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Thread: What is Windows registry (Registry Keys)

  1. #1
    Omar Abid Guest

    What is Windows registry (Registry Keys)

    Find this tutorial and more on http://thedotnetsource.blogspot.com
    Reason of this project:
    I wrote this tutorial in order to help the hundred of programmers
    searching on the web for Windows registry.
    This is an like introduction, if you are seeking how to use and deploy
    the registry keys with Vb.net, just see the next tutorial (It'll be
    tutorial 6).
    In this tutorial I'll show what is the windows registry system and why
    use it.

    Project details:
    1- What is Windows registry and why use it
    2- How to read, write and change the registry
    3- HIVES and their use
    4- Definition of registry values

    1- What is Windows registry and why use it.

    You can compare the Windows registry to a database. It stores
    informations related to Windows and other installed application on
    your system, but also Hardware.
    Think now if someone need to change the computer name via programming.
    How can he do this?
    Programmers can think of files (text files) to store the computer and
    windows information. But when file get big and heavy, Database will be
    more secure. And then they had (Windows builder) the choice of a
    database "Windows Registry".
    Microsoft Dot Net Frame 1.1 and higher have implemented a great
    solution for registry on their classes. This will replace the hard
    work and long lines of code that programmers have to write if they are
    using Visual Studio 6.0 for example.

    2- How to read, write and change the registry

    Windows has a wonderful tool on it, named "Registry Editor". But you
    won't find it, unless you open the System32 folder on the Windows
    folder.
    But we can easily run it through the execute command it the start
    menu. Just type "regedit" (without quotes).
    Now the registry editor will open.
    Please before doing any changes on your registry make a backup.
    To do a windows registry backup: File > Export > Give a name for the
    file and select the All option box.
    The backup may block your pc from working for a short period of time.
    You'll see that there are 5 folder. Those are the main folder (named
    hives) and you can't add another main folder.
    Now you can select any folder and right click on it, then add a new
    sub-folder or value.
    By selecting any folder and right clicking, you'll find a list of
    action that you can do.
    If the action is blended (made not selectable), then either it's
    impossible or you don't have the rights to do this action.
    You need administrator rights to change registry keys.

    3- HIVES (main registry folders) and their use

    The registry is split into a number of logical sections named "hives",
    those are the top main folder that can added, edited or renamed.
    They all start with "HKEY" prefix.

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
    Stores information about registered applications, such as Associations
    from File Extensions and OLE Object Class ID's tying them to the
    applications used to handle these items.
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    Stores settings that are specific to the currently logged-in user. The
    HKCU key is a link to the subkey of HKEY_USERS that corresponds to the
    user; the same information is reflected in both locations. On Windows-
    NT based systems, each users' settings are stored in their own files
    called NTUSER.DAT and USRCLASS.DAT inside their own documents and
    settings subfolder.
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Abbreviated HKLM, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE stores settings that are general
    to all users on the computer. On NT-based versions of Windows, HKLM
    contains four subkeys, SAM, SECURITY, SOFTWARE and SYSTEM, that are
    found within their respective files located in the %SystemRoot%
    \System32\Config folder. A fifth subkey, HARDWARE, is volatile and is
    created dynamically, and as such is not stored in a file. Information
    about system hardware drivers and services are located under the
    SYSTEM subkey, whilst the SOFTWARE subkey contains software and
    windows settings.
    HKEY_USERS
    Contains subkeys corresponding to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER keys for each
    user registered on the machine.
    HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
    Contains information gathered at runtime; information stored in this
    key is not permanently stored on disk, but rather regenerated at boot
    time.

    4- Definition of registry values

    Binary Value
    REG_BINARY
    Raw binary data. Most hardware component information is stored as
    binary data and is displayed in Registry Editor in hexadecimal
    format.
    DWORD Value
    REG_DWORD
    Data represented by a number that is 4 bytes long (a 32-bit integer).
    Many parameters for device drivers and services are this type and are
    displayed in Registry Editor in binary, hexadecimal, or decimal
    format. Related values are DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN (least significant byte
    is at the lowest address) and REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN (least significant
    byte is at the highest address).
    Expandable String Value
    REG_EXPAND_SZ
    A variable-length data string. This data type includes variables that
    are resolved when a program or service uses the data.
    Multi-String Value
    REG_MULTI_SZ
    A multiple string. Values that contain lists or multiple values in a
    form that people can read are generally this type. Entries are
    separated by spaces, commas, or other marks.
    String Value
    REG_SZ
    A fixed-length text string.
    Binary Value
    REG_RESOURCE_LIST
    A series of nested arrays that is designed to store a resource list
    that is used by a hardware device driver or one of the physical
    devices it controls. This data is detected and written in the
    \ResourceMap tree by the system and is displayed in Registry Editor in
    hexadecimal format as a Binary Value.
    Binary Value
    REG_RESOURCE_REQUIREMENTS_LIST
    A series of nested arrays that is designed to store a device driver's
    list of possible hardware resources the driver or one of the physical
    devices it controls can use. The system writes a subset of this list
    in the \ResourceMap tree. This data is detected by the system and is
    displayed in Registry Editor in hexadecimal format as a Binary Value.
    Binary Value
    REG_FULL_RESOURCE_DESCRIPTOR
    A series of nested arrays that is designed to store a resource list
    that is used by a physical hardware device. This data is detected and
    written in the \HardwareDescription tree by the system and is
    displayed in Registry Editor in hexadecimal format as a Binary Value.
    None
    REG_NONE
    Data without any particular type. This data is written to the registry
    by the system or applications and is displayed in Registry Editor in
    hexadecimal format as a Binary Value
    Link
    REG_LINK
    A Unicode string naming a symbolic link.
    QWORD Value
    REG_QWORD
    Data represented by a number that is a 64-bit integer. This data is
    displayed in Registry Editor as a Binary Value and was introduced in
    Windows 2000.

    This tutorial doesn't contain any source.
    See http://thedotnetsource.blogspot.com for the latest tutorials and
    updates.

    The Zip file contains:
    -The readme.txt file
    -The tutorial.txt file

    Still have question:
    Go to our blog (http://thedotnetsource.blogspot.com). Select the
    tutorial post. Post a comment describing your problem.

  2. #2
    jolin Guest

    Re: What is Windows registry (Registry Keys)

    Actually, recently I've found another way to speed up my poor PC, the software "tuneup360". It’s very easy to handle and of course very powerful, my friends and I all use it now, maybe you can have a try.

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