What is the Windows Registry
The word, “registry” is already an indication that it is where Windows “registers” or keeps its records. Such records are collectively known as the database. Examples of such records are your system’s driver information, settings, applications, programs installed, user preferences and the like.
Click the “Start” button on your screen then click on “Run” and type “regedit” to be able to view the Windows Registry Editor. Observe that the organization of the Windows registry is in a ranked order. The main classes are called Hives and the subcategories are either keys or values.
The Hives, also known as Root Keys, are as follows:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT – as the name implies, contains the “root” source of your Windows interface.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER – contains data depending on the user presently logged into the computer. Remember that the Windows Operating System makes it possible to add more users aside from the computer administrator to the computer through the Control Panel.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – if you explore this further, you will find information regarding your computer system’s hardware, software and security just to mention a few.
HKEY_USERS – as mentioned above, your system can support multiple users, which means that multiple preferences are also available to showcase their individuality.
And last but not the least,
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG – relies on the “current configuration of hardware” so as to be connected to a certain area in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Click on the plus (+) sign before any of the Hives mentioned above in order to view the subcategories listed under each. To collapse the hierarchy, simply click on the minus (-) sign.
Simply put, you may even refer to the Windows Registry as the “know-it-all” part of your Windows Operating System.
Because of this, it is definitely not a really good idea to experiment with the Registry Editor to alter the contents of the Windows Registry if you are not skilled enough to do so. This is due to the fact that if you happen to modify it erroneously, then chances are, your system might fail tremendously! Actually, even the Help and Support Center of Windows warns against manual Windows Registry editing for amateurs.
The good news, however, is that you can always use the “Last Known Good Configuration” option upon restarting your computer to restore the Windows Registry. If this doesn’t work, then you might have to install your Windows Operating System again which will take time.
