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A Beginners Guide to the Windows Registry

The windows registry plays a major role in the every day operation of your computer. The registry is responsible for carrying out both simple and complex tasks alike. The registry can do something simple such as controlling which wallpaper you use for your computer or more complex functions such as keeping track of each an every users personalized settings and preferences.

Your Microsoft Windows computer would simply cease to function if the registry was either missing or corrupt. Each and every setting on your machine can be traced in some way shape or form to the registry. You are probably asking: Why would I want to change the registry at all? The answer is simple: A minor change in the registry can resolve many strange computer errors. Keep reading to learn more about how to edit the registry and the to find out what structure the registry uses.

The windows registry viewer allows you to delve deeper into the inner workings of your machine. To open this explorer simply click on run and type in "regedit" (no quotes). This will open up the Windows Registry editor.

This may look familiar to you, it looks very similar to the standard Windows Explorer layout of folders. It is broken down into the following sections:

" HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM): This root key (or subtree) contains configuration data specific to the local computer, including its hardware devices and operating system components. The information contained within HKLM is independent of the current user and applications or processes in use.

" HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR): This root key contains the file-class, OLE, and COM object data. The keys, subkeys, and data within this subtree are linked to (and identical to) those contained in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareClasses subtree.

" HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC): This root key is added to make current versions of Windows compatible with older Windows 95 applications. It is derived from HKLMSystemCurrentControlSetHardwareProfilesCurrent and contains configuration settings for all currently active hardware.

" HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU): This root key contains profile information for the user currently logged in. Each time a user logs on, HKCU is rebuilt with that user's profile data from HKEY_USERS.

" HKEY_USERS (HKU): This root key contains the default profile and the profiles of all users who have logged onto the computer.

" HKEY_DYN_DATA (HKDD): This root key is found only on Windows 95/98/ME. It is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and contains information about Plug and Play hardware components. HKDD , for use with the Plug-&-Play features of Windows, this section will change as devices are added and removed from the system.

These sections each have their own specific functions. This layout should help you to choose the right section to edit. Editing the registry requires a fair amount of computer knowledge. We recommend Automatic Scanning software for these tasks.

Making changes to the registry can often be quite tedious and often dangerous. Manual editing should be done only with a specific goal in mind and with specific instructions in hand as well. DO NOT just edit items in the registry for the heck of it as this will often lead to problems. Registry problems can often show up through various windows computer errors. If your computer has become slow or has many strange error messages popping up, a registry cleanup may be right for you.

Good luck in your Windows Registry editing!

To learn more about the Windows Registry click here: Registry Repair Software Reviews . We offer many high quality articles and tutorials about the Windows Registry.

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