Registry

The registry is a database of hierarchical form used, starting with Windows 95, to store information about the operating system and its configuration. Similar information about programs and hardware in the computer is also stored in the registry. The registry is in constant use while Windows is running. Each version of Windows has a different form for the registry although all forms are similar in structure. Under MS-DOS, such information was saved in individual .INI files instead of a central location like the registry. Considering how the system can be rendered useless by simple registry changes and how big and unwieldy the registry can become it's not altogether clear this was a good move. The registry data files have a binary format.

A number of articles in the Computer Knowledge and related FILExt site reference the Windows registry. For those interested in more detail, here are some references that might help you understand what the registry is and how to work with it.

Please note that any changes you make to the registry, if made in the wrong way or wrong place, have the potential to make your system unstable and/or unbootable. The changes suggested on Computer Knowledge controlled sites have been tested with the versions of Windows they refer to and should not have that effect; but anything is possible with computers as they are not appliances and are sensitive to how they are set up and what software you have installed on them. With the amount of software out there it would be impossible to test all combinations for unintended interactions.

Microsoft Knowledgebase Articles

• Description of the Microsoft Windows registry
• How to back up, edit, and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
• How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting
• How to use Backup to restore files and folders on your computer in Windows XP (includes information on restoring the System State data)

Other References

• The Elder Geek: Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry
• WinGuides.com: Windows Registry Tutorial (This site also has registry tools for sale)
• PC Support Advisor: Understanding The Registry (PDF)
• Annoyances.org: Introduction to the Registry

That should get you started.

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