diff --git a/Scripts/Features/ImportRegistryFile.ps1 b/Scripts/Features/ImportRegistryFile.ps1
index 24925ce..ee4444a 100644
--- a/Scripts/Features/ImportRegistryFile.ps1
+++ b/Scripts/Features/ImportRegistryFile.ps1
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ function ImportRegistryFile {
         throw $errorMessage
     }
 
-    # Reset exit code before running reg.exe for reliable success detection
-    $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
-
     if ($usesOfflineHive) {
         # Sysprep targets Default user, User targets the specified user
         $hiveDatPath = if ($script:Params.ContainsKey("Sysprep")) {
@@ -41,7 +38,9 @@ function ImportRegistryFile {
                 ExitCode = 0
                 Error = $null
                 FailureStage = $null
+                HiveLeftLoaded = $false
             }
+            $hiveLoaded = $false
 
             try {
                 $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
@@ -53,6 +52,8 @@ function ImportRegistryFile {
                     throw "Failed to load user hive at '$hivePath' (exit code: $loadExitCode)"
                 }
 
+                $hiveLoaded = $true
+
                 $output = reg import $targetRegFilePath 2>&1
                 $importExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
 
@@ -74,13 +75,20 @@ function ImportRegistryFile {
                 $result.ExitCode = if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { $LASTEXITCODE } else { 1 }
             }
             finally {
-                $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
-                reg unload "HKU\Default" | Out-Null
-                $unloadExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
-                if ($unloadExitCode -ne 0 -and -not $result.Error) {
-                    $result.FailureStage = 'unload'
-                    $result.Error = "Failed to unload registry hive HKU\Default (exit code: $unloadExitCode)"
-                    $result.ExitCode = $unloadExitCode
+                # When import failed the hive stays mounted so the PowerShell
+                # fallback can reuse it immediately without a load/unload race.
+                if ($hiveLoaded -and $result.FailureStage -eq 'import') {
+                    $result.HiveLeftLoaded = $true
+                }
+                elseif ($hiveLoaded) {
+                    $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
+                    reg unload "HKU\Default" | Out-Null
+                    $unloadExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
+                    if ($unloadExitCode -ne 0 -and -not $result.Error) {
+                        $result.FailureStage = 'unload'
+                        $result.Error = "Failed to unload registry hive HKU\Default (exit code: $unloadExitCode)"
+                        $result.ExitCode = $unloadExitCode
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ function ImportRegistryFile {
         Write-Warning "reg import failed for '$path'. Falling back to PowerShell registry writer. Details: $details"
 
         try {
-            Invoke-RegistryImportViaPowerShell -RegFilePath $regFilePath -UseOfflineHive:$usesOfflineHive -OfflineHiveDatPath $hiveDatPath
+            Invoke-RegistryImportViaPowerShell -RegFilePath $regFilePath -UseOfflineHive:$usesOfflineHive -OfflineHiveDatPath $hiveDatPath -HiveAlreadyLoaded:([bool]$regResult.HiveLeftLoaded)
 
             Write-Host "Fallback import succeeded for '$path'." -ForegroundColor Yellow
             Write-Host ""
diff --git a/Scripts/Helpers/ApplyRegistryRegFile.ps1 b/Scripts/Helpers/ApplyRegistryRegFile.ps1
index 82ef1b5..a3c79fd 100644
--- a/Scripts/Helpers/ApplyRegistryRegFile.ps1
+++ b/Scripts/Helpers/ApplyRegistryRegFile.ps1
@@ -27,7 +27,20 @@ function Convert-RegOperationToValueKind {
         'Hex0' {
             return @{ Name = $valueName; Kind = [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::None; Value = [byte[]]$Operation.ValueData }
         }
-        'Hex3' {
+        'Hex1' {
+            $stringValue = ([System.Text.Encoding]::Unicode.GetString([byte[]]$Operation.ValueData)).TrimEnd([char]0)
+            return @{ Name = $valueName; Kind = [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::String; Value = $stringValue }
+        }
+        'Hex2' {
+            $expandStringValue = if ($Operation.ValueData -is [byte[]]) {
+                ([System.Text.Encoding]::Unicode.GetString([byte[]]$Operation.ValueData)).TrimEnd([char]0)
+            }
+            else {
+                [string]$Operation.ValueData
+            }
+            return @{ Name = $valueName; Kind = [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::ExpandString; Value = $expandStringValue }
+        }
+        { $valueType -in @('Hex3', 'Hex4', 'Hex5') } {
             return @{ Name = $valueName; Kind = [Microsoft.Win32.RegistryValueKind]::Binary; Value = [byte[]]$Operation.ValueData }
         }
         'HexB' {
@@ -118,7 +131,7 @@ function Invoke-RegistryOperationsFromRegFile {
         [string]$RegFilePath
     )
 
-    $accessDeniedFailures = New-Object 'System.Collections.Generic.List[object]'
+    $accessDeniedCount = 0
 
     foreach ($operation in @(Get-RegFileOperations -regFilePath $RegFilePath)) {
         try {
@@ -143,7 +156,7 @@ function Invoke-RegistryOperationsFromRegFile {
                 }
                 'SetValue' {
                     if ($null -eq $keyInfo.Key) {
-                        throw "Unable to open or create registry key '$($operation.KeyPath)'"
+                        throw [System.UnauthorizedAccessException]::new("Unable to open or create registry key '$($operation.KeyPath)'")
                     }
 
                     try {
@@ -160,34 +173,25 @@ function Invoke-RegistryOperationsFromRegFile {
             }
         }
         catch [System.UnauthorizedAccessException], [System.Security.SecurityException] {
-            $valueDisplay = if ($operation.OperationType -eq 'SetValue' -or $operation.OperationType -eq 'DeleteValue') {
-                if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty([string]$operation.ValueName)) { '(Default)' } else { [string]$operation.ValueName }
+            $accessDeniedCount++
+            $keyPath = [string]$operation.KeyPath
+            $opType = [string]$operation.OperationType
+            $valueName = [string]$operation.ValueName
+
+            if ($opType -eq 'SetValue' -or $opType -eq 'DeleteValue') {
+                $display = if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($valueName)) { '(Default)' } else { $valueName }
+                Write-Warning "Skipping operation '$opType' on key '$keyPath' value '$display' due to access restrictions: $($_.Exception.Message)"
             }
             else {
-                ''
-            }
-
-            $failure = [PSCustomObject]@{
-                OperationType = [string]$operation.OperationType
-                KeyPath = [string]$operation.KeyPath
-                ValueName = $valueDisplay
-                Error = $_.Exception.Message
-            }
-            $accessDeniedFailures.Add($failure)
-
-            if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($valueDisplay)) {
-                Write-Warning ("Skipping operation '{0}' on key '{1}' due to access restrictions: {2}" -f $failure.OperationType, $failure.KeyPath, $failure.Error)
-            }
-            else {
-                Write-Warning ("Skipping operation '{0}' on key '{1}' value '{2}' due to access restrictions: {3}" -f $failure.OperationType, $failure.KeyPath, $failure.ValueName, $failure.Error)
+                Write-Warning "Skipping operation '$opType' on key '$keyPath' due to access restrictions: $($_.Exception.Message)"
             }
 
             continue
         }
     }
 
-    if ($accessDeniedFailures.Count -gt 0) {
-        Write-Warning ("Registry fallback import completed with $($accessDeniedFailures.Count) access-restricted operation(s) skipped in '$RegFilePath'.")
+    if ($accessDeniedCount -gt 0) {
+        Write-Warning "Registry fallback import completed with $accessDeniedCount access-restricted operation(s) skipped in '$RegFilePath'."
     }
 }
 
@@ -196,7 +200,8 @@ function Invoke-RegistryImportViaPowerShell {
         [Parameter(Mandatory)]
         [string]$RegFilePath,
         [switch]$UseOfflineHive,
-        [string]$OfflineHiveDatPath
+        [string]$OfflineHiveDatPath,
+        [switch]$HiveAlreadyLoaded
     )
 
     $applyScript = {
@@ -213,11 +218,13 @@ function Invoke-RegistryImportViaPowerShell {
             throw "Offline hive path was not provided for fallback import of '$RegFilePath'"
         }
 
-        $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
-        reg load "HKU\Default" $OfflineHiveDatPath | Out-Null
-        $loadExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
-        if ($loadExitCode -ne 0) {
-            throw "Failed to load user hive at '$OfflineHiveDatPath' for fallback import (exit code: $loadExitCode)"
+        if (-not $HiveAlreadyLoaded) {
+            $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0
+            reg load "HKU\Default" $OfflineHiveDatPath | Out-Null
+            $loadExitCode = $LASTEXITCODE
+            if ($loadExitCode -ne 0) {
+                throw "Failed to load user hive at '$OfflineHiveDatPath' for fallback import (exit code: $loadExitCode)"
+            }
         }
 
         try {