What is Registry in Windows Operating System and what is registry editor?

What is Window's Registry?

First, I will try to explain windows registry in layman's terms. Windows registry is nothing, but a database of software and hardware related settings managed by your computer in a centralized way. More specifically, Windows registry is a hierarchical database that contains many different information such as user profiles, hardware related information, information related to installed application in a computer, info related to configuration of any windows system etc. 

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Now, do not get confused with the word hierarchical database. A hierarchical database means a data model where information is stored and organized in a Tree-like structure or a parent-child structure. One parent node can have many child nodes and they are connected through links. 

Before Windows registry was introduced, .INI files store each program's settings in text files or in binary files. Though .ini files are still in use, most of Window's programs rely on settings made to the registry. 

All registry files are not saved at a same location on a computer. They are in different places in your system. 

C:\Windows\System32\config\* - This is the location for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE 

C:\Users\username\ntuser.dat - This is the location for HKEY_CURRENT_USER 

and so on. 

What is Registry editor in Windows? 

Registry editor is a tool in Microsoft windows to view windows registry files and make changes. 

To open Windows registry editor, simply press and hold windows button on your keyboard and then press button "R", this will bring up RUN BOX.   

Now, type regedit in run box and hit enter. This will bring up the registry editor. 

What is Registry Hives? 

In registry there are many sections, and those sections are known as hives which contain registry keys, subkeys and values. All keys that are considered as hives begin with HKEY and they are at the root.  

Important: Windows registry contains very critical configuration of your system. Making incorrect changes in keys or in values can prevent windows from booting. So, make sure you back up registry before modifying anything. 

To back up registry, first open registry editor and then click on file. From the menu just click on Export. Select the location where you want to save your backup file, name it and then click on save.