| The Windows registry is a database which
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| | the 'current user' key, whereas in the
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| stores settings and options for the
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| | past they tended to just keep system-wide
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| operating system for Microsoft Windows
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| | per-program settings. There are always
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| 32-bit versions, 64-bit versions and
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| | some system wide settings that are common
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| Windows Mobile.
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| | for all users though.
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| It contains information and settings for
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| | * Group Policy allows administrators on a
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| all the hardware, software, users, and
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| | Windows-based computer network to
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| preferences of the PC. Whenever a user
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| | centrally manage program and policy
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| makes changes to "Control Panel"
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| | settings. This is not used in a home
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| settings, or file associations, system
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| | environment, only in corporations with a
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| policies, or installed software, the
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| | dedicated logon server.
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| changes are reflected and stored in the
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| | * Because the registry is accessed
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| registry.
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| | through a special API it is available to
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| The registry is actually a big file where
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| | scripts and remote management using WMI.
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| a lot of setting can be stored.
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| | Each script does not have to be
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| This file has been around quite a while
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| | customised for every application's unique
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| and has had different names.
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| | configuration file layouts and
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| The first windows version that used the
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| | restrictions.
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| windows registry to store settings was
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| | * The registry can be accessed as one
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| windows 3.11 and the registry in that
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| | item over a network connection for remote
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| version of windows was called Reg.dat.
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| | management/support, including from
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| In Windows 95 & 98 the registry files are
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| | scripts, using the standard API.
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| named User.dat and System.dat and are
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| | * It can be backed up more easily, in
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| stored in the \Windows\ directory.
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| | that it is just a small number of files
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| Windows ME called the registry files,
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| | in specific locations.
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| Classes.dat, User.dat, and System.dat and
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| | Bad things with the Registry
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| stored them in the \Windows\ directory.
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| | Not all that shines is gold. The Registry
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| Finally the newest versions of windows
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| | introduces some problems as well:
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| like, Windows NT, 2000, 2003, & XP stores
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| | * It is a single point of failure -
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| the registry files like this,
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| | damage to the Registry can render a
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| The Registry files are stored in
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| | Windows system unbootable, in extreme
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| %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\:
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| | cases to a point that can not be fixed,
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| - Sam
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| | and requires a full reinstall of Windows.
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| - Security
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| | This is why it is so important to use
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| - Software
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| | registry scan and repair utilities, while
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| - System
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| | the registry still can be repaired.
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| - Default
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| | * Any program which wants to manipulate
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| - Userdiff
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| | the registry must use special Windows API
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| - NTUSER.dat
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| | functions whereas a configuration file
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| - The NTUSER.dat file is stored in the
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| | can be manipulated using normal text
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| profile folder.
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| | file-processing techniques.
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| The Windows Registry was introduced to
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| | * Configuration files can contain
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| tidy up the old way of storing text
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| | comments to help the user by explaining
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| entries in INI files. These entries had
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| | what values are for and how they can be
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| previously been used to store
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| | changed, the registry cannot. And the
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| configuration settings for Windows
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| | registry use something called guids in a
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| programs.
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| | large scale. Long strange unique numbers
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| The ini files where stored in a lot of
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| | that is completely meaningless to humans.
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| different directories and many programs
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| | Making handling much harder.
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| used their own ini file for some or all
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| | * It is more difficult to backup - it
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| of their settings. This way of using ini
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| | cannot be done 'live' because it is
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| files all over the system, made them
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| | always in use, and thus requires special
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| difficult to keep track of and handle in
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| | software such as ntbackup.
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| an easy and logical way.
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| | * Restoring parts of the registry is hard
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| What's Good with the Registry
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| | because you cannot easily extract data
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| Changing from having one or more INI
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| | from backed up registry files
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| Files per program to one centralised
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| | * Any application that doesn't uninstall
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| registry has some obvious and some not so
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| | properly, or doesn't have an uninstaller,
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| obvious benefits:
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| | can leave entries in the registry, which
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| * The registry keeps machine
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| | can lead over time to increased file size
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| configuration separate from user
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| | and decreased performance. And once
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| configuration. When a user logs into a
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| | again, here's the major reason why you
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| Windows NT/XP/2003 computer, their
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| | must use a registry scan/clean and repair
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| registry settings are merged with the
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| | software.
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| system wide settings. This allows
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| | The registry will be redone once more
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| programs to more easily keep per-user
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| | with the release of the new Vista
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| configuration, as they can just work with
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| | Operating System from Microsoft.
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