Let's Know Something About the Registry

Since the emergence of Windows 95, the concept of the registry has been redefined. The registry is the core of a Windows operating system. In it many parameters are set so that it can control directly the startup process of Windows, the installation of the hardware driver and the normal running of the program. If the registry has been destroyed, the startup program will be influenced and more seriously, the system may even be paralyzed, so it's very important for a user to know something about the registry.

1 The Structure of the Registry

The registry has 6 root keys that equals to the 6 partitions in a hard disk. All of these root keys are prefixed with HKEY_. It seems the 6 root keys are paralleled and have no links with each other. Actually, the data stored in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG are parts of the data stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. While the data stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER is a part of the data stored in HKEY_USERS. The data stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE contains all the data stored in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Every time when the system starts, the data in HKEY_CURRENT_USER will be reflected by the system so that the user can check and edit the data.

2 The Functions of the 6 Root Keys

HKEY_USERS

In this root key, all the user-specific data required by the system and the application are kept.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER

It stores the information of the local user, including the username and the password. When the user logs in Microsoft Windows, the information will be copied from HKEY_USERS to HKEY_CURRENT_USER.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG

In this key, some data about the current desktop configuration, such as the monitor configuration, the printer configuration, the final used file list and the installation information of the current system are stored.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT

It is used to store the formats of all the files and the relevant information in the operating system, mainly record the suffixes of the different files and the corresponding applications.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

This key is used to store the system information of the computer, including all the configurations of the software and the hardware installed in the computer, such as the location of the file, the registration state and the version number. All the configurations have nothing to do with the user.

HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA

This root key is hidden so that you can't see it in the registry. If you want to check it, you have to use a special program. All the dynamic information of the system is stored in this root key.

After reading the above introduction, you must feel that the computer registry is not so mysterious. If you want to speed up our computer, you must keep the registry as clean as possible. There are many ways to make it clean. I recommend you to use the software of registry cleaner.

I like to write about computer technology, such as security software, practical hardware, computing tips and how to choose great PCs. I hope what I write is useful to you.

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