How to edit the Windows Registry…
The Windows registry is a centralized database on your Windows computer that has a hierarchal structure comprising keys, subkeys and their zero or more values. There are five root keys in the Windows registry—HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY-CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. The subtree of each root key contains several subkeys, and sub-subkeys within it.
You can view the registry tree using the Registry Editor tool that is shipped with your Windows computer. To open the Registry Editor, open the Start menu, select Run, type regedit, and then click OK. You will see that the registry has a complex structure and is not very easy to understand. However, because the registry comprises all the essential information regarding software and hardware on your PC, at times you may need to edit the registry to fix the Windows registry errors and to fix computer errors that are generated due to problems in the registry.
Let’s now see some of the tasks that you can perform to fix the Windows registry using the regedit tool.
When you open the Registry Editor window, you will see that it comprises two panes. The root keys and their subkeys are displayed on the left pane and the value(s) of these keys are displayed on the right pane. Some of the common tasks that you can perform using the Registry Editor tool are discussed below:
- After you uninstall a program from your computer, you can search the registry for any left-behind orphan keys and then remove them from the computer. To do this, on the Edit menu of the Registry Editor tool, select the Find command or press F3. This will display the Find box. In this box, enter the name of the program you uninstalled and search for and delete its orphan keys from the registry. You can also use the Find and Remove option to get rid of virus and spyware keys from the registry.
- Because the registry stores the customization and appearance information of your Windows PC, you can tweak the registry to customize the system according to your needs. Some of the tasks that you can perform are, speed up startup and shutdown processes, customize the desktop, and change the appearance of the windows on your computer.
- Before you make any changes to the registry, it is essential that you make a backup. You can do this using the Registry Editor tool. To backup the registry using the Registry Editor tool, perform the following steps:
- On the File menu, select the Export command.
- In the Export Registry File box, select the location where you want the save the backup file.
- In the Export range section, select the All option to backup the entire registry or choose the Selected branch option and add the branch in the text box to backup only a portion of the registry.
- Specify the name of the backup file in the File name box and then click Save.
The Registry Editor is a complex tool to use. Listed below are some simple tips that you can follow while fixing your Windows XP registry.
- Always make a registry backup before making any changes.
- Be very careful when making changes, because any incorrect edits may cause irreversible damage to the registry.
- Resort to editing the registry as a last option—you must first try to fix your problem using options available in the Control Panel or other configuration and system maintenance utilities.
- Try to keep your Windows registry healthy and error-free. You can do this with the help of a reliable and efficient third-party registry cleaner tool.
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