The Windows Registry is a directory which stores settings as well as options for the operating organisation for Microsoft Windows. It contains information as well as settings for all the hardware, operating organisation software, most non-operating organisation software, users, preferences of the PC, etc. This postal service talks of Windows Registry Basics.
Whenever a user makes changes to Control Panel settings, file associations, organisation policies, or most installed software, the changes are reflected as well as stored inwards the registry. The registry also provides a window into the performance of the kernel, exposing runtime information such equally performance counters as well as currently active hardware.
The Windows registry was introduced to tidy upward the profusion of per-program INI files that had previously been used to shop configuration settings for Windows programs. These files tended to live on scattered all over the system, which made them hard to track.
Windows Registry Basics
The Registry consists of the next 5 Root Keys:
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
- HKEY_USERS
- HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG.
Root Keys contain SubKeys. Subkeys may contain subkeys of their ain equally good as well as contain at to the lowest degree i value, called equally its Default Value. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 fundamental alongside all its subkeys as well as values is called equally a Hive.
The Registry is located on the Disk inwards the system32/config folder equally several dissever Hive files. These Hive files are as well as then read into retention every time Windows starts or when the User logs on. To run into where the Hives are physically stored, see:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\HiveList
You tin sack read to a greater extent than on the location of Windows registry files.
The Registry uses the next information types:
- REG_SZ : The SZ indicates zero-terminated string. This is a variable-length string that tin sack contain Unicode equally good equally ANSI characters.
- REG_BINARY : It contains binary data. 0’s & 1’s.
- REG_DWORD : This information type is a Double Word. It is a 32-bit numeric value as well as tin sack concur whatever divulge from 0 to 232.
- REG_QWORD : This information type is a Quadruple Word. It is a 64-bit numeric value.
- REG_MULTI_SZ : This information type contains a grouping of zero-terminated strings assigned to a unmarried value.
- REG_EXPAND_SZ : This information type is a zero-terminated string containing an unexpanded reference to an surroundings variable, similar say, %SystemRoot%.
Registry Virtualization inwards Windows Vista onwards
Starting alongside Windows Vista, along alongside File Virtualization, the Registry too, has been Virtualized, as well as so dissimilar Windows XP, does non tend to endure from bloat. The same has been continued inwards Windows 7.
In Windows Vista as well as later, the UAC utilizes the Registry Virtualization Feature, to redirect attempts to write to subkeys of
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
When an application attempts to write to this hive, Vista instead, writes it, to a per-user location,
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VirtualStore\Machine\Software
This is done discreetly. No i gets to know that this is happening!
This is, inwards short, Registry Virtualization, as well as it is a useful Security feature.
Incidentally, advert must also live on made of unopen to other novel applied scientific discipline underlying Windows Vista as well as later: The Kernel Transaction Manager, which enables the Transactional Registry. This characteristic enables a form of a registry rollback. But it’s non implemented inwards Registry Editor. Instead, this characteristic is designed for travel yesteryear developers who demand to create robust applications using transactional processing.
Read: How to create a Registry Key inwards Windows.
Registry Editor
The primary tool inwards Windows 10/8/7/Vista for working straight alongside the registry is Registry Editor. To access it, exactly type regedit inwards Vista’s Start Menu Search Bar as well as hitting Enter!
You convey to live on doubly careful when working alongside the Registry, equally at that spot is no confirmation prompt or a click OK to relieve prompt. Changes made are straight incorporated.
You tin sack read to a greater extent than well-nigh Windows Registry Editor Tips & Features. Users of Windows 10 v1703 tin sack use the Address Bar to boundary straight to whatever registry key.
Mention must specifically live on made of the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet
hive equally the keys inwards this item are so essential for Windows to start-up, that its backup is maintained, which y'all tin sack restore when necessary, exactly yesteryear booting inwards Safe Mode as well as selecting Last Known Good Configuration.
To receive with, y'all mightiness desire to read this postal service on Start Menu as well as TaskBar Registry Tweaks. You tin sack banking concern tally out to a greater extent than articles on Windows Registry as well as become hither to notice out how to backup as well as restore the registry as well as how to monitor changes to the Registry. Learn how to open multiple instances of the Registry.
Post ported from WinVistaClub.com as well as updated as well as posted here.
Source: https://www.thewindowsclub.com/
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