Introduction to Registry Basics

Although the registry manages various kinds of information through the various root keys and subkeys, the specific data information depends on key values and key values. Most of the branches or subkeys in the registry also contain one or more "value entries". Each value entry corresponds to a set of data of a certain data type, which is the key value entry and the key value, and when you open Registry Editor, select a branch or subkey, and the right window in Registry Editor displays the key values and key values.

A careful friend may notice that some of the icon contents of a key value item are "AB" and some are "0, 1", because the Registry Editor divides key values into characters and numeric types based on the difference between key values. Right-click in the blank of the key-Value Entry window and select the new menu item to see that the key values are subdivided into: string values, binary values, DWORD values, multiple string values, and expandable string values of five types.

String Value (REG_SZ)

This value is generally used as a file description and hardware flag, can be a letter, a number, or a Chinese character, but it is a fixed length text string, the maximum length can not exceed 255 characters. The general performance of the Reg file is: "A" = "* * *".

Binary Value (REG_BINARY)

Typically, most hardware component information is stored in binary data and then displayed in the Registry Editor in hexadecimal format. The type value has no length limit, can be arbitrary byte length, reg file generally behaves as follows: "A" = "hex:01,00,00,00".

Dwoed Value (REG_DWORD)

Data represented by a 4-byte long (32-bit integer) number. Many of the parameters for device drivers and services are this type, displayed in the Registry Editor in binary, hexadecimal, or decimal format. REG file generally behaves as "a" = "dword:00000001".

When modifying the registry, string values, binary values, and DWORD values are most commonly used, while multiple string values, expandable string values are visible only in Regedt32.exe, except for Windows XP systems.

Tip: The five types in Figure 2 are included in the Windows XP system, and the Windows 98 system contains only string values, binary values, DWORD values three types.

To modify a key value entry or key value

In most cases, modifying the registry is done by modifying the key value from a value to B. When you need to modify it, just double-click the key value entry (or right-click the key value entry, select Modify menu item), and then modify it in its edit window.

However, when you adjust the registry according to some tricks, you will find that the registry file does not have the key values given in the technique, and you need to create a key value entry. Right-click in the window blank and select the corresponding key value type based on the type provided in the technique, and the key value entry is created. Then right-click the new key value entry, select the Rename menu item, modify the name to the character described in the technique, and then double-click the key value entry to enter a specific key value.

If you find that you created the wrong key value or you need to modify the registry by clearing the key value, simply select the Delete menu item in the right-click shortcut menu.

Let's take a look at some simple examples of how to control our computer by modifying registry key values or key values, for example, with Windows XP.

Let hidden files not appear

In the file's Properties dialog box, if we modify the file's properties to hidden, you can hide the file directly. However, people who know a little bit about computers will be viewing hidden files by selecting Folder Options/view/Show All files and folders. At this point, we can also disable the "Show All Files and folders" feature by modifying the corresponding key values in the registry to prevent the above methods from viewing hidden files.

Click Start/Run, enter the "regedit" command in the "Run" dialog box, open Registry Editor after Enter, and navigate to "Hkey_local_machinesoftwaremicrosoftwin dows Currentversionexploreradvancedfolderhiddenshowall Branch, double-click the "CheckedValue" key value entry in the right window, set the numeric data to "0", and then exit Registry Editor.

Then, open Folder Options, select "Show All Files and folders" again, and make sure that files that are set to "hidden" after exiting are not displayed, and that the file is actually hidden.

Tip: If you want to restore the "Show All Files and folders" feature, simply reset the key value of the "CheckedValue" key value to "1".

Keep Registry Editor in the root directory

Typically, after you have operated on the Registry Editor in a Windows XP system, the editor automatically records the results of the last operation, when you open the editor again, the cursor will automatically stay in the last use position, to do other things to return to the root directory, so for beginners friend how much trouble.

At this point, we can open Registry Editor, position the cursor to the "Hkey_current_usersoftwaremicrosoftwindows currentversionappletsregedit" branch (Figure 5), and in the right window, select " Lastkey the key value entry and clears the numeric data for the key value entry. Then right click on the "Regedit" subkey, in the pop-up right-click shortcut menu, select the "Permission ..." menu item, select "Administrators" user in the "Regedit Permissions" window, and select "All Administrators permissions" to reject , quit Registry Editor, log off the user, and then open the editor again to find that the registry branch location is always in the root directory.