Understanding Regedit
The Microsoft Registry Editor enables you to view,
search for, and change settings
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in your system registry, which contains
information about how your computer
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runs. Windows stores its configuration information in
a database called the
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registry which can be accessed using Regedit.exe
(Registry Editor). The registry
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contains profiles for each user of the computer and
information about s ystem
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hardware, installed programs, and property
settings. Windows continually
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references this information during its
operation. Although you can use Registry
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Editor to inspect and modify the registry,
doing so is not recommended, as making
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incorrect changes can damage your system.
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Registry Editor is an advanced tool for
viewing and changing settings in your
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system registry which contains information
about how your computer runs.
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Windows stores its configuration
information in a database (the registry) that is
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organized in a tree format. When you view
the registry in the Microsoft Registry
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Editor its hierarchical nature becomes
obvious. The editor presents an
Explorer-
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like view of the registry, with a tree in
the left pane and data in the right
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The registry tree is divided into six
broad sections (five in NT).
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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
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HKEY_USERS HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
HKEY_DYN_DATA Folders represent keys in
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the registry and are shown in the
navigation area on the left side of the Registry
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Editor window. On the left side below My
Computer their are five keys
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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_ USER,
HKEY_ LOCAL_MACHINE,
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HKEY_USERS, HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG, HKEY_DYN_DATA.
On expanding these
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Keys we’ll get the sub keys In the right
side area, the entries in a particular sub
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key are displayed, which are Name
(Contains name of the value), Type (contains
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type of the value), and Data (Contains
associated data of the value.)When you
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double-click an entry, it opens an editing
dialog box. At the status bar of regedit
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path is shown.
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You should not edit your registry unless it is
absolutely necessary. If there is an
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error in your registry, your computer may not function
properly. If this happens,
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you can restore the registry to the same version you
were using when you last
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successfully started your computer Regedit.exe is
automatically installed during
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setup and is stored in same folder as is Windows. To
start Regedit.exe
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1.
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Click
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Start
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, and then click
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Run
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.
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2.
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Type Regedit, and then click
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OK
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.
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the navigation area of the Registry Editor displays
folders, each of which
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represents a
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predefined key
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(a key that represents one of the main division of the
registry for e.g.: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) on the local
computer. When accessing
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the registry of a remote computer, only two predefined
keys, HKEY_USERS and
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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, appear.
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Description
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Folder/predefined key
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Contains the root of the configuration information for
the user
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who is currently logged on The user’s folders, screen
colors, and
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HKEY_CURRENT_USER
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Control Panel settings are stored here.
This information is
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referred to as a user’s profile
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HKEY_USERS
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Contains the root of all user profiles on the
computer.
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HKEY_CURRENT_USER is a sub key of HKEY_USERS.
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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
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Contains configuration information particular to the
computer
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(for any user).
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Is a sub key of
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software. The
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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
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information stored here ensures that the correct
program opens
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when you open a file by using Windows Explorer.
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HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
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Contains information about the hardware profile used
by the
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local computer at system startup.
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Data type
Description
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Raw binary data. Most hardware component
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REG_BINARY
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information is stored as binary data and
is displayed in
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Registry Editor in hexadecimal format.
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Data represented by a number that is 4 bytes long.
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Many parameters for device drivers and
services are
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REG_DWORD
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this type and are displayed in Registry Editor in
binary,
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hexadecimal, or decimal format.
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A variable-length data string. This data type includes
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REG_EXPAND_SZ
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variables that are resolved when a program
or service
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uses the data.
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A multiple string. Values that contain
lists or multiple
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values in a form that people can read are usually this
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REG_MULTI_SZ
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type. Entries are separated by spaces,
commas, or
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other marks.
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REG_SZ
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A fixed-length text string.
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REG_FULL_RESOURCE_DESCRIPTOR
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A series of nested arrays designed to
store a resource
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list for a hardware component or driver.
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Incorrectly editing the registry may
severely damage your system. Before
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making changes to the registry, you should
back up any valued data on your
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computer.
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You must back up your registry before tweaking into it
or it may lead you to
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reinstall your operating system.
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You can search for lot of registry backup
tool an use any one of them, like
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ERUNT
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or click here for alternate methods of
backing up registry.
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Microsoft Help and Support center.
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PC SUPPORT ADVISOR
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picture -
http://www.nogeekleftbehind.com/images/regedit_dell_wallpaper.jpg
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