Registry Editing Tips

What Is The Registry

The Registry is a hierarchical database within later versions of Windows (95/98/NT4/NT5) where all the system settings are stored. It has replaced all of the .ini files that were present in Windows 3.x. The data from system.ini, win.ini, control.ini, are all contained within it now, along with hundreds of other system settings. Additionally, all Windows specific programs are now to store their initialization data within the Registry instead of in .ini files in your Windows folder.

About The Registry Editor

The Registry cannot be viewed or edited with a normal editor - you must use a program included with Windows called RegEdit (Registry editor) for Windows 95 & 98 or RegEdit32 for Windows NT 4 & 5. This program isn't listed on your Start Menu and it is well hidden in your Windows directory. To run this program, just click on Start, Run, and type regedit (for Win 9x) or regedit32 (for Win NT) in the input field. This will start the Registry Editor. Now add this to the Start Menu or to the desktop for easier editing.

Registry Subtree

MY COMPUTER

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT: Contains software settings about drag-and-drop operations, handles shortcut information, and other user interface information. There is a subkey here for every file association that has been defined.
  
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER: Contains information regarding the currently logged-on user.
  
  • AppEvents: Settings for assigned sounds to play for system and applications sound events.
  • Control Panel: Control Panel settings, similar to those defined in System.ini, Win.ini and Control.ini in Windows 3.xx.
  • InstallLocationsMRU: Contains the paths for the Startup folder programs.
  • Keyboard layout: Specifies current keyboard layout.
  • Network: Network connection information.
  • RemoteAccess: Current log-on location information, if using Dial-Up Networking.
  • Software: Software configuration settings for the currently logged-on user.
    
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE: Contains information about the hardware and software settings that are generic to all users of this particular computer.
  
  • Config: Configuration information/settings.
  • Enum: Hardware device information/settings.
  • Hardware: Serial communication port(s) information/settings.
  • Network: Information about network(s) the user is currently logged on to.
  • Security: Network security settings.
  • Software: Software specific information/settings.
  • System: System startup and device driver information and operating system settings.
    
• HKEY_USERS: Contains information about desktop and user settings for each user that logs onto the same Windows 95 system. Each user will have a subkey under this heading. If there is only one user, the subkey is “.default”.
  
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG: Contains information about the current hardware configuration, pointing to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
  
• HKEY_DYN_DATA: Contains dynamic information about the plug-and-play devices installed on the system. The data here changes if devices are added or removed on-the-fly.

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