Windows XP Cookbook

Chapter 9. The Registry

Introduction

The Registry is the primary repository for system, application, and user profile configuration information for the Windows operating system. It is a hierarchical database that is structured and used much like a filesystem. The operating system uses the Registry to store information as static as environment variables and as dynamic as performance data. The Registry is constantly being used by the OS and applications to read, write, and query configuration settings.

Don’t Be Scared of the Registry

You have probably seen this warning or one similar to it in an article, book, or Microsoft KB article:

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

We think this type of warning has made some people overly cautious about modifying or even browsing the Registry. We’re here to say that it doesn’t have to be that way. Sure, you can muck up the Registry, just like you can muck up the operating system or just about any application if you haphazardly delete or modify things. But you are a reasonable person who won’t go around making changes on a production system unless you know the impact, so let’s put concerns about modifying the Registry behind us and move forward. Use the Registry as a great source of configuration information ...