The error occurs majorly in two scenarios. First is when restoring a guest virtual machine from a snapshot, and second when there are same disk identifiers when connecting an additional disk to the system. In this post, we will share how you can resolve the error The disk is offline because of policy set by an administrator.

You will need admin privileges to fix this error. The second tip uses the Diskpart tool, which one should use with extreme caution. I would strongly suggest getting in touch with a technical person to assist if it’s too complicated for you.

1] Restoring Guest VM from a snapshot

When you restore a guest virtual machine using a backup snapshot, the restored guest OS (in the virtual machine) doesn’t automatically mount the attached drives. While the disks are visible using the utilities, they display error message Disk is offline because of the policy set by the administrator.”  It occurs because of an issue in the Windows SAN or Storage Area Network policy. According to Microsoft, they are disabled by default to avoid any data corruption. Here is how to enable SAN Policy to Online.

san [policy={onlineAll | offlineAll | offlineShared}] [noerr]

In the virtual machine, open Command Prompt or PowerShell with admin privileges.

Launch the diskpart tool by using the following command.

C:> diskpart

Type SAN to check the policy status. It should be Offline Shared in our scenario.

DISKPART> SAN
SAN Policy : Offline Shared

Change the policy to OnlineAll:

DISKPART> SAN POLICY=OnlineAll

Next, when you restore the snapshot, the disk will automatically become online.

Related: Boot Device Not Found in Windows 10.

2] Disk Identifier Issue

Assuming you have a lot of drives connected to the server, and one or two of them are offline. The Disk Management and diskpart utility also fail to help; then, it is because of the same disk identifiers. Each disk has a unique identifier. If they are the same, then one of them will be deactivated and will appear as offline with warning message TThe disk is offline because of policy set by an administrator. It is also called the Disk Signature Collision.

However, if you check the logs, you should identify a message similar to Disk N has the same disk identifiers as one or more disks connected to the system. It is a typical case of duplicate disks. Use the Diskpart tool to find it:

1. Open diskpart from the command prompt
2. List disk
3. Select disk 1
4. Uniqueid disk

Note down the identifier. Check if they are the same for other drives. If there is a disk with duplicate id, then you need to change the signature using Uniqueid command.

uniqueid disk [id={<dword> | <GUID>}] [noerr]

1. To change the signature, think of a unique number.
2. In the Diskpart prompt, type uniqueid disk ID=[NEW SIGNATURE]” with the brackets
3. Hit enter, and it will set a new identifier. Usually generating a GUID makes more sense

uniqueid disk id=baf784e7-6bbd-4cfb-aaac-e86c96e166ee

Once it is applied, the computer should automatically identify the disk.

I hope both of these tips were able to resolve the error.

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Windows Registry is a hierarchical database. It holds information related to settings, options, and other values for software and hardware on your system. Windows allows users to make changes in the Registry using a REG file. If the user follows a standard format, one can run Registry (.REG) File as administrator and make the changes.

Best Practices and Precautions before running a REG File

Before you go ahead and run a registry file, here are some practices and precautions to keep in mind:

Back up the Registry

As mentioned earlier, Windows Registry is a hierarchical database with configuration details for many Windows application settings. So whenever you change the Windows registry, any wrong configuration can lead to several issues.

For instance, you may encounter the Blue Death of Screen error; some applications might not work correctly, and so on. So in case things go out of your control, you will be able to restore the backup.

To take a Windows Registry backup, here is what you have to do:

• Press Windows Key + R to launch RUN.
• Type regedit and press Enter key.
• Go to File> Export.
• Choose a file location, name your backup file, and save it.
• To restore the backup, select the Import option under the File menu.

Review the contents of the Registry file

Before you run any Windows registry file, make sure to prevent the contents and ensure that there is nothing wrong.

Reviewing a registry file isn’t complicated; you can right-click the reg file and open it using Notepad.

Just run a quick look over the File and see what it says. If you find anything suspicious, a quick search will help you out.

Run Antivirus scan

Thirdly, you must run a quick antivirus for potential security threats, especially if you downloaded any registry settings online. While registry files cannot install malware, they can be quarantined if malware or viruses pose as REG files.

Related: Windows Registry Editor Tutorial, Tips and Features

When will you need to run .REG files as Administrator?

• When modifying system settings through the registry changes
• Resolving permission issues.
• Modifying security settings or configuring permissions
• Import complex or extensive registry modifications across multiple computers.
• Apply Group Policy-related registry changes.

Running a registry or the REG file as an administrator on Windows 11/10 isn’t complicated. And there are four quick methods to do so, these are:

1. Windows Context Menu or Double-Click
2. Using Command Prompt or Windows Terminal or PowerShell
3. Using Task Manager
4. Nirsoft’s AdvancedRun

Make sure you have a backup or a system restore in place.

1] Windows Context Menu or Double-Click

It is the easiest way to run a REG file. You must double-click on the REG file for your permission to see a UAC prompt. Click on the Yes button to run the REG file.

Alternatively, you can also right-click on the REG file and select Open to launch it, and you will see a prompt screen asking for your permission.

Another option that you can use is the Registry editor, for this follow the below steps:

• Go to Windows search, type registry editor and right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
• From Registry Editor, go to File> Import.
• Select your REG file and import it.

2] Using Command Prompt or Windows Terminal or PowerShell

The next option is to run a REG file using any Terminal programs on your Windows. You can use any application like Command Prompt, Windows Termina,l, or PowerShell. To get started, follow these steps:

• Press Windows Key + X to access the Quick menu.
• Select Windows Terminal (Admin) to launch the program as administrator.
• Next, navigate to the folder where your REG file is located.
• Now run the following command to install your REG file:

regedit /s YourFile.reg

• Make sure to replace YourFile.reg file with your file name, and you are done.

Also, note that the terminal won’t show any confirmation message. Instead, when the REG file is imported, your PC screen will get refreshed, confirming the successful process.

3] Using Task Manager

Task manager allows you to run new tasks with admin privileges, including the Registry file. Follow the steps to do it:

The REG file will be executed with administrator privileges, and the registry changes will be applied.

4] Nirsoft’s AdvancedRun

If you are more comfortable using software to run programs with admin permission, then the popular software website Nirsoft offers AdvancedRun. Once you obtain the software, set up the program or register file, and ensure to choose run as admin.  Check out our detailed guide on how to use it.

Conclusion

So that was all for how to run Registry (.REG) file as administrator. Running a registry file is super easy. Just double-click on it, and you are good to go. However, do make sure to take a backup of your registry settings, and when adding a new registry file imported from other computers or downloaded from the internet, run an antivirus check to be on the safer side.

How do I run a .reg file from a batch file?

It is similar to running it from the Windows Terminal. You must write a step-wise command in the BAT file and then execute it. Here is an example of importing a REG file using a batch file.

@echo off
echo Importing Registry files...

reg import "C:\path\to\examplefile1.reg"
reg import "C:\path\to\examplefile2.reg"

echo Registry files imported successfully.

Save the file as BAT and change the registry file name as required.

How do I create a .reg file?

The format of a REG file is relatively straightforward. It consists of a set of registry keys and corresponding values identified by a path. Here’s an example of a REG file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Example]
"Setting1"="Value1"
"Setting2"=dword:00000008
"Setting3"=hex:12,29,35,46

The file begins with a header line specifying the version of the registry editor. The most common version is “Version 5.00”.

In the example above, [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Example] specifies an ” Example ” key under the “Software” key of the current user’s hive.

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The following are a number of the forms that you will need throughout your studies. The actual forms for obtain are listed at the bottom of the page.

Master's Thesis Defence / Project Presentation Scheduling Form

For student who choose project or thesis, they should fill out the thesis defense/project presentation scheduling form. The form should be signed by committee members (3 for thesis/2 for project) and chair (moderator) of the defense. Chair (distinct from committee) is required for thesis only. The purpose is to confirm commitment of committee members to attend defense/presentation and to initiate public announcement of defense/presentation.

Submit with the new, Online Master's Thesis Defence / Project Presentation Scheduling and Completion Form. This automated form merges the Master's Thesis Defence / Project Presentation Scheduling and Completion forms into one. 

or Download the paper form [PDF-61kB]

Master's Thesis Defence / Project Presentation Completion Form

Thesis/Project completion form should be signed by all committee members. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to submit the signed form to the graduate administrator when all corrections to thesis/project report are done. Purpose is to formally advise the graduate administrator when the student is done.

Download the form [PDF-61kB]

PhD Research Aptitude / Thesis Proposal Defense Scheduling Form

The main idea behind the research aptitude project is to enable the Ph.D. student to get a focus on research work and provide feedback to the student at an early stage in Ph.D. studies.

Submit with the new, Online PhD Research Aptitude / Thesis Proposal Defense Scheduling and Completion Form. This automated form merges the PhD Research Aptitude / Thesis Proposal Defense Scheduling and Completion forms into one. 

or Download the paper form [PDF-66kB]

PhD Research Aptitude / Thesis Proposal Defense Completion Form

It is the responsibility of the supervisor to submit the signed form to the graduate administrator.

Download the form [PDF-61kB]

Program Update Form

If the courses you have listed on your program form do not match the course you have listed on your transcripts then you are required to fill out a program update form and submit it to the CS Admin Office (Room 106).

Submit with the new, Online Program Update Form or Download the paper form [PDF-61kB].

Progress Reports

Progress reports are required from all thesis-based graduate students 11 months after the start of a new program, and annually thereafter. 

The purpose of the progress report is to know how you are progressing on your research and that you have a plan for the upcoming year. It is best if you can discuss your progress and your goals with your supervisor before completing the progress report.

Once you submit your report, your supervisor and the graduate coordinator will be asked to provide their comments on the report. Either of them can return the report to you for further details or clarifications.

Important items on which to comment include:

• Any academic milestones that have been completed this past year
• Some key targets for the upcoming year, aiming for at least one per term
• The time when you are currently planning on graduating (can change over time)
• Any unexpected events in your research or program that are impacting your progress and how you are managing or mitigating these events

Detailed instructions are available on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

Directed Studies Proposal Form

The Directed Studies must be approved by both the student's thesis supervisor, directed study supervisor, and the graduate coordinator. Once approved, the graduate office will open registration for the student on Banner. This process should be completed before the last date to add a course. The process to follow is:

1. Student writes the content of the directed studies form with the following content, in a plain text (.txt) file:
   1. Short description of the course 150-300 words
   2. Set of milestones to be achieved, with dates
   3. Criteria for the evaluation of the outcome of the directed study
   4. Additional information:
      Required text and resources, incl. a memorizing list     
      Learning outcomes from the directed study
       
2. Student shares the form with his/her thesis supervisor and directed study supervisor (if different), receives feedback, and incorporates such feedback. 
3. Student submits the final form to the Online Directed Studies Proposal Form or Download the paper form [PDF-20kB]. 
4. The thesis and directed study supervisor and graduate coordinator will receive an email requesting approval.
5. Once approved, the graduate office will open the registration for the student on Banner.
6. This process should be completed before the end of the first week of classes in the term. 
7. Directed studies report must be completed and submitted to the directed studies supervisor by the last day of classes of the term and a letter grade must be submitted by email to graduate@cs.dal.ca and to the graduate coordinator 7 days after the last day of exam of the term.

Supervisor Selection Form

All students who are selecting or changing research supervisors should fill out supervisor selection form.

Download the form [PDF-20kB]

Desk, PED and Card Form

If you need to obtain an access card, desk, ped and a computer for research work, fill out an Access Request Form on the Help Desk Website.

Additional Forms

For other forms such as notice of academic appeal, add/drop, reassessment of final grade, intention to graduate, and letter of permission, please and obtain from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the Registrar’s Office.