Introduction to Windows Registry!

Windows Registry!

Windows registry is like an open door to the Operating System. You can go inside change some values and directly manipulate the working of windows, either for good or for bad! In short you can directly change the working of Windows, just by editing the values of keys in the Registry. This is why, Windows doesn’t explain it in the ‘Help’ Section. This is what you get when you try to search ‘registry’ in help! To edit this registry, you need an editor and Windows provides you with ‘Registry Editor’ or ‘regedit’, as it is commonly known.

Searching for ‘registry’ in help

How to open Windows Registry?

To open registry, you can either open run and type ‘regedit’ or go in start, and in search type ‘regedit’.

How to open regedit

Things to remember before making changes in registry :

1. ALWAYS CREATE A BACKUP. It is the most important thing of Windows. If you’re messing with it, make sure you have a backup.
   You can also create a restore point.
2. Once your system is messed up, or starts acting weird and abnormal, learn how to restore your backup.
3. Edit the keys only when you have little idea about what you’re doing. Just following blindly whatever is written on internet can damage you machine. Only believe people/websites you trust.

Registry Editor :

A Registry editor consists of 2 panes. The left pane has all the keys, and the right one has its values.
The left pane consists of hundreds and thousands of keys and sub-keys. Every key has a value. A value consist of name and data.

Windows Registry Editor.

Inside Registry

When you open registry editor, on the left you’ll find 5 folders of keys namely :

1. Hkey_Classes_Root
2. Hkey_Current_User
3. Hkey_Local_Machine
4. Hkey_Users
5. Hkey_Current_Config

These folders have a number of keys inside them

• Hkey_Classes_Root : contains all the information that a program needs to function properly. It also has sharing information, like which folder should be shard with whom/
• Hkey_Current_User : stores the settings and data of the user currently logged in. All the configuration settings are also stored in this key.
• Hkey_Local_Machine : This is where you generally edit for tricks and tweaks. It has the settings and configuration for all the users.
• Hkey_Users : When the user logs in, the Hkey_Current_User information is copied into this section.
• Hkey_Current_Config : Contains the hardware informations.

Data Type of Keys :

A key can have values of Binary or String or a DWord data type. These are the most common data types of the values of keys in Registry.
Binary datatype is represented by REG_BINARY.
Double Word or DWORD datatype is represented by REG_DWORD.
String datatype is represented by REG_STRING.

Using regedit!

You can manipulate registry in a lot of ways. You can create new values, edit the existing ones, you can delete them. you can also create a key under any of those 5 folders mentioned above. You can alter the existing values and fully change the working of a software or service or function.
If you want to change the value just double-click on the existing value.
If you want to add a value, just right-click on anywhere on the right pane and select the appropriate value you want to add.  If you need to add a new key or DWORD value, you can right-click and select DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Manipulating the values of keys.

On the left pane you can add a value or edit or delete or find or export only a particular key (If you’re going to make changes to that key) or change the permissions of the selected key. So in short you can do everything with it.

Editing the folders and keys

Since the registry contains huge numbers of keys, finding a key can be a problem. So regedit has an option ‘Find’ which is very useful to normal users. You can find data, keys, values or just copy paste the string and it will find and directly take you to that subkey.
Once you find what you were looking for, to edit the value just double-click on it.

Finding a key or string

Registry is the thing that can either be your best friend or worst enemy. It can help you, make your computer secure, or it can help you damage your own machine. Remember, there is no UNDO option. What’s done is done. So don’t fool around regedit, if your machine means anything to you. If its a useless machine, you won’t be using you can make changes and see the after effects.

REMEMBER : ANYTHING YOU ARE DOING OR PLANNING TO CHANGE, CAN AND WILL AFFECT THE WINDOWS. So be absolutely sure about the changes you’re going to make.