What |s the keg|stry?

1he 8eglsLry ls a daLabase used Lo sLore seLLlngs and opLlons for Lhe 32 blL verslons of MlcrosofL
Wlndows lncludlng Wlndows 93 98 ML and n1/2000 lL conLalns lnformaLlon and seLLlngs for all Lhe
hardware sofLware users and preferences of Lhe C Whenever a user makes changes Lo a ConLrol
anel seLLlngs or llle AssoclaLlons SysLem ollcles or lnsLalled sofLware Lhe changes are reflecLed and
sLored ln Lhe 8eglsLry

1he physlcal flles LhaL make up Lhe reglsLry are sLored dlfferenLly dependlng on your verslon of
Wlndows under Wlndows 93 98 lL ls conLalned ln Lwo hldden flles ln your Wlndows dlrecLory called
uSL8uA1 and S?S1LMuA1 for Wlndows Me Lhere ls an addlLlonal CLASSLSuA1 flle whlle under
Wlndows n1/2000 Lhe flles are conLalned seperaLely ln Lhe SysLem8ooLSysLem32Conflg dlrecLory
?ou can noL edlL Lhese flles dlrecLly you musL use a Lool commonly known as a 8eglsLry LdlLor Lo make
any changes (uslng reglsLry edlLors wlll be dlscussed laLer ln Lhe arLlcle)

1he Structure of 1he keg|stry
1he 8eglsLry has a hlerarchal sLrucLure alLhough lL looks compllcaLed Lhe sLrucLure ls slmllar Lo Lhe
dlrecLory sLrucLure on your hard dlsk wlLh 8egedlL belng slmllar Lo Wlndows Lxplorer

Lach maln branch (denoLed by a folder lcon ln Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor see lefL) ls called a Plve and Plves
conLalns keys Lach key can conLaln oLher keys (someLlmes referred Lo as subkeys) as well as values
1he values conLaln Lhe acLual lnformaLlon sLored ln Lhe 8eglsLry 1here are Lhree Lypes of values SLrlng
8lnary and uWC8u Lhe use of Lhese depends upon Lhe conLexL

1here are slx maln branches each conLalnlng a speclflc porLlon of Lhe lnformaLlon sLored ln Lhe 8eglsLry
1hey are as follows


* nkL_CLASSLS_kCC1 1hls branch conLalns all of your flle assoclaLlon mapplngs Lo supporL Lhe drag
anddrop feaLure CLL lnformaLlon Wlndows shorLcuLs and core aspecLs of Lhe Wlndows user lnLerface
* nkL_CUkkLN1_USLk 1hls branch llnks Lo Lhe secLlon of PkL?_uSL8S approprlaLe for Lhe user
currenLly logged onLo Lhe C and conLalns lnformaLlon such as logon names deskLop seLLlngs and SLarL
menu seLLlngs
* nkL_LCCAL_MACnINL 1hls branch conLalns compuLer speclflc lnformaLlon abouL Lhe Lype of
hardware sofLware and oLher preferences on a glven C Lhls lnformaLlon ls used for all users who log
onLo Lhls compuLer
* nkL_USLkS 1hls branch conLalns lndlvldual preferences for each user of Lhe compuLer each user ls
represenLed by a Slu subkey locaLed under Lhe maln branch
* nkL_CUkkLN1_CCNIIG 1hls branch llnks Lo Lhe secLlon of PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnL approprlaLe for
Lhe currenL hardware conflguraLlon
* nkL_DN_DA1A 1hls branch polnLs Lo Lhe parL of PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnL for use wlLh Lhe lug
lay feaLures of Wlndows Lhls secLlon ls dymanlc and wlll change as devlces are added and removed
from Lhe sysLem



Lach reglsLry value ls sLored as one of flve maln daLa Lypes


* kLG_8INAk 1hls Lype sLores Lhe value as raw blnary daLa MosL hardware componenL lnformaLlon ls
sLored as blnary daLa and can be dlsplayed ln an edlLor ln hexadeclmal formaL
* kLG_DWCkD 1hls Lype represenLs Lhe daLa by a four byLe number and ls commonly used for boolean
values such as 0 ls dlsabled and 1 ls enabled AddlLlonally many parameLers for devlce drlver and
servlces are Lhls Lype and can be dlsplayed ln 8LCLu132 ln blnary hexadeclmal and declmal formaL or
ln 8LCLul1 ln hexadeclmal and declmal formaL
* kLG_LkAND_S2 1hls Lype ls an expandable daLa sLrlng LhaL ls sLrlng conLalnlng a varlable Lo be
replaced when called by an appllcaLlon lor example for Lhe followlng value Lhe sLrlng
SysLem8ooL wlll replaced by Lhe acLual locaLlon of Lhe dlrecLory conLalnlng Lhe Wlndows n1
sysLem flles (1hls Lype ls only avallable uslng an advanced reglsLry edlLor such as 8LCLu132)
* kLG_MUL1I_S2 1hls Lype ls a mulLlple sLrlng used Lo represenL values LhaL conLaln llsLs or mulLlple
values each enLry ls separaLed by a nuLL characLer (1hls Lype ls only avallable uslng an advanced
reglsLry edlLor such as 8LCLu132)
* kLG_S2 1hls Lype ls a sLandard sLrlng used Lo represenL human readable LexL values



CLher daLa Lypes noL avallable Lhrough Lhe sLandard reglsLry edlLors lnclude


* kLG_DWCkD_LI11LL_LNDIAN A 32blL number ln llLLleendlan formaL
* kLG_DWCkD_8IG_LNDIAN A 32blL number ln blgendlan formaL
* kLG_LINk A unlcode symbollc llnk used lnLernally appllcaLlons should noL use Lhls Lype
* kLG_NCNL no deflned value Lype
* kLG_WCkD A 64blL number
* kLG_WCkD_LI11LL_LNDIAN A 64blL number ln llLLleendlan formaL
* kLG_kLSCUkCL_LIS1 A devlcedrlver resource llsL



Ld|t|ng 1he keg|stry

1he 8eglsLry LdlLor (8LCLul1LxL) ls lncluded wlLh mosL verslon of Wlndows (alLhough you wonL flnd lL
on Lhe SLarL Menu) lL enables you Lo vlew search and edlL Lhe daLa wlLhln Lhe 8eglsLry 1here are
several meLhods for sLarLlng Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor Lhe slmplesL ls Lo cllck on Lhe SLarL buLLon Lhen selecL
8un and ln Lhe Cpen box Lype regedlL and lf Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor ls lnsLalled lL should now open and
look llke Lhe lmage below

An alLernaLlve 8eglsLry LdlLor (8LCLu132LxL) ls avallable for use wlLh Wlndows n1/2000 lL lncludes
some addlLlonal feaLures noL found ln Lhe sLandard verslon lncludlng Lhe ablllLy Lo vlew and modlfy
securlLy permlsslons and belng able Lo creaLe and modlfy Lhe exLended sLrlng values 8LC_LxAnu_SZ
8LC_MuL1l_SZ

Create a Shortcut to keged|t
1hls can be done by slmply rlghLcllcklng on a blank area of your deskLop selecLlng new Lhen ShorLcuL
Lhen ln Lhe Command llne box enLer regedlLexe and cllck nexL enLer a frlendly name (eg 8eglsLry
LdlLor) Lhen cllck llnlsh and now you can double cllck on Lhe new lcon Lo launch Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor

Us|ng keged|t to mod|fy your keg|stry
Cnce you have sLarLed Lhe 8egedlL you wlll noLlce LhaL on Lhe lefL slde Lhere ls a Lree wlLh folders and
on Lhe rlghL Lhe conLenLs (values) of Lhe currenLly selecLed folder

Llke Wlndows explorer Lo expand a cerLaln branch (see Lhe sLrucLure of Lhe reglsLry secLlon) cllck on
Lhe plus slgn + Lo Lhe lefL of any folder or [usL doublecllck on Lhe folder 1o dlsplay Lhe conLenLs of a
key (folder) [usL cllck Lhe deslred key and look aL Lhe values llsLed on Lhe rlghL slde ?ou can add a new
key or value by selecLlng new from Lhe LdlL menu or by rlghLcllcklng your mouse And you can rename
any value and almosL any key wlLh Lhe same meLhod used Lo rename flles rlghLcllck on an ob[ecL and
cllck rename or cllck on lL Lwlce (slowly) or [usL press l2 on Lhe keyboard LasLly you can deleLe a key
or value by cllcklng on lL and presslng ueleLe on Lhe keyboard or by rlghLcllcklng on lL and chooslng
ueleLe

noLe lL ls always a good ldea Lo backup your reglsLry before maklng any changes Lo lL lL can be
lnLlmldaLlng Lo a new user and Lhere ls always Lhe posslblllLy of changlng or deleLlng a crlLlcal seLLlng
causlng you Lo have Lo relnsLall Lhe whole operaLlng sysLem lLs much beLLer Lo be safe Lhan sorry!

Import|ng and Lxport|ng keg|stry Sett|ngs

A greaL feaLure of Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor ls lLs ablllLy Lo lmporL and exporL reglsLry seLLlngs Lo a LexL flle Lhls
LexL flle ldenLlfled by Lhe 8LC exLenslon can Lhen be saved or shared wlLh oLher people Lo easlly
modlfy local reglsLry seLLlngs ?ou can see Lhe layouL of Lhese LexL flles by slmply exporLlng a key Lo a flle
and openlng lL ln noLepad Lo do Lhls uslng Lhe 8eglsLry LdlLor selecL a key Lhen from Lhe 8eglsLry
menu choose LxporL 8eglsLry llle choose a fllename and save lf you open Lhls flle ln noLepad you
wlll see a flle slmllar Lo Lhe example below

CuoLe

8LCLul14

PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnLS?S1LMSeLup
SeLup1ypedword00000000
CmdLlneseLup newseLup
SysLemreflxhexc30b000000403602


1he layouL ls qulLe slmple 8LCLul14 lndlcaLed Lhe flle Lype and verslon
PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnLS?S1LMSeLup lndlcaLed Lhe key Lhe values are from
SeLup1ypedword00000000 are Lhe values Lhemselves Lhe porLlon afLer Lhe wlll vary dependlng
on Lhe Lype of value Lhey are uWC8u SLrlng or 8lnary

So by slmply edlLlng Lhls flle Lo make Lhe changes you wanL lL can Lhen be easlly dlsLrlbuLed and all LhaL
need Lo be done ls Lo doublecllck or choose lmporL from Lhe 8eglsLry menu for Lhe seLLlngs Lo be
added Lo Lhe sysLem 8eglsLry

De|et|ng keys or va|ues us|ng a kLG f||e
lL ls also posslble Lo deleLe keys and values uslng 8LC flles 1o deleLe a key sLarL by uslng Lhe same
formaL as Lhe Lhe 8LC flle above buL place a symbol ln fronL of Lhe key name you wanL Lo deleLe lor
example Lo deleLe Lhe PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnLS?S1LMSeLup key Lhe reg flle would look llke Lhls

CuoLe

8LCLul14

PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnLS?S1LMSeLup


1he formaL used Lo deleLe lndlvldual values ls slmllar buL lnsLead of a mlnus slgn ln fronL of Lhe whole
key place lL afLer Lhe equal slgn of Lhe value lor example Lo deleLe Lhe value SeLup1ype Lhe flle
would look llke

CuoLe

8LCLul14

PkL?_LCCAL_MACPlnLS?S1LMSeLup
SeLup1ype


use Lhls feaLure wlLh care as deleLlng Lhe wrong key or value could cause ma[or problems wlLhln Lhe
reglsLry so remember Lo always make a backup flrsL

keged|t Command L|ne Cpt|ons
8egedlL has a number of command llne opLlons Lo help auLomaLe lLs use ln elLher baLch flles or from Lhe
command prompL LlsLed below are some of Lhe opLlons please noLe Lhe some of Lhe funcLlons are
operaLlng sysLem speclflc


* regedlLexe opLlons fllename regpaLh
* fllename lmporL reg flle lnLo Lhe reglsLry
* /s fllename SllenL lmporL le hlde conflrmaLlon box when lmporLlng flles
* /e fllename regpaLh LxporL Lhe reglsLry Lo fllename sLarLlng aL regpaLh
eg regedlL /e fllereg PkL?_uSL8SuLlAuL1
* /LsysLem Speclfy Lhe locaLlon of Lhe sysLemdaL Lo use
* /8user Speclfy Lhe locaLlon of Lhe userdaL Lo use
* /C fllename Compress (Wlndows 98)
* /u regpaLh ueleLe Lhe speclfled key (Wlndows 98)

Ma|nta|n|ng the keg|stry

now can you backup and restore the keg|stry?

W|ndows 9S
MlcrosofL lncluded a uLlllLy on Lhe Wlndows 93 Cu8CM LhaL leLs you creaLe backups of Lhe 8eglsLry on
your compuLer 1he MlcrosofL ConflguraLlon 8ackup program ClC8ACkLxL can be found ln Lhe
CLherMlscCfgback dlrecLory on Lhe Wlndows 93 Cu8CM 1hls uLlllLy leLs you creaLe up Lo nlne
dlfferenL backup coples of Lhe 8eglsLry whlch lL sLores wlLh Lhe exLenslon 88k ln your Wlndows
dlrecLory lf your sysLem ls seL up for mulLlple users ClC8ACkLxL wonL back up Lhe uSL8uA1 flle

AfLer you have backed up your 8eglsLry you can copy Lhe 88k flle onLo a floppy dlsk for safekeeplng
Powever Lo resLore from a backup Lhe 88k flle musL reslde ln Lhe Wlndows dlrecLory Wlndows 93
sLores Lhe backups ln compressed form whlch you can Lhen resLore only by uslng Lhe ClC8ACkLxL
uLlllLy

W|ndows 98
MlcrosofL Wlndows 98 auLomaLlcally creaLes a backup copy of Lhe reglsLry every Llme Wlndows sLarLs ln
addlLlon Lo Lhls you can manually creaLe a backup uslng Lhe 8eglsLry Checker uLlllLy by runnlng
SCAn8LCWLxL from SLarL | 8un menu

What to do |f you get a Corrupted keg|stry
Wlndows 93 98 and n1 all have a slmple reglsLry backup mechanlsm LhaL ls qulLe rellable alLhough you
should never slmply rely on lL remember Lo always make a backup flrsL!

W|ndows 9S
ln Lhe Wlndows dlrecLory Lhere are several hldden flles four of Lhese wlll be S?S1LMuA1 uSL8uA1
your currenL reglsLry and S?S1LMuA0 uSL8uA0 a backup of your reglsLry Wlndows 9x has a nlce
reaLure ln LhaL every Llme lL appears Lo sLarL successfully lL wlll copy Lhe reglsLry over Lhese backup flles
so [usL ln case someLhlng goes wrong can can resLore lL Lo a known good sLaLe 1o resLore Lhe reglsLry
follow Lhese lnsLrucLlon
llsL1
* Cllck Lhe SLarL buLLon and Lhen cllck ShuL uown

* Cllck 8esLarL 1he CompuLer ln MSuCS Mode Lhen cllck ?es

* Change Lo your Wlndows dlrecLory lor example lf your Wlndows dlrecLory ls cwlndows you would
Lype Lhe followlng

cd cwlndows

* 1ype Lhe followlng commands presslng Ln1L8 afLer each one (noLe LhaL S?S1LMuA0 and uSL8uA0
conLaln Lhe number zero)

aLLrlb h r s sysLemdaL
aLLrlb h r s sysLemda0
copy sysLemda0 sysLemdaL
aLLrlb h r s userdaL
aLLrlb h r s userda0
copy userda0 userdaL

* 8esLarL your compuLer



lollowlng Lhls procedure wlll resLore your reglsLry Lo lLs sLaLe when you lasL successfully sLarLed your
compuLer

lf all else falls Lhere ls a flle on your hard dlsk named S?S1LM1S1 LhaL was creaLed when Wlndows 93
was flrsL successfully lnsLalled lf necessary you could also change Lhe flle aLLrlbuLes of Lhls flle from
readonly and hldden Lo archlve Lo copy Lhe flle Lo CWlnuCWSS?S1LMuA1

W|ndows N1
Cn Wlndows n1 you can use elLher Lhe LasL known Cood opLlon or 8ulSk Lo resLore Lo reglsLry Lo a
sLable worklng conflguraLlon

Pow can l clean ouL old daLa from Lhe 8eglsLry?
AlLhough lLs posslble Lo manually go Lhrough Lhe 8eglsLry and deleLe unwanLed enLrles MlcrosofL
provldes a Lool Lo auLomaLe Lhe process Lhe program ls called 8egClean 8egClean analyzes Wlndows
8eglsLry keys sLored ln a common locaLlon ln Lhe Wlndows 8eglsLry lL flnds keys LhaL conLaln erroneous
values lL removes Lhem from Lhe Wlndows 8eglsLry afLer havlng recordlng Lhose enLrles ln Lhe
undo8eg flle