The Registry

[orange400]

Where is it? Is it a file? I really need to know, thanks!!

[Antillian]

registry - A database repository for information about a computer's configuration. The registry contains information that Windows continually references during operation, such as:

* Profiles for each user.
* The programs installed on the computer and the types of documents each can create.
* Property settings for folders and program icons.
* What hardware exists on the system.
* Which ports are being used.
* The registry is organized hierarchically as a tree and is made up of keys and their subkeys, hives, and value entries.

[UberBlue]

Config.sys. I've corrupted it so many times...

[Como]

config.sys is NOT the registry...in windows 98 the registry is suer.dat and system.dat, backups are user.da0 and system.da0...config.sys is a file that loads drivers for dos and some older stuff for windows 9x (no idea about XP)

[N-Bandit]

Um can I ask, what do you need to know this for? if you do the wrong thing in the registry your OS might not work afterwards. Is is kinda scary for some one to be asking what is is.

Not trying to be a richard cranium here, but I just hope you dont accidentaly frag yur registry.

Mike

[UberBlue]

Originally posted by Como
config.sys is NOT the registry...in windows 98 the registry is suer.dat and system.dat, backups are user.da0 and system.da0...config.sys is a file that loads drivers for dos and some older stuff for windows 9x (no idea about XP)

Config.sys is the registry for Windows XP.

Windows XP Registry Guide, Microsoft Press, chapter 1, page 28
Physically, Windows XP organizes the registry in hives, each of which is in a binary file called a hive file, Windows XP creates additional supporting files that contain backup copies of each hive's data... ...The hive and supporting files for all hives are in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config.

Also, I reference this (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307545&Product=winxp) Microsoft knowledge base article.

[Movax]

:confused: Config.sys still isn't the registry.

You just proved that in your own post. There are a number of hive files that are all make up the registry.

Open config.sys in notepad. More than likey it is an empty (0 byte) file.

[UberBlue]

GAH! You're right. I'm going to attempt to save face by blaming my confusion on an 18 hour road trip. You know how mind numing those can be.

Anyways... Here's a screen shot of windows\system32\config with all of its hive files.


http://www.theforumisdown.com/uploadfiles/1203/registry.JPG

The actual hive's are binary files without a file extention that corespond with their respective HKEY. THe only hive you're not going to find in there is the one for hardware since it's a dynamic file and is rebuilt at each startup.

[itshondo]

UberBlue-

great avtar! I watched my little brother do that when we were kids...

[Movax]

Originally posted by UberBlue
GAH! You're right. I'm going to attempt to save face by blaming my confusion on an 18 hour road trip. You know how mind numing those can be.

THe only hive you're not going to find in there is the one for hardware since it's a dynamic file and is rebuilt at each startup.


And Current User. That is under \documents and settings\username\user.dat


Glad we got that straightened out.