Where is the registry and what is it?

Inexperienced users usually associate the registry with something complicated and completely incomprehensible. The panic is greatly strengthened if you read in a textbook a section dedicated to this. This is due to the fact that everywhere it is clearly indicated that at the slightest failure in the registry there may be something disrupted in the system's operation. That's why every user simply has to know where the registry is and what it is, at least in general terms. Let's deal with this important element of the system.

Where is the registry

Let's start by defining what it is. The registry is an incredibly large database, where all the settings and settings of the operating system are grouped. Information is collected and systematized according to certain specific principles. After the user sends a request, the activation of a particular component occurs. The register has a hierarchical structure, which is observed very strictly. This means that there are the main elements, and those that obey them. The database can be seen through a built-in program called the Registry Editor. It is necessarily present in all versions of the operating system. If you want to know where the registry is, you should know and how to call it. To do this, select "Run" in the main menu, and then enter the name of the element that you need to open in the window that opens. In this field, enter the word regedit, and then click "OK". After that you will see the registry in front of you. It consists of five main categories. At the beginning of the name of each of them is the word HKEY, after which there is a "_" sign, and then the name of the section is already written. The left field of the opened window displays more complete information about each element.

Now that you have found out where the Windows registry is located, you can go to the main points:

- HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT - is intended for storing information about extensions of each type of files that is registered in the system, as well as information about which embedded COM servers are available.

- HKEY_CURRENT_USER - designed to store information related to the work of each user currently working with the computer.

- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE - designed to store a huge amount of information. There are data on the software, drivers and settings of all this.

- HKEY_USERS - is designed to store information that is relevant for all users who have the ability to access the operating system.

- HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG - is intended for storing data about equipment that is functioning at the moment when the computer is started. There is information about all the drivers, so you can choose the one that is needed at a particular time.

Now you not only know where the registry is located, but also what items it contains. These five categories are root directories that have a whole set of subordinate folders that contain a lot of important data. To view the content, click on the "+" icon next to the category name. After that, a branch should open, in which too several categories can be contained.

The sections of the registry store information necessary to ensure that the computer's operation remains stable. There are data about user profiles, installed software and hardware, properties of folders and files. All of them are necessary at system start and its work. The register is constantly updated with new and new volumes of information, as the system is constantly enriched with new programs and equipment. At the same time, there is very little that a user can boast of that correctly removes unused programs, because of which the registry has a lot of unnecessary information.

Now you know where the registry file is and how to use it.