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Windows Registry 101 Windows Registry Problems
Chances are if you're reading this page, you think something might be wrong with your registry but you have no idea what that means, or even what the registry is or does. Or, if you do know, then you might be looking for some more information on what you can do to repair the registry.
We do NOT recommend trying to tinker with the registry yourself if you aren't very experienced. However, even if you decide to use registry repair software, it's always good to learn a little bit about how your computer works.
What is the Windows Registry?Windows Registry Problems
The Windows registry is the centralized database system that Windows uses to store critical data, such as program settings, customizations, hardware configurations, user profiles, and other related information. Think of it as a filing cabinet where Windows and individual programs store all the information it needs to make sure that your settings and preferences remain consistent. The files in the registry are created directly by Windows, or by new programs and drivers that you install yourself. The registry can be manually edited or changed.
The Windows registry was first introduced with Windows 95, replacing the INI filing system. INI files were small text documents that stored all the program settings and configurations, and one could use Notepad to edit them. However, INI files were limiting because they didn't allow for multiple user settings, nor were they centrally organized. Thus, in the event of a computer malfunction, it was much more difficult to determine what went wrong and repair the damage.
How is the Windows Registry Organized?Windows Registry Problems
The registry is organized in a hierarchy, something that might resemble a tree. For example, when you save documents on your computer, you might save them in My Documents \ Word \ thedocument.doc. That is a hierarchical structure. The registry is constructed in a similar fashion, using a KEY \ SUBKEY \ VALUE structure.
The six main roots of the registry structure are:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
HKEY_USERS
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
HKEY_DYN_DATA
The registry is physically stored on your hard disk drive in the files System.dat and User.dat. Those are pretty self-explanatory names. System.dat contains information related to the computer and hardware settings, and User.dat contains information related to the particular users.
The infamously unstable Windows ME has an additional file called Classes.dat where the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT data is stored. Also, computers in a network environment typically have a Policy.pol file, which stores settings and parameters for the network, often established by the network administrator.
What do those HKEY things do?Windows Registry Problems
HKEY is short for handle to a key, which is geek speak. Although there are six root keys in the registry, there are in actuality only two real keys HKEY_USERS and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Three of the other four root keys are actually aliases, which means they're like a shortcut. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG all get their content from subkeys HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_USERS. They make it a bit easier to see relevant data in one place. HKEY_DYN_DATA is a storage space for current device status information, and it is updated every time the computer is restarted, and is technically not a real key.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT contains data pertaining to file extensions (such as .doc, .exe, .txt, etc.). It also contains COM class registration information like CLSIDs, IIDs, and ProgIDs. The intention for this root is to keep it compatible with the registry in 16-bit Windows. Class registration and file extension info is stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER, and the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT folder provides a way to see both data simultaneously. The user data usually overrides the system data.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER houses the data for the user currently logged in. It gets its data from the HKEY_USERS key when the user logs in.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is where all the data specific to the particular computer is stored. All users reference this key.
HKEY_USERS contains all the preferences and application settings, such as desktop configuration and customizations. Some data is stored as user specific, and some is system wide. The subkey HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT stores all the default system settings. When a new user profile is created, a new subkey is created. She starts out with the default settings, but her file is updated as she changes settings. Then, the next time she logs on, the data from her user file is pulled up and referenced in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key.
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG deals with plug and play device settings, and multiple hardware configuration settings. These are derived from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Config.
HKEY_DYN_DATA is a dynamic file system storing the settings during each new session.
Well, that wraps it up for our first installation of Windows Registry 101! Look for more information in our next update!
For more detailed information, check out Wikipedia's Windows Registry article.
Recommended SoftwareWindows Registry Problems
If you're looking for a software program to help repair your Windows registry, we highly recommend ParetoLogic's RegCure. You can check out our RegCure review here, and download the program free here.
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