bugfix(registry): Prioritize HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry reads and writes over HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE to prevent inaccessible data (#1844)

Author: bobtista

Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWDownload/registry.cpp

@@ -120,12 +120,12 @@ bool GetStringFromRegistry(std::string path, std::string key, std::string& val)
 #endif
 
 	fullPath.append(path);
-	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val))
+	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val))
 	{
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val);
+	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val);
 }
 
 bool GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry(std::string path, std::string key, unsigned int& val)
@@ -137,12 +137,12 @@ bool GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry(std::string path, std::string key, unsigned int&
 #endif
 
 	fullPath.append(path);
-	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val))
+	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val))
 	{
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val);
+	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.c_str(), key.c_str(), val);
 }
 
 bool SetStringInRegistry( std::string path, std::string key, std::string val)
@@ -154,9 +154,8 @@ bool SetStringInRegistry( std::string path, std::string key, std::string val)
 #endif
 	fullPath.append(path);
 
-	if (setStringInRegistry( HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath, key, val))
-		return true;
-
+	// TheSuperHackers @fix bobtista 12/02/2026 Always write to HKCU. Per-user settings belong
+	// in HKEY_CURRENT_USER and writes there should always succeed without admin privileges.
 	return setStringInRegistry( HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath, key, val );
 }
 
@@ -169,9 +168,8 @@ bool SetUnsignedIntInRegistry( std::string path, std::string key, unsigned int v
 #endif
 	fullPath.append(path);
 
-	if (setUnsignedIntInRegistry( HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath, key, val))
-		return true;
-
+	// TheSuperHackers @fix bobtista 12/02/2026 Always write to HKCU. Per-user settings belong
+	// in HKEY_CURRENT_USER and writes there should always succeed without admin privileges.
 	return setUnsignedIntInRegistry( HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath, key, val );
 }
 

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/registry.cpp

@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ Bool GetStringFromGeneralsRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, AsciiStrin
 
 	fullPath.concat(path);
 	DEBUG_LOG(("GetStringFromRegistry - looking in %s for key %s", fullPath.str(), key.str()));
-	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
+	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
 	{
 		return TRUE;
 	}
 
-	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
+	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
 }
 
 Bool GetStringFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, AsciiString& val)
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ Bool GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, UnsignedInt&
 
 	fullPath.concat(path);
 	DEBUG_LOG(("GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry - looking in %s for key %s", fullPath.str(), key.str()));
-	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
+	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
 	{
 		return TRUE;
 	}
 
-	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
+	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
 }
 
 AsciiString GetRegistryLanguage()

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/registry.cpp

@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ Bool GetStringFromGeneralsRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, AsciiStrin
 
 	fullPath.concat(path);
 	DEBUG_LOG(("GetStringFromRegistry - looking in %s for key %s", fullPath.str(), key.str()));
-	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
+	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
 	{
 		return TRUE;
 	}
 
-	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
+	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
 }
 
 Bool GetStringFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, AsciiString& val)
@@ -139,12 +139,12 @@ Bool GetStringFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, AsciiString& val)
 
 	fullPath.concat(path);
 	DEBUG_LOG(("GetStringFromRegistry - looking in %s for key %s", fullPath.str(), key.str()));
-	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
+	if (getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
 	{
 		return TRUE;
 	}
 
-	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
+	return getStringFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
 }
 
 Bool GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, UnsignedInt& val)
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ Bool GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry(AsciiString path, AsciiString key, UnsignedInt&
 
 	fullPath.concat(path);
 	DEBUG_LOG(("GetUnsignedIntFromRegistry - looking in %s for key %s", fullPath.str(), key.str()));
-	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
+	if (getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val))
 	{
 		return TRUE;
 	}
 
-	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
+	return getUnsignedIntFromRegistry(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, fullPath.str(), key.str(), val);
 }
 
 AsciiString GetRegistryLanguage()