Jonah Patel
The Windows Registry is a centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000, as well as for applications. The Registry in Windows 7 stores information about tuning parameters, device configuration, and user preferences. On disk, the Windows Registry is not one large file but a set of discrete files called hives. Each hive contains a registry tree, which has a key that serves as the root of the tree. These files are database files and only RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 can read them. The primary tool in Windows 7 for working directly with the registry is the Registry Editor.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| File type | Database files |
| Tools that can read the files | RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 |
| Registry Editor tool | Registry Editor |
| Registry Editor location | Type Regedit in the Start Menu Search Bar and hit Enter |
| Registry Key | Lists every hive in the system |
| Registry Key location | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist |
| Registry file syntax | [ |
| Default Value syntax | [ |
| String value syntax | Backslashes (\) and quotes (") |
| File virtualization | Allows applications to run on a machine without being installed |
| Registry hives | Group of keys, subkeys, and values with supporting files that contain backups of its data |
| Supporting files location | %SystemRoot%\System32\Config folder on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista |
| Registry size | Long values (more than 2,048 bytes) must be stored as files with the file names stored in the registry |
| Registry backup | Use the Backup utility to back up the system state |
| Registry restore | Double-click the Registration Entries (.reg) file in the Export registry subkeys section |
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What You'll Learn
- Registry files are database files
- Only RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 can read them
- The Windows Registry stores all application settings in one logical repository
- Registry keys are containers that act like folders
- The Windows Registry is the centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000
Registry files are database files
The registry files are located in specific folder locations, such as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM : \system32\config\system. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive contains critical information such as passwords, boot files, software installation files, and security settings.
The registry presents itself as an integrated hierarchical database, but its branches are stored in multiple disk files or hives. Each registry key may have a "`default`" value, and each value can store arbitrary data with variable length and encoding, associated with a symbolic type. The keys at the root level are generally named by their Windows API definitions, starting with "HKEY".
The Windows Registry replaced the use of individual .INI files, which stored each program's settings as a text file or binary file. The registry stores all application settings in one logical repository and in a standardized form, offering advantages such as faster read and write times and the ability to store strongly typed data.
Only specific tools like RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 can read and edit registry files. It is important to exercise caution when accessing or modifying the registry, as it contains critical configuration settings, and any unintended changes can cause system malfunctions.
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Only RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 can read them
The Windows Registry is a centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000, as well as for applications. It stores information about tuning parameters, device configuration, and user preferences. On disk, the Windows Registry is not a single large file but a set of discrete files called hives. Each hive contains a registry tree, which has a key that serves as the root of the tree, with subkeys and their values residing beneath the root.
These files are database files and only RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32 can read them. The primary tool in Windows 10/8/7 for working directly with the registry is the Registry Editor. To access it, simply type "Regedit" in the Start Menu Search Bar and hit Enter. Every Windows has a Registry Key that lists every hive in the system. To open the Registry Editor, run "regedit" and navigate to the following key to get a complete list: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist.
The Windows Registry has been in use since Windows 95 and is also used to help configure programs in Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, and up to Windows 11. Windows computers used to employ several individual config files, such as autoexec.bat, config.sys, and .ini files. However, with Windows 95, these were replaced with an organized, hierarchical folder system. The Windows Registry stores all application settings in one logical repository and in a standardized form, offering several advantages over .INI files. File parsing is more efficient with a binary format, allowing faster reading and writing than with a text INI file. Additionally, strongly typed data can be stored in the registry, unlike text-based .INI files. This is beneficial when manually editing keys using regedit.exe, the built-in Windows Registry Editor.
The registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, installed applications, the types of documents each can create, property sheet settings, application icons, hardware, and ports in use. Registry keys act as containers, similar to folders, with values or subkeys within them. Registry values resemble files but are not containers. The registry's main branches are called hives, and most PCs have five: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG, and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. These hives contain critical data such as passwords, boot files, software installation files, security settings, and real-time hardware measurements.
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The Windows Registry stores all application settings in one logical repository
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that serves as a centralized repository for configuration data. It stores all application settings in one logical repository and in a standardized form. This is in contrast to the ".INI" files used prior to the Windows Registry, which stored each program's settings as a text file or binary file, often located in a shared location that did not provide user-specific settings in a multi-user scenario.
The Windows Registry allows for multiple users to share the same machine, as user-based registry settings are loaded from a user-specific path rather than from a read-only system location. It also allows for strongly typed data to be stored in the registry, as opposed to the text information stored in .INI files. This is beneficial when editing keys manually using the built-in Windows Registry Editor, Regedit.exe.
The Windows Registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as profiles for each user, the applications installed on the computer, and the types of documents that each can create. It also includes property sheet settings for folders and application icons, hardware configurations, and system policies.
Within the Windows Registry, there are registry keys that function similarly to folders in a file system. These keys organize the registry into logical groupings, such as software, hardware, and user preferences. Under the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key, for example, there are subkeys corresponding to installed applications and system configurations.
The Windows Registry is crucial for system performance and functionality. Accessing and modifying registry settings can help improve system performance, while poorly optimized or bloated registries can lead to slower boot times and decreased responsiveness. Understanding and managing registry entries can help customize system behavior, resolve compatibility issues, and optimize performance.
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Registry keys are containers that act like folders
The Windows Registry is a centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000, as well as for applications. It stores information about tuning parameters, device configuration, and user preferences. The registry presents itself as an integrated hierarchical database, but its branches are actually stored in a number of disk files called hives. Each hive contains a registry tree, which has a key that serves as the root of the tree.
Keys may contain values and subkeys. Keys are referenced with a syntax similar to Windows' path names, using backslashes to indicate levels of hierarchy. Keys must have a case-insensitive name without backslashes. The hierarchy of registry keys can only be accessed from a known root key handle (which is anonymous but whose effective value is a constant numeric handle) that is mapped to the content of a registry key preloaded by the kernel from a stored "hive", or to the content of a subkey within another root key. For example, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows refers to the subkey "Windows" of the subkey "Microsoft" of the subkey "Software" of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE root key.
The main branches of the registry are called hives, and most PCs have five of them. All the folders in the registry are called keys except for these five hives. The hives in the Windows registry have the following names: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG, and HKEY_CURRENT_USER.
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The Windows Registry is the centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores low-level settings for the Microsoft Windows operating system and for applications that opt to use the registry. The Windows Registry is the centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000, as well as their later versions. It stores information about tuning parameters, device configuration, and user preferences. On disk, the Windows Registry is not one large file but a set of discrete files called hives. Each hive contains a registry tree, which has a key that serves as the root (or starting point) of the tree. Subkeys and their values reside beneath the root.
The registry contains two basic elements: keys and values. Each value can store arbitrary data of variable length and encoding, but it is associated with a symbolic type (defined as a numeric constant) defining how to parse this data. The keys at the root level of the hierarchical database are generally named by their Windows API definitions, which all begin with "HKEY". They are frequently abbreviated to a three- or four-letter short name starting with "HK", for example, HKCU and HKLM.
The registry replaces most of the text-based .INI files used in Windows 3.x and MS-DOS configuration files, such as Autoexec.bat and Config.sys. By contrast, the Windows Registry stores all application settings in one logical repository (and also in a number of discrete files) and in a standardized form. According to Microsoft, this offers several advantages over .INI files. File parsing is done much more efficiently with a binary format, and it may be read from or written to more quickly than a text INI file. Furthermore, strongly typed data can be stored in the registry, as opposed to the text information stored in .INI files.
The supporting files for all hives except HKEY_CURRENT_USER are in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Config folder on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista. The supporting files for HKEY_CURRENT_USER are in the %SystemRoot%\Profiles\Username folder. The file name extensions of the files in these folders indicate the type of data they contain.
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Frequently asked questions
The Windows 7 registry is made up of database files that can only be read by RegEdit, Regedit32, and Kernel32.
The Windows Registry is a centralized configuration database for Windows NT and Windows 2000, as well as for applications. It stores information about tuning parameters, device configuration, and user preferences.
Registry keys are containers that act like folders, with values or subkeys contained within them. They are frequently abbreviated to a three- or four-letter short name starting with "HK", e.g. HKCU and HKLM.
Registry hives are branches of the registry that are stored in a number of disk files. Each hive contains a registry tree, with a key that serves as the root of the tree. Subkeys and their values reside beneath the root.
To access the Windows 7 Registry, simply type "Regedit" in the Start Menu Search Bar and hit Enter.
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