Create managed keys

Learn how to make managed registry keys, and see Puppet correct configuration drift when you try and alter them in Registry Editor.

Create your first Puppet managed registry keys and values:

registry_key { 'HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet':
     ensure => present,
}

# By default the registry creates an implicit relationship to any file
# resources it finds that match the location.
registry_value {'HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet\StringValue':
  ensure => 'present',
  data   => 'This is a custom value.',
  type   => 'string',
}

#forcing a 32-bit registry view; watch where this is created:
registry_key { '32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet':
  ensure => present,
}

registry_value {'32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet\StringValue':
  ensure => 'present',
  data   => 'This is a custom 32-bit value.',
  type   => 'expand',
}

Save the file as registry.pp.
Validate the manifest. In the command prompt, run puppet parser validate c:\<FILE PATH>\registry.pp
If the parser returns nothing, it means validation passed.

Now, apply the manifest by running puppet apply c:\<FILE PATH>\registry.pp in the command prompt. Your output should look similar to below.

Notice: Compiled catalog for win2012r2x64 in environment production in 0.11 seco
nds
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_key[HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet]/ensure: c
reated
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_value[HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet\StringVa
lue]/ensure: created
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_key[32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet]/ensure
: created
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_value[32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet\Strin
gValue]/ensure: created
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.03 seconds

Next, inspect the registry and see what you have. Press Start + R, then type regedit and press Enter. Once the Registry Editor opens, find your keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

Note that the 32-bit keys were created under the 32-bit section of Wow6432Node for Software.
Apply the manifest again by running puppet apply c:\<FILE PATH>\registry.pp
```
Notice: Compiled catalog for win2012r2x64 in environment production in 0.11 seconds
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.02 seconds
```
Nothing changed, so there is no work for Puppet to do.
In Registry Editor, change the data. Select HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet and in the right box, double-click StringValue. Edit the value data, and click OK.
This time, changes have been made, so running puppet apply c:\path\to\registry.pp results in a different output.
```
Notice: Compiled catalog for win2012r2x64 in environment production
in 0.11 seconds
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_value[HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet\StringValue]/data:
data changed 'This is a custom value. Edited' to 'This is a custom value.'
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.03 seconds
```
Puppet automatically corrects the configuration drift.

Next, clean up and remove the keys and values. Make your registry.pp file look like the below:

registry_key { 'HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet':
  ensure => absent,
}

#forcing a 32 bit registry view, watch where this is created
registry_key { '32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet':
  ensure => absent,
}

Validate it with puppet parser validate c:\path\to\registry.pp and apply it again with puppet apply c:\path\to\registry.pp

Notice: Compiled catalog for win2012r2x64 in environment production in 0.06 seconds
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_key[HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet]/ensure: removed
Notice: /Stage[main]/Main/Registry_key[32:HKLM\Software\zTemporaryPuppet]/ensure
: removed
Notice: Applied catalog in 0.02 seconds

Refresh the view in your Registry Editor. The values are gone.

Screenshot of the Registry Editor showing that the adjusted value is gone.

Example

Here’s a real world example that disables error reporting:

class puppetconf::disable_error_reporting {
  registry_value { 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\ForceQueue':
    type => dword,
    data => '1',
  }

  registry_value { 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\DontShowUI':
    type => dword,
    data => '1',
  }

  registry_value { 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\DontSendAdditionalData':
    type => dword,
    data => '1',
  }

  registry_key { 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\Consent':
    ensure       => present,
  }

  registry_value { 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\Consent\DefaultConsent':
   type => dword,
   data => '2',
  }
}