You can still write entries to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE as before under Visa, Win7, and Win8. The actual value is stored in a 'virtualized' version of the registry which is stored under the User path. If you were to write your entry via VFP and then open the RegEdit.exe program you will see your entry there. It is just not being written the registry that is stored under the Windows path.

I have this for some entries in a few programs that I am running on Win7.