How To Safely and Easily Edit The Registry

The registry is an integral part of your Windows operating system because it is a central database file in which all configuration information of your system is stored. This central database has a tree-like hierarchal structure comprising five root keys—HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY-CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG—and a subtree of each root key comprising subkeys and sub-subkeys with each key having one or more values.

The registry structure is complex and crucial for proper functioning of your computer. This is the reason why it is usually not recommended that you work directly on the registry. However, at times you may have to perform some direct edits to the registry to rectify a computer error or to tweak your system.

To enable you to edit the registry and manually add and remove registry keys, Microsoft has included a Registry Editor tool that you can display by running the “regedit” command from Start > Run.

Registry Editor: Uses

The Registry Editor window comprises two panes. The left pane contain keys and subkeys and the right pane displays the value(s) assigned to the selected registry key. You can perform several tasks using the Registry Editor tool. Some of the common ones are listed below:

• Search for orphan keys left behind after a program is uninstalled to ensure complete removal of the program. You can do this by using the Edit > Find command or press the F3 key to display the Find box that enables you to search within the registry.
• Use the Find box to locate, search for, and remove spyware and virus-related registry keys that may make these malicious software programs irremovable.
• Edit the registry to tweak your system settings to customize its appearance, speed up the time taken by menus to display and reduce the time taken by system shutdown and startup processes. You can perform these and many more tweaks by editing the registry. You can easily search for registry tweaks on the Internet.
• Backup the registry by using the File > Export command. The backup option enables you to perform both full and selective backups of the registry.

Editing the Registry: Tips

Now that you know the advantages of registry editing tools, let’s have a look at a few registry tips that you can follow while editing the registry.

• Be very careful while making the edits; remember that editing or removing an important entry may leave your system unbootable.
• Always make a backup before editing the registry.
• Resort to direct registry edits as a last option. For instance, if you can resolve a problem by changing system configuration from the Control Panel option or other configuration, use it before resorting to manual registry edits.
• Keep your registry healthy by keeping it free of unwanted information and errors. You can do this easily with the help a reliable and efficient registry cleaner tool.

A healthy registry is crucial for the proper functioning of your computer. This is the reason why you should be careful while making any direct changes to the registry.