Get "Invalid root in registry key" when call RegWrite function on Wow6432Node

Question

My environment is Windows 2008 R2. I have the local administrator permission and the UAC is turned off.
There is a 32bit application installed on the server and I need to update its registry key value "AuditTime" under this node
HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication
I simply run this just two line vbscript
Set Wshell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Wshell.RegWrite "HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication\AuditTime",Now(),"REG_SZ"
But I got error as following:
Invalid root in registry key "HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication\AuditTime"
Then I updated the script to perform a little test. The script is like this
Set Wshell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Wshell.RegWrite "HKLM\Software\Myapplication2\AuditTime",Now(),"REG_SZ"
Wshell.RegWrite "HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication\AuditTime",Now(),"REG_SZ"
The first RegWrite is successfully run and I got the value written as expected however the second RegWrite failed again with the same error.
So it is clear nothing to do with permission since I have full access. I can create the values under both hive in Regedit.exe.
A little further testing shows the Invalid root error just showing when I tried to update valued under HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node hive.
Any suggestion?

Answer 1

On Windows Server 2008R2 the VBScript works with NO errors and creates the key as expected.
PS C:\scripts> .\regtest.vbs
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
PS C:\scripts> dir HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication*
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node
SKC VC Name Property
0 1 Myapplication32 {AuditTime}
0 1 Myapplication6432 {AuditTime}
PS C:\scripts> dir HKLM:\Software\My*
Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
SKC VC Name Property
0 1 Myapplication32 {AuditTime}
0 1 Myapplication6432 {AuditTime}
PS C:\scripts> [environment]::Is64BitProcess
False
The vbscript used for both keys is as follows:
Set Wshell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Wshell.RegWrite "HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Myapplication32\AuditTime",Now(),"REG_SZ"
Run from either system it creates a shared key under WoW6432Node on both systems.  When created from the 32 bit system the key also shows up under HKLM:\Software.  It does not show on the 64 bit system under HKLM:\Software.  Youust explicitly
crate the keys under that key.  64 bit process look at both.  32 bit processes only see HKLM:\Software which is why we create the shared keys under WoW6432.  The 32 bit systems will work as they always have but 64 bit process MUST look under
WoW6332Node if it wants to see a 32 bit process registry settings.  We can als sync the keys if needed.
You do not need to create two sets of keys for one process. The system can do this for you.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯