Windows XP [Electronic resources] : Visual Quickstart Guide, Second Edition

Editing the Registry

Windows stores its configuration information in a large database called the

registry, containing all user profiles and information about system hardware; programs, documents, and drivers; and property settings. Windows references this information and updates it quietly and continually. That's why Help and Support Center warns: "Incorrectly editing the registry may severely damage your system. Before making changes to the registry, you should back up any valued data on your computer."

Lots of books, magazines, web sites, and geeks, however, offer useful tips that involve registry changes. As long as you have precise instructions, editing the registry is easyit's common even for beginnersbut if you don't want to take any chances, go to http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=256986, "Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry," and http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=322756, "How to Back up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003."

To edit the registry:

1. Choose Start > Run; type regedit and then press Enter.

Registry Editor opens.

2. In the left pane, use the Explorer-like tree to navigate to the desired folder (Figure 19.36 ).

3. Double-click an entry (called a

key ) in the right pane; edit its value; then click OK (Figure 19.37 ).

Tips

Visit www.winguides.com/registry and www.annoyances.org for registry tricks and tweaks that enhance Windows.

The registry replaces autoexec.bat, config.sys, and most of the initialization (.ini) files used in earlier Windows versions.

Over time the registry will become clogged with bad entries from misapplied tweaks, program errors, and partially uninstalled programs. You can clean the registry with SystemRegistry, part of Fix-It Utilities ($50 U.S.; www.v-com.com) or Easy Cleaner (free; http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane).