Update registry using VBS

Question

I'm trying to update the legal caption on our PCs using a VBScript. So far, I've been able to read values but I can't seem to get it to write any values. I don't get an error when I run the script, it just doesn't change anything. It's the first time I'm doing this and I have limited experience; any insight would be appreciated:

Dim objShell
Dim strMessage, strWelcome, strWinLogon

' Set the string values
strWelcome = "legalnoticecaption"
strMessage = "did this work"
strWinLogon = "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\"

' Create the Shell object
Set wshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

'Display string Values
Wscript.Echo "key to update: " & strWelcome
Wscript.Echo "key value to enter: " & strMessage
Wscript.Echo "Existing key value: " & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWelcome)


' the crucial command in this script - rewrite the registry
wshShell.RegWrite strWinLogon & strWelcome, strMessage, "REG_SZ"

' Did it work?
Wscript.Echo "new key value: " & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWelcome)

set wshShell = Nothing

NOTE: These are testing values at the moment.

Answer 1

Your script seems to be bug-less. However, launched by cscript 28416995.vbs returns next error (where 22 = WshShell.RegWrite line):

28416995.vbs(22, 1) WshShell.RegWrite: Invalid root in registry key "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\legalnoticecaption".

It's not invalid root, it's something like access denied rather because writing to HKLM requires elevated privileges (or run as administrator).

Note:

• You should change LegalNoticeText value together with LegalNoticeCaption one.
• Under the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\ registry key there both values reside as well. For this case (if a computer is not connected to a domain or with group policy disabled) should work next script.

Run as administrator:

option explicit
On Error Goto 0
Dim wshShell
Dim strResult, strMessage, strWelcome, strWinLogon, strWinLog_2, strWinLTxt
strResult=Wscript.ScriptName

' Set the string values
strWinLTxt = "legalnoticetext"
strWelcome = "legalnoticecaption"
strMessage = "did this work"

strWinLogon = "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\"
strWinLog_2 = "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\"

' Create the Shell object
Set wshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

'Display string Values
' continue execution if requested registry values not present 
On Error Resume Next
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "Existing Caption Policies: " _
  & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLog_2 & strWelcome)
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "Existing Text Policies: " _
  & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLog_2 & strWinLTxt)
On Error Goto 0
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "Existing Caption Winlogon: " _
  & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWelcome)
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "Existing Text Winlogon: " _
  & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWinLTxt)
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "key to update: " & strWelcome
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine & "key value to enter: " & strMessage


' the crucial command in this script - rewrite the registry
wshShell.RegWrite strWinLogon & strWelcome, strMessage, "REG_SZ"
wshShell.RegWrite strWinLogon & strWinLTxt, UCase( strMessage), "REG_SZ"

' Did it work?
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine _
  & "new key Capt. value: " & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWelcome)
strResult = strResult & vbNewLine _
  & "new key Text value: " & wshShell.RegRead(strWinLogon & strWinLTxt)
Wscript.Echo strResult 
set wshShell = Nothing