Registry 101 - Getting To Know The Windows Registry

Most people are aware that viruses and Spyware are not going to do anything good for your computer. This being said, many people are not able to decipher just what these malicious programs do when they are embedded in your computer. This only stands to reason that people who are downloading registry cleaners also have no idea just what these programs are cleaning and why. A majority know that cleaning your registry often will help make your computer run at its peak performance but have no clue why this is important.

A computer’s registry is a database of all the files, software, and programs that make a computer run. This is how the computer knows what functions to perform when requested. If the registry becomes corrupted in any way it can severely affect the way your system runs. The registry is basically designed and known as a “tree structure”. This is actually more along the lines of an inverted tree structure because all of the branches and roots that are connected to a registry file all stem from the top down. This can best be described and put into a more metaphorical sense by comparing it to a family tree listing ancestry.

The basic element in this design is that there is a specific key assigned to every application that you have on your computer and is needed for the operating system to reference when performing a desired task. If these keys are not in sync your computer will not run as efficiently as it should. A key is nothing more than an elaborate folder filled with the necessary software to make your computer function properly. A registry cleaner will make sure these folders – keys – are not cluttered with fragments of old software or programs. Inside these keys are entries or values that are known as subkeys, which are the primary source for almost all of your downloaded software, hardware, or programs.

There are five keys that are in the primary of part of your Windows registry and they are as follows:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT – This is the storage of information that your computer will use as its reference when running programs and applications.
• HKEY_USERS – Every programmed user has preferences and this is used to store information relating to each unique user.
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER – The computer can allocate all the information pertaining to the current user and allows access to the data that is in the HKEY_USERS key.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – Keeps all the information regarding software and hardware that has been installed on the computer and separates them into five subkeys:
• Software: Holds all the data of downloaded software
• Hardware: Supplies device driver settings and reconstructs itself every time you restart your computer; this subkey can never be modified.
• Security: This holds the key to all of your password, security policies, user rights, lockouts, etc; can never be modified
• Security Accounts Management (SAM): Holds all data of security settings, user accounts, memberships, etc; can never be modified.
• System: Holds all the information for booting up your system properly.
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG – Holds all the pertinent information regarding the present active hardware and software. This key acquires its information from the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key when it requires it.

Registry cleaners work inside this structure to make sure there are no lingering programs, software, or hardware overwriting the current structure that is in place to optimize your computer’s performance. Using this tool on a regular basis can help prevent your system from acquiring clutter that will disrupt this process and structure.