subject: What Is Windows Registry [print this page] When our computers become slow down, we have always been told that we need to clean up registry. We can not help asking what on earth the registry is. As the core of the computer, registry has always been mysterious to ordinary users.
Basic knowledge of Windows registry
Overall registry is the central data base that comes with Microsoft Windows operating system, storing all information and settings about software, hardware, user settings, etc.
In the Windows 98/ NT system, the registry includes two files: System.dat and User.dat, and they are on C:windows. The former is used to save the computers system information, such as the installation of hardware and device driver information, etc.; the latter is used to preserve specific information of user, such as desktop settings, wallpaper or window color settings.They are generally on the C drive Windows directory. At the same time, in order to prevent damage of registry file, Microsoft specially prepared two backup files System.da0 and User.da0 (the file type is .da), is also on the C drive Windows directory.
Since the windows 2000/XP system, the user profile has been stored in Documents and Settings folder, including NTUSER.DAT.LOG log files and the two hidden files NTUSER.DAT and NTUSER.INT; the system configuration files has been stored in the system32 config of system directory, including many hidden files such as DEFAULT, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM, APPEVENT.EVT, SECEVENT.EVT, SYSEVENT.EVT and so on, and its related .log files and .sav files.
Characters of Windows registry
Registry allows users to do track configuration to hardware, system parameters, applications and device drivers, which makes it possible that we can change some certain settings without restart.
Data of hardware part in registry supports Play and Plug feature of Windows with high version. When the windows detect a new device on the machine equipment, it will save the relevant data into registry. In addition, it can be avoided that resources conflicts happen between new device and original device.
Administrator and user can check the system configuration and setting on the internet by registry, making remote management can be achieved.
Importance of Windows registry
Whenever you install or uninstall software, change a setting, or run application, traces are left in registry. Whats more, invalid or empty entries will remain when you delete files or applications. Overtime, registry get bloated and cluttered with fragmentations and invalid entries, which cause errors, crashes, and takes longer for system to access information from it in order to run an application.
How to find Windows registry
You can Start menu, click Run, in the run dialog box, enter Regedit to see the Registry Editor. The Registry Editor is used for a variety of registry editing tools.
Registry can be edited manually with registry editor. Click on Start > Run > type regedit, the registry window will pop up for you to edit. But most computer users (novice or expert) are unfamiliar with the nature, location and operation of the Windows registry, and they are unenthusiastic about the prospect of manually editing it. Indeed, Microsoft, these days, generally warns PC owners that if they edit their registry, they will do so at their own risk.
While the main tasks of system optimization lie in adjusting registry parameters that are designed to improve PC performance, it would be a frustrating message for most computer users. Registry editor, of course, enables you to edit registry as you want. But when you enter it and view those keys and values, you are likely to lose your direction.
Therefore, a registry cleaner (registry repair software) like Wondershare registry optimizer plays an important role in running a comprehensive scan through Windows registry, repairing registry errors, invalid entries and obsolete references, and thus dramatically improve system stability and performance. For your convenience, a stable and safe registry cleaner will automatically backup each change, allowing you to check the information later and restore if you want.
