Windows not automatically detecting registry changes

I have an app that disables some of the log on features, like HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr, and the registry will see the changes, but Windows won't acknowledge the changes until my app closes. However, if I make the changes directly into the registry editor, Windows will acknowledge the changes. What's the deal? Is this atleast supposed to happen, because if so I don't think it will hurt the functionality of my app; I just don't want to have to worry about differences between different systems.

I'm using Windows XP by the way, and this app is designed for XP.

make sure you're closing the registry key!

Hah, thanks for that thought, but I've already looked into that. Same problem.

Why not post some code up and we'll have a look see.

:)

Registry Code:

PHP Code:

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BOOL SaveDWORD (HKEY lpszKey, LPCTSTR lpszSubkey, LPCTSTR lpszValueName, DWORD dwValue)
{
    //Registry Key Handle
    HKEY    CurKey;

    BOOL    fRes=FALSE;

    if (lpszSubkey != NULL && lpszValueName != NULL)
    {
        if (strlen(lpszSubkey) > 0 && strlen(lpszValueName) > 0)
        {
            if (RegOpenKey(lpszKey, lpszSubkey, &CurKey) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
            {
                if (RegSetValueEx(CurKey, lpszValueName, 0, REG_DWORD, (PBYTE)&dwValue, sizeof(DWORD)) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                    fRes = TRUE;
            }
            else
            {
                // Create new key
                if (RegCreateKey(lpszKey, lpszSubkey, &CurKey) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                {
                    if (RegSetValueEx(CurKey, lpszValueName, 0, REG_DWORD, (PBYTE)&dwValue, sizeof(DWORD)) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                        fRes = TRUE;
                }
            }
        }
    }
    RegCloseKey (CurKey);
    return fRes;
} 


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Program close code:

PHP Code:

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PostQuitMessage(0); 


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Registry settings being modified:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableChangePassword
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableLockWorkstation
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\NoLogoff

To reiterate: I know the save code works because the registry values do change; the issue is that Windows (XP) doesn't aknowledge the changes with the login screen until my app closes.

As bad as it may look, I'm not trying to write a virus or anything :) Another question that goes with this, how do I determine the logged on user's permissions (login name, administrative account or limited acount, registry permissions)? Thanks.

RegOpenKey, RegCreateKey, and RegSetValue are 16-bit
Windows and should not be used anymore.

RegOpenKeyEx, RegCreateKeyEx, and RegSetValueEx should be used.

Code:

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BOOL SaveDWORD(HKEY hKey, LPCTSTR lpSubKey, LPCTSTR lpValueName, DWORD dwValue)
{

        HKEY        hCurKey;
        BOOL        bRet = FALSE;

        if (lpSubKey != NULL && lpValueName != NULL)
        {
                if (strlen(lpSubKey) > 0 && strlen(lpValueName) > 0)
                {
                        if (RegOpenKeyEx(hKey, lpSubKey, 0, KEY_SET_VALUE, &hCurKey) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                        {
                                if (RegSetValueEx(hCurKey, lpValueName, 0, REG_DWORD,
                                        (LPBYTE)&dwValue, sizeof(DWORD)) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                                {
                                        bRet = TRUE;
                                }
                        }
                        else
                        {
                                if (RegCreateKeyEx(hKey, lpSubKey, 0, NULL, REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE,
                                        KEY_SET_VALUE, NULL, &hCurKey, NULL) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                                {
                                        if (RegSetValueEx(hCurKey, lpValueName, 0, REG_DWORD,
                                                (LPBYTE)&dwValue, sizeof(DWORD)) == ERROR_SUCCESS)
                                        {
                                                bRet = TRUE;
                                        }
                                }
                        }
                }
        }
       
        RegCloseKey(hCurKey);
       
        return bRet;
}

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