Written by For any system that uses an operating system from Microsoft, Windows registry is the informationbase that can save your system if it crashes. Microsoft began launching Windows registry with Windows 95. Consisting of hardware and software information, operational settings, and your very own preferences, the registry is so essential to Windows that system these days cannot function without it. As your operating systems runs, it is always calling the information saved in Windows registry. This makes it possible for you to reorganize your system in such ways as changing the background, font settings, or color preferences while letting your system to store the information for later use.
Windows registry made up of three primary components: values, keys, and hives. The format of the registry is close to a family tree. When someone searches their genealogical family tree they begin with themselves at the bottom of the tree. The value in the Windows registry is also like a value is the real information that the registry stores. To get the value, you need the navigational tools which consistes in all other components. Next in the registry come keys and subkeys. To get how the key works it helps to look at it as a box. Values fit into various key boxes that store them. Subkeys are little boxes that fit into bigger ones. Like parents in a genealogy, keys are responsible for the values that belong to them. Keys do not hold any information in and of themselves, they simply store it. The grandparents on a family tree are like the hives for Windows registry. Similar to a child with a little number of grandparents, Windows registry only has five or six hives. Each hive composed of a category of information. The different categories include a hive for: the current user, the configuration of the system, user interface preferences, all users, hardware configuration, and Plug and Play which is only pertinent to Windows 95/98/ME.
Now that you already get what Windows registry is, the next question you will probably ask is what does Windows registry do. Windows registry stores information so that your system running fast. If your system’s registry gets damaged or your system detects malware has been installed, Windows can repair your system by reverting to an older copy of the registry. Doing a regular back up of your registry will help you a lot with this.
Both the Microsoft Company and many popular experts recommend using utmost care when managing Windows registry. Because it is such an integral part of your system’s operating system, incorrectly editing it can injure your system beyond repair. A way to reduce the risks of working with Windows registry is to use registry cleanup software which can advance your system’s running by removing duplicate information. By having idea of Windows registry and understanding how to maintain it, you can keep your system running smoothly for many years.