp\location2";
$location3 = "C:\temp";

Compare-Object $(Get-Content "$location1\file1.reg") $(Get-Content "$location2\file2.reg") | 
    Where-Object { IsNotAccepted($_.InputObject) } | 
    Out-File "$location3\NotAcceptedEntries.txt" -Force

function IsNotAccepted($entry){
    $accepted = $false;
    # $name = $entry.Split('=')[0]
    # $value = $entry.Split('=')[1]

    # Put your logics here

    return -Not($accepted);
}

Note that $_.InputObject represents the entry, e.g.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\7-Zip\7z.exe.FriendlyAppName"="7-Zip Console 2"

You also can know in which file was that by checking $_.SideIndicator. If it returns => it means right file (file2.reg) has that difference. Conversely <= means the difference was found in left file (file1.reg).

Script to read and compare registry entries

1 Answers