The Windows Registry Discussed In Detail

System Configuration and important settings for software, hardware, preferences and users are all stored in the Windows Registry.  Every action, no matter how minimal, is saved in the Registry.

Interestingly, the Registry has evolved through the years; Windows 3.11 was the first one to make use of a Registry and was referred to as Reg.dat.  After which, it was named System.dat and User.dat  in Windows 95 and 98.  Presently, windows versions store registry files as:  The Registry files are stored in SystemRoot\System32\Config\:

• Sam
• Software
• Security
• System
• Userdiff
• Default
• NTUSER.dat

Windows Registry serves as the repository of files, keeping it organized and systematized. However, there are advantages and disadvantages in the use of a Registry. Dont change anyting until you checked out the registry cleaner reviews or read any of the regcure review or registry easy review!

The plus points of a Registry include the following:

• Separate divisions for machine and user configurations.

• Administrators are allowed to manage the programs and settings through a Group
  Policy
• A special API makes the registry available to scripts, as well as remote management using WMI.
• If you use the standard API, you can access the registry as one item for remote management
• Backing up is easy as there can be a number of files in particular divisions.

The negative points about the Registry include the following:

• one small incorrect entry in the registry may affect the whole operating system
• it is not accessible to manipulate the registry, unless through the Windows API.
• Configurations and settings may be too difficult for a common user to handle
• Although backing-up files is easy, it is rather difficult to back the program up