For the Windows operating system to work, you must use various information. The registry is a special database. It contains information regarding equipment, software and much more. During the operation of the system, this information is constantly accessed. It can be changed or supplemented, depending on specific actions. Similar events take place in automatic order and the user does not need to worry about their implementation.

IMPORTANT: if you choose to work with Windows registry, then first create a copy of it. Careless actions can easily cause serious system failures. As a result, you will have to restore the OS or even reinstall it.

Registry in operating systems

To demonstrate the importance of the registry, it is necessary to talk about simple statistics. During the launch of the OS, about a thousand requests are made here, and within one day the number can reach 10,000 or even more. It is enough to run a program, set settings, or perform other actions so that the information in the registry is edited.

Where is the registry kept?

Quite often you can hear the question about the location of the files. The Windows registry is located in the C\Windows\System32\config directory. Here, the drive is C, but the situation may be different for your device. It all depends on where exactly the system is installed.

If we consider the most popular Windows 7 OS, then the registry files are located here in special places. A moment like this requires special attention:

« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE". The specified branch will be created based on which peripheral equipment is connected. The process is dynamic.
« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\BCD00000000" uses a special file "%SystemRoot%\Boot\BCD" for its creation.
« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM". To form the specified branch, the document "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\SYSTEM" is used.
« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE". Creation occurs on the basis of the document "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\SOFTWARE".
« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SECURITY". The branch stores the device's security settings and is created from the "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\SECURITY" document.
« HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM". To create, information from the document located at the address "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\SAM" is used.
« HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT". The registry branch is formed using the "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\DEFAULT" document.
Registry branches " HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18», « HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-19" and " HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-20". To create them, the NTUSER.DAT document is used, which is located in various directories. These are "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\systemprofile\", "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\systemprofile\" and "%SystemRoot%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\".
« HKEY_USERS\ ". For the purpose of formation, the document “%USERPROFILE%\NTUSER.DAT” is used.
« HKEY_USERS\ _Classes". In this case, the formation is performed during the use of the document "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat".

The registry has separate files that deserve attention - these are backups. They are necessary in case of system recovery. These documents are located in the "%SystemRoot%\System32\config\RegBack" directory. If we consider the default situation, then a copy will be created once every 10 days. You can configure a similar process - the frequency and start time. The user part of the registry is located in the %userprofile%\ntuser.dat document.

When it comes to the 32-bit and 64-bit OS registry, certain features are provided for. In the first case, all folders are single. For 64 bits, a division into 32 and, directly, 64 bit sections is provided.

How to open the register?

To gain access, you can use several methods and you need to consider the most popular among them.

Through the Run utility

This option can be called the most attractive, because it combines simplicity and convenience. It is required to act in accordance with the recommendations:

Press the Win + R key combination or launch the Run utility in another way.
We enter regedit and press confirmation. It is extremely important that such an action be carried out on behalf of the administrator.

By searching through the start menu

There may be some differences when working with different operating systems. For example, Windows 8 lacks the classic Start menu. In any case, you need to access the search bar. You need to enter regedit into it and run the issued program.

Via Windows Explorer

The task was set to find a specific file in the system folder C\Windows (we have already mentioned the possibility of using a different drive letter, depending on the OS installation location). We are interested in regedit. You need to find it in the general list and run it.

Registry structure

The Windows registry includes 5 branches. Each of them provides for the storage of information specific type. These sections may not be modified. They cannot be moved, renamed or deleted. It is required to describe each of the branches and indicate their features:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR). It stores data about numerous extensions, which allows the system to work with files various types. If any information is missing, you can always make further changes to expand the capabilities.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU). The specified branch contains information about the account. This may include various settings and elements of personalization.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM). All data about connected devices and drivers is located here. Most importantly, there are information regarding booting the OS.
HKEY_USERS (HKU). Here you can find data about the complete list of users for a specific device.
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC). Provides information about the hardware that the device uses during OS startup. As practice shows, there is little information here and almost all of it is a copy from other sections.

When working with the Windows registry, HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are of interest. Here are most of the settings that need to be changed.

It is necessary to pay attention to such a component as parameters. They allow you to make changes to various aspects of the system. There are several types of parameters:

Binary. Received the greatest distribution and is used in all sections. When issuing in the registry editor, the use of the 16x format is provided.
Dword. A value with a length of 4 bytes is used. Required to store the parameters of drivers and various programs.
Expandable data string. The main difference from the string parameter is the absence of a clear fixation of the length.
Multiline. More than one line is used. Quite often used when it is necessary to store tabular data.
String. A string of text that has a fixed length.
qword. The information is specified as a 64-bit integer.
Link. A Unicode symbolic link is used.

Backup of the entire registry or a separate section

We have already mentioned the dangers of working with the registry. There is always a chance of harming the system and you need to take care of creating a copy in advance. You should enter the Windows registry editor, where open the "File" section. In the list that appears, select the "Export" item. Now you can create a copy of the entire registry or a specific subkey. For convenience, the process is shown in the screenshot below.

In order to increase reliability, it is allowed to save a copy not only on the device's hard disk, but also on external media.

Registry recovery

So, the worst happened and the system crashed. What needs to be done in such a situation? It is worth considering three recovery methods, each of which has its own characteristics. In any situation, you must first close all programs and applications. It will not be superfluous to disable anti-virus tools.

Restoring from a file

Go to the document that was previously saved. There should be a copy of the entire Windows registry. It is required to double-click, and then confirm the received message. It is shown in the screenshot below.

A certain time will be required for recovery, and the process itself will be completed after the device is rebooted.

merger

You need to open the folder with a copy and click on it right click mice. A menu will be displayed in which you need to specify "Merge". For your convenience, this action is presented in the screenshot.

As in the previous case, the recovery will complete after a reboot.

Import

Necessary open registryWindows. How to do it has been discussed previously and several approaches have been presented. In the editor itself, we are interested in the "File" menu. There you should select "Import". You will be prompted to specify the path to the saved copy.

Separately, it is required to make an option that provides for the restoration of the entire system. This involves the use of built-in tools. It is important to make a backup yourself or not to disable backup.

Recovery using a live CD

In some situations, loading the operating system will not be possible. This is the most difficult option, and to solve such a problem, it is recommended to use special way. It consists in booting via a live CD. When this is done, the next step is to visit the root of the drive where Windows is installed. The following instruction is provided:

Create a temporary folder on the disk with the system. It needs to be named tmp. This is where the defective registry files will be located.
Now we enter the folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\config
All files found here should be moved to the temporary folder C:\tmp\ created earlier
We go to the recovery folder, which is located in the C:\System Volume Information\ directory. It should contain a number of folders of the following type - _restore (long character code with hyphens). We check the creation date of such folders and find the latest in the list.
Inside there will be folders named RP1, RP2 and so on. We are again interested in the last one. It is important to familiarize yourself with the date and clarify whether the OS worked stably at the specified time. If not, select the last workable save.
Go to the Snapshot\ folder. This is where the backup copies of the registry files are located.
Requires _REGISTRY_USER_DEFAULT, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE, _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM and _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
The files specified in the last paragraph are copied and they replace similar registry files in the C:\WINDOWS\system32\config directory. You need to change the name to DEFAULT, SECURITY, SOFTWARE, SYSTEM and SAM
You need to reboot for the changes to take effect.

Registry cleaning

Often you will be asked to how to clear the registryWindows (Windows). Here you can use specialized software or a manual method. In the first case, you can recommend a fairly large number of applications. The most popular include Reg Organizer, CCleaner and Windows Cleaner. These programs have proven themselves well - their ability to optimize the system is at a very high level.

Manual cleaning of the registry Windows more suitable for experienced users who know what they are doing. It is recommended that you copy the files beforehand so that you can restore in case of failure.

The cleaning process itself requires the removal of any information about an already uninstalled program. Similar data is contained in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and this is where our path lies. In the Software subsection, you need to find the necessary folder. The screenshot below shows an example for Skype.

Creating and deleting sections and parameters through a file with the .reg extension

All reg files have a strictly established syntax, which must be followed without fail. This is a feature of documents of this type. REG files can be used as a means to create or remove subsections, as well as parameters.

Create subsections or change settings

Accessing the Registry Editor
The subsection for which changes should be made is selected.
There is a click on the "File" tab, where you need to click "Export"
In the "File name" field, the name of the document is written to save the REG file with the original registry elements and the "Save" button is pressed

Removing registry keys or settings

To complete the task, you need to place a hyphen in front of the registry path. This should be considered for simple example. We have:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software

It is necessary to delete the Program section from it. It will look like this:

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Program]

Deleting a value has a similar way. In this case, the hyphen must appear immediately before the equals sign. Let's extend the previous example - now we need to remove the ProgramValue parameter. This is done as follows:

"ProgramValue"=-

You can make changes through a regular notepad program. Don't forget to make copies first.

Windows Registry (Windows Registry - system registry) is a hierarchical (tree-like) database containing records that define the parameters and settings of operating systems Microsoft Windows. The registry, as it appears when viewed by the Registry Editor, is formed from data sourced from registry files and hardware information collected during the boot process. In the description of the registry files on English language the term is used "hive". In the documentation from Microsoft, this term is translated as "Bush".

The main files responsible for the formation of the registry

Registry files are created during the installation of the operating system and are stored in the folder:

%SystemRoot%\system32\config (usually C:\windows\system32\config ).

For Windows operating systems, these are files with names:

system
software
Sam
security
default
components
bcd-template

In operating systems Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows8, , , registry files are located in the directory \Windows\system32\config and have the same names, however, these operating systems added a new registry key to store ( Boot Configuration Data) With name BCD00000000. The data file for this section is named bcd and is located in hidden folder Boot the active partition (the partition from which the system is booting). Usually, with standard Windows installation, created active partition small size (from 100 to 500 megabytes depending on the operating system), which is hidden from the user and contains only service data for system boot - boot records, download manager bootmgr, boot configuration store BCD, localization files, and memory test programs. Bush location bcd depends on how the system's bootloader was configured when it was installed, and may be on the same partition as the Windows directory.

The location of the registry files in any Windows versions can be viewed using the Registry Editor, under:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist

This section stores information about all hives, including user profiles, with links to their location in the Windows file system.

Registry structure

The Windows registry has a tree structure and consists of 5 main registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) is the largest registry key. It contains all the basic settings of the operating system, as well as hardware and software of the computer. The information contained in this section applies to all users who register with the system.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR) - contains associations between applications and file types (by file extensions). In addition, this section contains information about registered file types and COM objects and ActiveX. Except HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT this information is also stored in sections HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Chapter HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes contains default settings that apply to all users local computer. The parameters contained in the section HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes, override the defaults and only apply to the current user. Chapter HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT includes data from both sources.

HKEY_USERS (HKU) - Contains the environment settings for each of the loaded user profiles, as well as the default profile. AT HKEY_USERS there is a nested section \Default, as well as other subkeys identified by the security identifier ( Security ID, SID) of each user.

HKEY_CURRENT USER (HKCU) - contains the environment settings for the user on which this moment registered in the system (environment variables, desktop settings, network settings, applications and connected devices).

This section duplicates information in HKEY_USERS\user SID, where user SID- the security identifier of the user currently registered in the system (you can find out the SID of the current user by typing in command line whoami /user).

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC) - contains settings for the current hardware profile. The current hardware profile includes a set of changes made to the standard device configuration specified in the subsections Software and System root partition HKEY LOCAL_MACHINE. AT HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG only changes are reflected. In addition, the information in this section is located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\HardwareProfiles\Current.

Data in the registry is stored as parameters located in registry keys. Each parameter is characterized by a name, data type, and value.

Main data types used in the registry

REG_DWORD - 32-bit number. This data type is used by many device driver and service settings. Registry editors can display this data in binary, hexadecimal, and decimal format.

REG_SZ - Text string in human readable format. Values that are descriptions of components are usually assigned this data type.

REG_EXPAND_SZ - Expandable data string. This string is a text containing a variable that can be replaced when called by the application, for example, used to write environment variables.

REG_MULTI_SZ - Multiline field. Values that are actually lists of text strings in a human-readable format usually have this data type. The lines are separated by the NULL character.

REG_BINARY - Binary data. Most hardware components use information that is stored as binary data. Registry editors display this information in hexadecimal format.

REG_RESOURCE_LIST - List of hardware resources. Applies to branches only HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE.

You can also sometimes find these types of registry data:

REG_RESOURCE_REQUIREMENTS_LIST- List of required hardware resources. Applies to branches only HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE.

REG_FULL_RESOURCE_ DESCRIPTOR - Descriptor (descriptor) of the hardware resource. Applies to branches only HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE.

REG_QWORD - 64 bit number.

REG_DWORD_ LITTLE_ENDIAN - 32-bit little-endian equivalent REG_DWORD.

REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN - 32-bit number in "big-endian" format.

REG_QWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN - A 64-bit number in "spiky" format. Equivalent REG_QWORD.

REG_NONE - The parameter has no defined data type.

Interaction of the registry with the operating system

When the computer starts, the hardware recognizer ( hardware recognizer) places a list of devices it has discovered in the registry. Normally, hardware recognition is done by software. ntdetect.com and operating system kernel Ntoskrnl.exe

When the system starts, the system kernel retrieves from the registry information about the device drivers to be loaded and the order in which they are loaded. In addition, the program Ntoskrnl.exe submits information about itself (eg version number) to the registry.

During system boot, device drivers exchange boot parameters and configuration data with the registry. The device driver reports the system resources it is using, including hardware interrupts ( IRQ) and memory access channels ( DMA) so that the system can include this data in the registry. By the way, the registry allows you to create multiple hardware profiles. Hardware profile ( hardware profile) is a set of instructions that can be used to tell the operating system which device drivers to load when the computer starts. By default, the system creates a standard hardware profile that contains information about all the hardware found on the computer.

When a user logs in, user profiles are loaded ( user profiles). All information related to a particular username and its associated rights is stored in the registry. The user profile defines individual system settings (display resolution, network connections, connected devices, and more). User profile information is also stored in the registry.

When installing applications. Each time you run the installer, new configuration data is added to the registry. All installers must read registry information to determine if the components they need are present on the system when they begin their work. In addition, the system registry allows applications to share configuration information, which gives them more opportunities to interact. The application must actively and correctly use the registry, and also be able to gracefully uninstall without affecting components that can be used by other programs (libraries, software modules etc.). This information is also stored in the registry.

When administering the system. When a user makes changes to the system configuration using system administration tools (for example, using Control panels or snap MMC), all changes are immediately reflected in the system registry. In fact, the administration tools are the most convenient and safe means of modifying the registry. By the way, the registry editor can also be attributed to the administrative tools ( regedit.exe), because all changes to the system can be made directly by editing the registry.

■ During the loading and operation of the operating system, registry data is constantly accessed, both for reading and for writing. Registry files are constantly changing, because not only the system, but also individual applications can use the registry to store their own data, settings, and settings. In other words, accessing the registry is one of the most common operations. Even if the user is not working on the computer, registry calls are still performed by system services, drivers, and applications.

■ Violation of the integrity of the registry files (violation of the data structure) or an incorrect value of certain critical parameters can lead to a system crash. Therefore, before experimenting with the registry, take care of the possibility of saving and restoring it.

Perhaps each of you has heard the word "registry", but the question "What is it" was asked by a few, but in vain. After all, the ability to edit the registry can save a lot of time, money, nerves and effort. How to start the registry of the Windows 7 operating system, as well as the main ways to use it, are discussed in detail in this article.

First you need to understand what exactly is the registry. To better understand this, imagine a notebook with some entries in a certain sequence. If all the sheets from this notebook are torn out and mixed, then the information will remain the same, but it will be much more difficult to read it. You have to first find the right page before reading it, and this is extra time.

A similar situation occurred during the use file system Fat16, which had serious performance issues. Then it was decided to introduce a registry to streamline information. Over time, the problems solved by the registry disappeared, but it was left due to backward compatibility.

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database of parameters and settings installed programs.

Physically, all registry settings are written in files and scattered throughout the system. When the program starts, the registry finds the necessary parameters and operates with them. The more applications on computers, the more parameter files, and the longer it will take to find the right one. Therefore, from time to time the registry needs to be cleaned to maintain system performance.

There are two ways to start the Windows 7 registry:

Start → in the search bar we write regedit → in the results found, open the file regedit.exe.
Launch Explorer → go to the C:\Windows folder → look for the regedit.exe file and open it.

If you did everything correctly, the Registry Editor will open.

Registry editing. Export Import

Before us is the Windows 7 registry editing window:

Sections are on the left side.
On the right are the options.
At the bottom is the status bar, which displays the path to the parameter.

When working with registry settings, you need to be extremely careful and careful, because the registry is the nervous system of Windows. Therefore, it is recommended that you create a copy of the registry before changing any settings.

Right-click on the "Computer" section - Export - set the name, check the export range (it should be "Entire Registry") and specify the folder - click save.

After the above steps, a file with the .reg extension will appear. Now, if you mess up with changing the settings, the registry can always be returned to its original state.

To do this, click "File" - Import ... - look for the Registry.reg we saved earlier and click "Open". All settings will revert to the time the copy was created.

Recovering an Administrator Password Using the Registry

For an example showing what tasks can be performed in the registry, consider this problem. Let's assume you are. No problem! It can be changed using the registry. To do this, we need an installation Windows disk 7.

Boot from installation disk. After copying the new data, we will be prompted to select a language. Leave everything as it is and click "Next".
In the new window, select "", after which the computer will search for installed operating systems.
A window may appear with the text "Problems found in boot options." Ignore and choose operating system and click "Next".
In the next window, select the lowest parameter ""
In the command line, we type the regedit command already known to us and press Enter.
In the editor, select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Then, from the File menu, select Load Hive.
Go to the C:\Windows\System32\config folder (the letter may differ from the usual C). We are interested in the SYSTEM file.
Enter any section name. For example: 888.
Go to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\888\Setup section. Click 2 times on the parameter:
- CmdLine , enter cmd.exe and click OK
- SetupType , replace 0 with 2 and click OK.
As a result of the above manipulations, it should turn out like this:

In files SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT in the catalog Windows 95/98 or in a folder C:\W\System32\Config\ in Windows NT the so-called system registry is stored, containing a large amount of information. In addition to the records required windows, most programs install their own information there as well. To make changes to the registry, you must open it with a program designed for this. An example is the program REGEDIT, supplied as standard Windows. Open the dialog box to launch it. Start/Run, enter regedit and press OK.

You will see a window divided into two parts. On the left is a navigator similar to Explorer's navigator, and on the right is the actual information. The register consists of six sections: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_USERS, HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG and HKEY_DYN_DATA. Each section contains folders. If a folder or section has subfolders, then to the left of this folder is the icon " a plus". When you click on it, this folder " unfolds", and the icon turns into " minus" by clicking on which you can again " collapse". If you click on the folder icon or its name, then a list of those parameters that are contained in this folder (but not in subfolders!) will appear in the right window. Each parameter consists of its name and value. Each parameter has its own path, where it can be found.The path consists of a sequence of folders in which this setting is located, starting with the parent folder (this is one of the six main sections listed above. An example of such a path would be HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\Display\Settings, and the name of the parameter resolution. In a union, the two values, the parameter and its path (often referred to as an address), point to a unique parameter. For example, two different parameters may have the same path, two parameters may have the same name but be in different folders and subfolders, but there cannot be two parameters with the same address and name. The registry can be searched (using the menu, or using a keyboard shortcut CTRL+F).

By selecting the desired section (by clicking on the section icon or its name), you can create a parameter or subsection in it. To do this, use the menu Edit/Create. In the system registry Windows There are 3 types of parameters: string, binary, and DWORD. A string stores one string ( string), in binary - binary value, in DWORD- decimal or hex value. When creating a parameter, you must specify its name. Then, by double-clicking on it in the right window, you can enter the parameter value (or change the existing one).

If the advice says to set the value of a parameter, it means that you need to change the existing value of the parameter to the value you want, or if there is no parameter with that name, create it and then change the content.

At the end of the work, for most changes, you need to close REGEDIT and restart your computer. Well, firstly, let's figure out what it is: registry Windows. When we install or remove programs, change settings Windows we put new equipment, all this is fixed and recorded in the registry. You can say this, the registry is the heart Windows. To view or edit the registry, you need to run the program Regedit (Start - Run - Regedit). Physically, the registry is stored in the directory Windows (95/98) under the names User.dat and System.dat. I say right away if you don’t know what you want to change to 100% do not change, otherwise the price is worthless. Well, for those who still changed, I give a hint. Upon successful upload, Windows makes backup copies of the registry under the names User.da0 and System.da0. This is what we will use. Of course, you can create your own backup copies for every "fireman". If Windows does not load, then when loading, hold down Ctrl. As the menu appears, select " command prompt only", go to the folder Windows ("CD C:\Windows") and type the command scanreg/restore(in Windows NT - rdisk). Now reboot and Windows should start. If there is no such program, then you will have to type in the command line from the folder Windows:

attrib -h -r -s system.dat
attrib -h -r -s system.da0
copy system.da0 system.dat
attrib -h -r -s user.dat
attrib -h -r -s user.da0
copy user.da0 user.dat

Well, now let's go directly to the registry.

1.) Open regedit, find the key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall.

Here you will find full list installed programs. If some programs are no longer there, delete unnecessary folders with their names (an incomplete list is displayed in " Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs).

2.) In key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run

is a list of all startup programs at boot Windows. You can remove an unnecessary program, or you can add it. For this you need to create String parameter, enter the name of the program for the name, and enter the path to the program as the parameter value. If there are several users on your computer, then the lists of programs can be here:

HKEY_USERS\.DEAFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion and
HKEY_USERS\(Username)\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

3.) That's it, the warm-up is over and we move on to Main menu.

To get rid of an item Favorites (Windows 98), go to the section

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer

and create here Binary parameter NoFavoritesMenu with meaning 01 00 00 00 . All! Now the Favorites item will no longer appear. Delete the created parameter or change its value to 00 00 00 00 to return the item to its place. You can get rid of other items in the same way:

The documents- parameter NoRecentDocsMenu
Settings - NoSetFolders
Find - NoFind
Shutdown - NoClose
Logging out... - NoLogOff.

You can also cancel the work with the right mouse button in the main menu, for this create the same DWORD-parameter under the name NoChangeStartMenu with meaning 1 . Ready! Well, the final touches. Like the message about which button to get started with? Not? Then we create DWORD- named parameter NoStartBanner and meaning 1.

4.) Go to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

and create String parameter LegalNoticeCaption. Enter "Chernobyl virus detected" as the value, create another string parameter LegalNoticeText with the value "Click OK and all data on the hard drive will be destroyed". Restart Windows and enjoy the result. In the first parameter we enter the title, and in the second - the text itself.

5.) Now you can change the clock in the lower right corner. Go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International

and create a string parameter sTimeFormat

Its meaning " HH:mm", where HH is the hours, : is the separator character, and mm is the minutes. A reboot is required for the changes to take effect. It's fun to see how a friend will be tormented by adjusting the clock if you swap HH and mm! Well, if you want to spoil very much, then you need to do this: Hm:mH "mH; Hm and so on.

6.) So that there are no arrows in the shortcut icons, find the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Piffile and remove the option IsShortcut, the same should be done in the folder lnkfile. Restart your computer and enjoy the result.

7.) Path to installation files Windows 95/98 lies in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup.

Change it and Windows will look for installation files when adding features or changing system settings.

8.) To remove the "palm" from shared resources, just delete the value Default from the key

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Network\SharingHandler

9.) You can also remove all icons from the desktop altogether. To do this, create in the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

DWORD value named " NoDesktop". Reboot and see the cleanest desktop in the world.

10.) In order to hide disks in the explorer, go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

and create here binary parameter With name " NoDrives".

The value will depend on which drives you want to hide:

Disk A- meaning 01 00 00 00
B - 02 00 00 00
C - 04 00 00 00
D - 08 00 00 00
E - 10 00 00 00
F - 20 00 00 00

If you want to hide multiple drives, then you need to sum their values. But note that these numbers are in hexadecimal. To calculate correctly, use the calculator ( Programs - standard - Calculator). Select from the menu Calculator "View - Engineering", then select "Hex" and count. For example, to hide drives C and D it is necessary to add 04 00 00 00 and 08 00 00 00 . Enter in the parameter value 0C 00 00 00. To hide drives A and E must be summed up 01 00 00 00 and 10 00 00 00, we get the result 11 00 00 00.

11.) Open Properties: Screen, here we cover some tabs. In the registry editor, find the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

create here DWORD-named parameter NoDispBackgroundPage and meaning 1 . Now tab Background will not be displayed. The rest of the tabs are hidden by the following options:

NoDispAppearancePage - Appearance
NoDispScrSavPage - Screensaver
NoDispSettingPage - Setting.

12.) Now let's make the item To open with... always appeared in the context menu. To do this, find the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\ and create a section in it shell(if it doesn't exist). Here we will create another section " openas", and in it still " command".Change the value of " Default" on the " C:\WINDOWS\rundll32.exe shell32.dll,OpenAs_RunDLL %1". Done, you can check.

13.) To change the drop rate main menu enter the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\desktop

and create String parameter Menu Show Delay. Enter the delay time (in milliseconds) into the value and reboot.

14.) Now let's try the item Open in Notepad put in the context menu. Let's go to the section HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shell(If not, create one). Create a section " open and change Default on the " Open in Notepad".Now create a partition" command" and in it change Default on the " notepad.exe %1". Ready.
15.) And now let's play with Internet Explorer "om. Want to change your browser wallpaper? Please. Enter the key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar

and create String parameter "BackBitmap". And as a parameter, enter the path to the picture in the format bmp and restart your browser. But that's not all.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

create a new String parameter Window Title. In the value, enter what you want to see in the header after the page title, restart your browser and enjoy. The conductor will look exactly the same.

16.) If you want to admire a name or just a word after the clock in Systray(bottom panel) then go to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\

and create two string parameters: s1159 and s2359. Enter the desired name in their value. Restriction - 8 letters.

17.) When you need to restart the registry, and you don’t want to restart the machine, in some cases the following will help: click Ctrl+Alt+Del, then select explorer and button " Complete Task". When asked to turn off the machine, refuse, then press " End task" in the next window, after which you will see how it disappeared and appeared " Task bar".

Not everything works in Windows 95

Registry recovery

Care must be taken when working with the registry. Deleting any important data by accident or unknowingly can lead to the crash of the operating system. Then only the restoration of the last working copy can save the situation.

If you are going to experiment with the registry, first save the SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT files to disk. They are located in the directory where the operating system was installed and have read-only and hidden attributes. If the registry is seriously damaged, you can overwrite these files in the Windows directory, set the necessary attributes and the registry will be as good as new. Just do not try to restore these files when Windows is loaded, otherwise the system will completely shut down and only a complete reinstallation will save it! To restore these files, you must first reboot into DOS and already there replace the damaged files with good ones.

But this is not the only option for data recovery. The fact is that the operating system, on each successful launch, saves a copy of the registry in a CAB file, which is written to the hidden SYSBCKUP directory of the Windows directory. By default, the last five copies are kept. This number can vary from 0 to 99 and is set by the value of the MaxBackupCopies key in the scanreg.ini file in the Windows directory. The truth should not be set too great importance, because files take up a lot of space (one file is larger than a megabyte).

To restore the registry from one of these backups, you need to reboot into DOS and run the command

A list of available registry backups will appear sorted by the time they were created. After choosing the right copy, the data will be safely restored, and you will receive a registry that meets the state of affairs at the time of its creation.

But if you installed any programs or changed the settings of the operating system between the last backup and the failure in the registry, then all this data will be irretrievably lost. Do we need it? Definitely not! To create at any time backup registry, use the command

which in case is normal passed verification will create a backup.

Another option for backing up and restoring the registry is to export the partition or entire branch that you plan to modify. This can be done in Regedit for Windows under the "Registry" menu. Select the desired section and click on the "Export registry file" item. After specifying the file name, the data of this section will be exported to it. The file has a .reg extension. To import it into the registry, just double-click on it and the data will be transferred. True, this method of information recovery has one significant drawback: all deleted or modified records will be restored, but the added records will not be deleted. That's why this way it is more suitable if you are making some minor changes, and in order to roll them back without entering the old data again, you can use export / import.

In general, you need to work with the registry very carefully, but if you periodically back it up, then no problems should arise.

If the operating system was installed on the computer a long time ago and has never been reinstalled during all this time, then users, as a rule, note a decrease in the speed of its operation and the occurrence of periodic failures. This can manifest itself in slow loading, prolonged opening of some programs, in the appearance of dialog boxes about errors that have occurred. And the longer a person works at a computer, the more failures and malfunctions he notices, and over time, working on such a computer can turn into a nightmare.

The culprit of all these listed problems can be the system registry - a very important component of the operating system. Therefore, even novice users would do well to know its purpose, influence on common work OS, as well as the means of monitoring and caring for it.
So sooner or later, the user is faced with the question - either reinstall the operating system with all programs and reconfigure it user interface, or try to "clean up" the system and return it to its former performance.

DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE

The Windows registry is essentially a tree-like database that contains information about all the settings that are required for the correct and smooth operation of the operating system. It contains settings for installed hardware and software, personal profiles users who have access to the computer, the types of files that programs can create, and information about folder properties.

The value that the Windows registry has is difficult to overestimate. How correct its information depends on how efficiently all PC nodes, both software and hardware, will work. If the user begins to notice some problems in the operation of his computer, then this is a clear sign that the registry has failed and some of its settings have gone astray. If there is a serious failure in the system registry, then download Windows user will fail and the operating system will have to be reinstalled.

The system registry is stored at X:\Windows\System32\config, where X is the system drive letter.

ROOT PARTS OF THE SYSTEM REGISTER

The Windows registry consists of several main sections:

- HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC) - the section contains all information about the hardware profile that is used on the local machine during system startup;
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU) - the section stores information about a specific user who is currently logged into the system and working in it. This branch saves his folders, screen settings, set parameters for control panel;
- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR) - the section contains data about file type extensions and applications that will open when they are launched;
- HKEY_USERS (HKU) - this branch stores information about all loaded active user profiles of a particular PC;
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) - branch for storing Windows boot information, device driver information, and hardware computer;
- HKEY_USERS (HKU) - the branch stores individual profile settings for each user who is registered in the system. It also stores information about the "default" profile for new users being created.

Each root registry key contains many subkeys, which in turn can have their own multiple subkeys that store system settings. The hierarchy of the registry is very complex, and the number of sections in it is simply huge, therefore, within the framework of this material, we just need to understand the very principle of building its structure, so that if necessary, you can find the parameter you need.

IMPACT OF THE REGISTRY ON WORKWINDOWS

As noted earlier, the speed of the system and its stability directly depends on the state of the registry. Most often, the system begins to "slow down" when the registry increases its size. And the larger it is, the longer the computer boots up, since when the OS starts, the system registry is always checked for errors, after which it is backed up. Moreover, the more software is installed on the computer, the larger the registry becomes.

At the same time, Windows is designed in such a way that the operation of any software, be it a simple utility or a super game, will always require interaction with the system registry to find the necessary parameters, which become more difficult and longer to find, the larger the registry size and the number of branches in it.

There is one more important factor affecting the speed Windows work, but before we talk about it, let's make a small remark. There are two main types of memory in computers - RAM (Random Access Memory), which is also random access memory, and ROM (Read Only Memory), which includes hard drives, flash drives and other components that store your data. RAM is very fast memory, which allows you to instantly exchange information with the central processor, but the ROM is much slower.

Now, let's continue, the slowdown in opening programs is very often caused by the fact that there is not enough random access memory. And often, in order to provide the necessary amount of memory for a program, the system gets it from its total volume (a set of RAM and ROM), starting to access the hard drive space, i.e. there is a so-called "swap" (part of the information is written to HDD). As a result, when the application needs the necessary information written to disk during loading or running, it takes much longer to read it than if the system took them from RAM.

To avoid such a situation, it is necessary to exclude all unnecessary or rarely used programs from getting into RAM.

But the fact is that one of the main sources of littering the "RAM" of your computer is the registry, the data from which the Windows system loads at startup, without understanding whether you need them or not. Among them, there may be "traces" for a long time remote programs, applications or their settings that you are unlikely to need. Thus, if you do not pay due attention to the state of the system registry, all this garbage will clutter up precious space in RAM.

Very often, during the operation of a computer, dialog boxes begin to appear in front of users with all kinds of errors that occur in Windows. Many of them are the result of incorrect changes made to the registry that conflict with system settings. This may be due to the replacement standard libraries to older versions or after their sudden removal, for example, after a virus infection and subsequent cleaning of the computer.

METHODS FOR EDITING THE REGISTRY

All problems with a “bloated” registry can be solved by the user in two ways: manually or using programs, but in any of these cases, changes will be made to the system registry.

An inexperienced user should not make changes manually. In this case, it is better to use special programs with which you can painlessly change the registry base for the OS to work. Fortunately, there are enough such utilities on the market now, while there are both paid programs and free ones, with quite decent functionality. The main purpose of these utilities is to search for and remove broken keys that are no longer used, but only clog the registry, as well as defragment it.

And yet, if you decide to make changes to the registry yourself, then the best solution would be to use the built-in Windows utility Registry Editor. In order to get into the registry editor, there is a special command "regedit", which must be entered in the Run window (called by pressing Windows keys+ R).

Having launched the utility, the user will see a window divided into two parts, one of which shows sections, subsections and branches of the system registry, and the other - the parameters of the element that the user has selected in the registry.

Also in the registry editor, in the Edit tab, there is a search option (called by pressing Ctrl keys+ F) which is looking for given words in section names, parameter names and their values. This is a very handy feature that allows you, for example, to clean the registry from traces unnecessary program by her name.

When editing the registry manually, you need to be very careful. One wrong action and the system will be completely broken, and Windows will have to be reinstalled.

Users who are just starting to understand how to work with a computer often ask when they can make changes to the registry themselves, and when they need to contact a professional for help. If possible, a specialist, if there are problems with the registry, you should always call or at least invite an experienced friend. It is highly undesirable for a non-professional to make adjustments to actual records. In addition, before adjusting, it is imperative to make a backup copy of the registry, then in case of incorrect actions that will lead to the inoperability of the system, it will be possible to restore the registry from the backup through the same utility that was used to make changes. You also need to remember that in no case should you replace the registry of one version Windows system registry of a different version.

The most common mistakes and their consequences when adjusting the registry by amateurs can be called deleting or changing desired sections and keys, after which some programs may stop working, not boot Account user or a complete failure of the system.

REGISTRY MONITORING

The Windows registry is a reflection of how the operating system works. And in order to understand that everything in the system works without interruptions, it is necessary to constantly monitor it. The ideal option is to use for monitoring some popular utility that was created specifically for this purpose. Why should it be installed and used? In order to analyze the work of programs. The user will always be able to see what processes are taking place in the system, which programs are running and which of them access the registry most often, and if he sees something suspicious, he can take measures to fix it.

Monitoring utilities are quite easy to use. Even a person who does not have a special education can understand them. And this is their big plus, since it is desirable for all users, both experienced and beginners, to know at least approximately what is happening in the OS registry of their computer. For example, you can use one of the most popular registry monitoring utilities - Registry Monitor (RegMon).

REGISTRY CARE

When installing and then removing various programs, the Windows user does not always know that, as a rule, information about them is not completely removed from the registry. There are always some "tails" that further slow down the system. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to carry out not only monitoring of the registry, but also to provide care for it. To do this, you do not need to look for the remaining entries in the registry yourself, you can do this using special programs, whose existence has already been mentioned above. The programs jv16 PoverTools, CCleaner, Reg Organizer, RegCleaner and others do this job well. With their help, the user can not only clean the registry from "garbage", but also defragment the hard drive, edit startup, clear browser history, delete obsolete system restore files, etc.

CONCLUSION

The ability to handle the registry is a huge plus for a user of any level. In this case, without waiting for outside help, you can independently improve or restore the performance of your operating system in case of serious problems. True, it is even more important not to bring your working operating system to a deplorable state by monitoring the registry, or at least its constant cleaning of "garbage".

In general, most problems with Windows that arise due to problems in the registry can be solved independently with the help of expert advice, which they favorably place on the Internet. True, in order to use them, in any case, you need to know, at least in general terms, what the registry is and how to make changes to it. Well, if you couldn’t cope with the problems on your own, your basic knowledge will help you correctly explain the essence of the problem to the computer service specialist, which will significantly speed up the process of its elimination.