diff --git a/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py b/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
index ab43446..9feec50 100644
--- a/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
+++ b/Lib/importlib/_bootstrap_external.py
@@ -1440,6 +1440,4 @@
     _setup(_bootstrap_module)
     supported_loaders = _get_supported_file_loaders()
     sys.path_hooks.extend([FileFinder.path_hook(*supported_loaders)])
-    if _os.__name__ == 'nt':
-        sys.meta_path.append(WindowsRegistryFinder)
     sys.meta_path.append(PathFinder)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 446b9f9..f4433da 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 Windows
 -------
 
-- Issue #28896: Deprecate WindowsRegistryFinder
+- Issue #28896: Deprecate WindowsRegistryFinder and disable it by default.
 
 Tests
 -----
diff --git a/PCbuild/_freeze_importlib.vcxproj b/PCbuild/_freeze_importlib.vcxproj
index f7714c0..c732663 100644
--- a/PCbuild/_freeze_importlib.vcxproj
+++ b/PCbuild/_freeze_importlib.vcxproj
@@ -76,31 +76,44 @@
     </ProjectReference>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
-    <None Include="..\Lib\importlib\_bootstrap.py" />
+    <None Include="..\Lib\importlib\_bootstrap.py">
+      <IntFile>$(IntDir)importlib.g.h</IntFile>
+      <OutFile>$(PySourcePath)Python\importlib.h</OutFile>
+    </None>
+    <None Include="..\Lib\importlib\_bootstrap_external.py">
+      <IntFile>$(IntDir)importlib_external.g.h</IntFile>
+      <OutFile>$(PySourcePath)Python\importlib_external.h</OutFile>
+    </None>
   </ItemGroup>
   <Import Project="$(VCTargetsPath)\Microsoft.Cpp.targets" />
   <ImportGroup Label="ExtensionTargets">
   </ImportGroup>
-  <Target Name="RebuildImportLib" AfterTargets="AfterBuild" Condition="$(Configuration) == 'Debug' or $(Configuration) == 'Release'">
-    <Exec Command='"$(TargetPath)" "$(PySourcePath)Lib\importlib\_bootstrap.py" "$(IntDir)importlib.g.h"' />
+  <Target Name="_RebuildImportLib">
+    <Exec Command='"$(TargetPath)" "%(None.FullPath)" "%(None.IntFile)"' />
     
     <PropertyGroup>
-      <_OldContent Condition="Exists('$(PySourcePath)Python\importlib.h')">$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('$(PySourcePath)Python\importlib.h').Replace(`&#x0D;&#x0A;`, `&#x0A;`))</_OldContent>
-      <_NewContent Condition="Exists('$(IntDir)importlib.g.h')">$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('$(IntDir)importlib.g.h').Replace(`&#x0D;&#x0A;`, `&#x0A;`))</_NewContent>
+      <_OldContent Condition="Exists($(OutTargetPath))"></_OldContent>
+      <_NewContent Condition="Exists($(IntTargetPath))">$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText($(IntTargetPath)).Replace(`&#x0D;&#x0A;`, `&#x0A;`))</_NewContent>
     </PropertyGroup>
     
-    <Copy SourceFiles="$(IntDir)importlib.g.h"
-          DestinationFiles="$(PySourcePath)Python\importlib.h"
-          Condition="Exists('$(IntDir)importlib.g.h') and '$(_OldContent)' != '$(_NewContent)'" />
+    <Copy SourceFiles="%(None.IntFile)"
+          DestinationFiles="%(None.OutFile)"
+          Condition="!Exists(%(None.OutFile)) or (Exists(%(None.IntFile)) and '$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText(%(None.OutFile)).Replace(`&#x0D;&#x0A;`, `&#x0A;`))' != '$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText(%(None.IntFile)).Replace(`&#x0D;&#x0A;`, `&#x0A;`))')">
+      <Output TaskParameter="CopiedFiles" ItemName="_Updated" />
+    </Copy>
     
-    <Warning Text="importlib.h has been updated. You will need to rebuild pythoncore to see the changes."
-             Condition="Exists('$(IntDir)importlib.g.h') and '$(_OldContent)' != '$(_NewContent)' and $(Configuration) == 'Debug'" />
-    <Error Text="importlib.h has been updated. You will need to rebuild pythoncore to see the changes."
-           Condition="Exists('$(IntDir)importlib.g.h') and '$(_OldContent)' != '$(_NewContent)' and $(Configuration) == 'Release'" />
+    <Warning Text="@(_Updated->'%(Filename)%(Extension)',', ') updated. You will need to rebuild pythoncore to see the changes."
+             Condition="'@(_Updated)' != '' and $(Configuration) == 'Debug'" />
+    <Error Text="@(_Updated->'%(Filename)%(Extension)',', ') updated. You will need to rebuild pythoncore to see the changes."
+           Condition="'@(_Updated)' != '' and $(Configuration) == 'Release'" />
+  </Target>
+  <Target Name="RebuildImportLib" AfterTargets="AfterBuild" Condition="$(Configuration) == 'Debug' or $(Configuration) == 'Release'"
+          DependsOnTargets="_RebuildImportLib">
   </Target>
   <Target Name="_CleanImportLib" BeforeTargets="CoreClean">
     <ItemGroup>
       <Clean Include="$(IntDir)importlib.g.h" />
+      <Clean Include="$(IntDir)importlib_external.g.h" />
     </ItemGroup>
   </Target>
 </Project>
diff --git a/PCbuild/pcbuild.proj b/PCbuild/pcbuild.proj
index e0e6e93..c6b8487 100644
--- a/PCbuild/pcbuild.proj
+++ b/PCbuild/pcbuild.proj
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
       <BuildTarget>Build</BuildTarget>
       <CleanTarget>Clean</CleanTarget>
       <CleanAllTarget>CleanAll</CleanAllTarget>
-      <BuildInParallel>true</BuildInParallel>
+      <BuildInParallel>false</BuildInParallel>
     </Projects2>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@
     <Projects Include="pylauncher.vcxproj;pywlauncher.vcxproj" />
     <!-- pyshellext.dll -->
     <Projects Include="pyshellext.vcxproj" />
-    <!-- _freeze_importlib -->
-    <Projects Include="_freeze_importlib.vcxproj" />
     <!-- Extension modules -->
     <ExtensionModules Include="_asyncio;_ctypes;_decimal;_elementtree;_msi;_multiprocessing;_overlapped;pyexpat;select;unicodedata;winsound" />
     <!-- Extension modules that require external sources -->
@@ -68,10 +66,10 @@
       <BuildInParallel>false</BuildInParallel>
     </Projects>
     
+    <!-- _freeze_importlib -->
+    <Projects2 Include="_freeze_importlib.vcxproj" />
     <!-- python[w].exe -->
-    <Projects2 Include="python.vcxproj;pythonw.vcxproj">
-      <BuildInParallel>false</BuildInParallel>
-    </Projects2>
+    <Projects2 Include="python.vcxproj;pythonw.vcxproj" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <Target Name="Build">
diff --git a/Python/importlib_external.h b/Python/importlib_external.h
index 1b767c5..2f40978 100644
--- a/Python/importlib_external.h
+++ b/Python/importlib_external.h
@@ -2334,7 +2334,7 @@
     111,111,116,115,116,114,97,112,32,109,111,100,117,108,101,46,
     10,10,32,32,32,32,114,52,0,0,0,114,63,0,0,0,
     218,8,98,117,105,108,116,105,110,115,114,140,0,0,0,90,
-    5,112,111,115,105,120,250,1,47,218,2,110,116,250,1,92,
+    5,112,111,115,105,120,250,1,47,90,2,110,116,250,1,92,
     99,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,2,0,0,0,3,0,0,
     0,115,0,0,0,115,26,0,0,0,124,0,93,18,125,1,
     116,0,124,1,131,1,100,0,107,2,86,0,1,0,113,2,
@@ -2376,61 +2376,58 @@
     1,10,1,4,2,2,1,10,1,6,1,14,1,12,2,8,
     1,12,1,12,1,18,3,2,1,14,1,16,2,10,1,12,
     3,10,1,12,3,10,1,10,1,12,3,14,1,14,1,10,
-    1,10,1,10,1,114,32,1,0,0,99,1,0,0,0,0,
+    1,10,1,10,1,114,31,1,0,0,99,1,0,0,0,0,
     0,0,0,2,0,0,0,3,0,0,0,67,0,0,0,115,
-    72,0,0,0,116,0,124,0,131,1,1,0,116,1,131,0,
+    50,0,0,0,116,0,124,0,131,1,1,0,116,1,131,0,
     125,1,116,2,106,3,106,4,116,5,106,6,124,1,142,0,
-    103,1,131,1,1,0,116,7,106,8,100,1,107,2,114,56,
-    116,2,106,9,106,10,116,11,131,1,1,0,116,2,106,9,
-    106,10,116,12,131,1,1,0,100,2,83,0,41,3,122,41,
-    73,110,115,116,97,108,108,32,116,104,101,32,112,97,116,104,
-    45,98,97,115,101,100,32,105,109,112,111,114,116,32,99,111,
-    109,112,111,110,101,110,116,115,46,114,27,1,0,0,78,41,
-    13,114,32,1,0,0,114,159,0,0,0,114,8,0,0,0,
-    114,253,0,0,0,114,147,0,0,0,114,5,1,0,0,114,
-    18,1,0,0,114,3,0,0,0,114,109,0,0,0,218,9,
-    109,101,116,97,95,112,97,116,104,114,161,0,0,0,114,166,
-    0,0,0,114,248,0,0,0,41,2,114,31,1,0,0,90,
-    17,115,117,112,112,111,114,116,101,100,95,108,111,97,100,101,
-    114,115,114,4,0,0,0,114,4,0,0,0,114,6,0,0,
-    0,218,8,95,105,110,115,116,97,108,108,158,5,0,0,115,
-    12,0,0,0,0,2,8,1,6,1,20,1,10,1,12,1,
-    114,34,1,0,0,41,1,114,0,0,0,0,41,2,114,1,
-    0,0,0,114,2,0,0,0,41,1,114,49,0,0,0,41,
-    1,78,41,3,78,78,78,41,3,78,78,78,41,2,114,62,
-    0,0,0,114,62,0,0,0,41,1,78,41,1,78,41,58,
-    114,111,0,0,0,114,12,0,0,0,90,37,95,67,65,83,
-    69,95,73,78,83,69,78,83,73,84,73,86,69,95,80,76,
-    65,84,70,79,82,77,83,95,66,89,84,69,83,95,75,69,
-    89,114,11,0,0,0,114,13,0,0,0,114,19,0,0,0,
-    114,21,0,0,0,114,30,0,0,0,114,40,0,0,0,114,
-    41,0,0,0,114,45,0,0,0,114,46,0,0,0,114,48,
-    0,0,0,114,58,0,0,0,218,4,116,121,112,101,218,8,
-    95,95,99,111,100,101,95,95,114,142,0,0,0,114,17,0,
-    0,0,114,132,0,0,0,114,16,0,0,0,114,20,0,0,
-    0,90,17,95,82,65,87,95,77,65,71,73,67,95,78,85,
-    77,66,69,82,114,77,0,0,0,114,76,0,0,0,114,88,
-    0,0,0,114,78,0,0,0,90,23,68,69,66,85,71,95,
-    66,89,84,69,67,79,68,69,95,83,85,70,70,73,88,69,
-    83,90,27,79,80,84,73,77,73,90,69,68,95,66,89,84,
-    69,67,79,68,69,95,83,85,70,70,73,88,69,83,114,83,
-    0,0,0,114,89,0,0,0,114,95,0,0,0,114,99,0,
-    0,0,114,101,0,0,0,114,120,0,0,0,114,127,0,0,
-    0,114,139,0,0,0,114,145,0,0,0,114,148,0,0,0,
-    114,153,0,0,0,218,6,111,98,106,101,99,116,114,160,0,
-    0,0,114,165,0,0,0,114,166,0,0,0,114,181,0,0,
-    0,114,191,0,0,0,114,207,0,0,0,114,215,0,0,0,
-    114,220,0,0,0,114,226,0,0,0,114,221,0,0,0,114,
-    227,0,0,0,114,246,0,0,0,114,248,0,0,0,114,5,
-    1,0,0,114,23,1,0,0,114,159,0,0,0,114,32,1,
-    0,0,114,34,1,0,0,114,4,0,0,0,114,4,0,0,
-    0,114,4,0,0,0,114,6,0,0,0,218,8,60,109,111,
-    100,117,108,101,62,8,0,0,0,115,108,0,0,0,4,16,
-    4,1,4,1,2,1,6,3,8,17,8,5,8,5,8,6,
-    8,12,8,10,8,9,8,5,8,7,10,22,10,123,16,1,
-    12,2,4,1,4,2,6,2,6,2,8,2,16,45,8,34,
-    8,19,8,12,8,12,8,28,8,17,10,55,10,12,10,10,
-    8,14,6,3,4,1,14,67,14,64,14,29,16,110,14,41,
-    18,45,18,16,4,3,18,53,14,60,14,42,14,127,0,5,
-    14,127,0,22,10,23,8,11,8,68,
+    103,1,131,1,1,0,116,2,106,7,106,8,116,9,131,1,
+    1,0,100,1,83,0,41,2,122,41,73,110,115,116,97,108,
+    108,32,116,104,101,32,112,97,116,104,45,98,97,115,101,100,
+    32,105,109,112,111,114,116,32,99,111,109,112,111,110,101,110,
+    116,115,46,78,41,10,114,31,1,0,0,114,159,0,0,0,
+    114,8,0,0,0,114,253,0,0,0,114,147,0,0,0,114,
+    5,1,0,0,114,18,1,0,0,218,9,109,101,116,97,95,
+    112,97,116,104,114,161,0,0,0,114,248,0,0,0,41,2,
+    114,30,1,0,0,90,17,115,117,112,112,111,114,116,101,100,
+    95,108,111,97,100,101,114,115,114,4,0,0,0,114,4,0,
+    0,0,114,6,0,0,0,218,8,95,105,110,115,116,97,108,
+    108,158,5,0,0,115,8,0,0,0,0,2,8,1,6,1,
+    20,1,114,33,1,0,0,41,1,114,0,0,0,0,41,2,
+    114,1,0,0,0,114,2,0,0,0,41,1,114,49,0,0,
+    0,41,1,78,41,3,78,78,78,41,3,78,78,78,41,2,
+    114,62,0,0,0,114,62,0,0,0,41,1,78,41,1,78,
+    41,58,114,111,0,0,0,114,12,0,0,0,90,37,95,67,
+    65,83,69,95,73,78,83,69,78,83,73,84,73,86,69,95,
+    80,76,65,84,70,79,82,77,83,95,66,89,84,69,83,95,
+    75,69,89,114,11,0,0,0,114,13,0,0,0,114,19,0,
+    0,0,114,21,0,0,0,114,30,0,0,0,114,40,0,0,
+    0,114,41,0,0,0,114,45,0,0,0,114,46,0,0,0,
+    114,48,0,0,0,114,58,0,0,0,218,4,116,121,112,101,
+    218,8,95,95,99,111,100,101,95,95,114,142,0,0,0,114,
+    17,0,0,0,114,132,0,0,0,114,16,0,0,0,114,20,
+    0,0,0,90,17,95,82,65,87,95,77,65,71,73,67,95,
+    78,85,77,66,69,82,114,77,0,0,0,114,76,0,0,0,
+    114,88,0,0,0,114,78,0,0,0,90,23,68,69,66,85,
+    71,95,66,89,84,69,67,79,68,69,95,83,85,70,70,73,
+    88,69,83,90,27,79,80,84,73,77,73,90,69,68,95,66,
+    89,84,69,67,79,68,69,95,83,85,70,70,73,88,69,83,
+    114,83,0,0,0,114,89,0,0,0,114,95,0,0,0,114,
+    99,0,0,0,114,101,0,0,0,114,120,0,0,0,114,127,
+    0,0,0,114,139,0,0,0,114,145,0,0,0,114,148,0,
+    0,0,114,153,0,0,0,218,6,111,98,106,101,99,116,114,
+    160,0,0,0,114,165,0,0,0,114,166,0,0,0,114,181,
+    0,0,0,114,191,0,0,0,114,207,0,0,0,114,215,0,
+    0,0,114,220,0,0,0,114,226,0,0,0,114,221,0,0,
+    0,114,227,0,0,0,114,246,0,0,0,114,248,0,0,0,
+    114,5,1,0,0,114,23,1,0,0,114,159,0,0,0,114,
+    31,1,0,0,114,33,1,0,0,114,4,0,0,0,114,4,
+    0,0,0,114,4,0,0,0,114,6,0,0,0,218,8,60,
+    109,111,100,117,108,101,62,8,0,0,0,115,108,0,0,0,
+    4,16,4,1,4,1,2,1,6,3,8,17,8,5,8,5,
+    8,6,8,12,8,10,8,9,8,5,8,7,10,22,10,123,
+    16,1,12,2,4,1,4,2,6,2,6,2,8,2,16,45,
+    8,34,8,19,8,12,8,12,8,28,8,17,10,55,10,12,
+    10,10,8,14,6,3,4,1,14,67,14,64,14,29,16,110,
+    14,41,18,45,18,16,4,3,18,53,14,60,14,42,14,127,
+    0,5,14,127,0,22,10,23,8,11,8,68,
 };