RegEdit is a program on Windows PCs that is used to edit the registry. The registry is set of files on your PC that is used to store information about the hardware and software configuration of your PC. The software configuration information includes programs that are part of Windows and programs that you have loaded onto the PC. Programs and services that the system will run as you boot up are in the registry as well as settings that program maintain during normal use. But the registry is also the place many viruses, adware, spyware, and malware programs attach and place information that deleteriously affects your PC.
A word of warning! If you use RegEdit to alter the registry you can corrupt the registry. This may render your system unusable. Your system may not even boot up. So if you're not comfortable reloading the operating system on your PC, or if you don't have the original installation media for your programs this is probably not for you. As always in these type of instructions, there is no warranty or guarantee express or implied and you edit the registry at your own risk!
But it's okay to look right! Yes, but RegEdit doesn't have an undo button or a restore option. There are ways to restore previous versions of the registry, but it is an advanced technique which is not covered here. In this example, we will just look and begin to understand how the registry works, and how to use RegEdit.
Proceed with caution Okay now that you are sufficiently warned, let's take a look at the registry with RegEdit.
- Click "Start" on your Windows menu (the orb for Windows Vista users)
- Then click "Run" Don't have a "Run" option? If you know how to set the properties for your start bar you can enable the "Run" option there. If you don't know how to do that maybe you should reconsider whether you want to do this it all. But as an option, you can click "Programs", then "Accessories", then click "Command Prompt".
- Type "RegEdit" (without the quotes) and click "OK" or press enter if you are using the "Command Prompt".
When RegEdit starts the window is divided into two panes. The left-hand pane shows a hierarchical display starting from the top with "My Computer" (you may have use the vertical scroll bar in the pane). The hierarchical view reflects the organization of the registry -- sort of like the directory on your PC's hard disk -- files and folders within folders. In the registry you have keys and data. And the keys are referenced by a hierarchical path like your file paths on the hard disk with backslashes separating them. The right-hand pane shows data items, types, and data.
There will be a plus ("+") or minus ("-") next to the folder icons. The plus ("+") opens the contents below the folder and the minus ("-") closes it. Close up all the folders by clicking the minus ("-") signs. Now you will see the standard five folders make up the registry that at are the top level and are call hives. If you are using a very old version of Windows there might not be five.
- Click the plus ("+") next to the folder titled "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
- Look for the folder underneath called "SOFTWARE".If it is not already open, click the plus ("+") next to it to open it.
- Look for the folder underneath called "Microsoft".If it is not already open, click the plus ("+") next to it to open it.
- Look for the folder underneath called "Windows".If it is not already open, click the plus ("+") next to it to open it.
- Look for the folder underneath called "CurrentVersion".If it is not already open, click the plus ("+") next to it to open it.
- Look for the folder underneath called "Run".If it is not already open, click the plus ("+") next to it to open it. But then click once right on the folder itself.
Notice on the bottom status line, the complete hierarchical path that we have navigated is displayed there. It should look like this: My Computer/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Run (forward slash should be replaced with backslash, EzineArticles doesn't seem to like backslashes) In the right-hand pane you will see a list with column headings of "Name", "Type", and "Data". This particular key is used when Windows starts up to run programs. The data often contains the path to the program referenced. It is also one place many viruses, adware, spyware malware programs, and just annoying programs place information so that they run every time your PC starts. But there may be items in here that your computer needs. Microsoft places items here. And your computer manufacture may also put items in here. So take care if you do decide to delete something (which you can do by right-clicking and selecting delete).
There are safer and more efficient ways to edit the registry -- especially if you are looking for intruders that have invaded your registry. Anti-virus, spyware/adware detection software, and registry cleaners offer alternatives to using RegEdit.
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