What Is a File That Contains Part of the Windows Registry In Windows 2000 & Windows XP?

Windows 2000 and XP store registry information in file hives.

The registry is an important database of system and user settings in both Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000. The registry database is stored in a series of files on the computer's hard drive.

Registry File Label

The individual files that constitute the registry database are called "hives." Each hive can be expanded into keys and values.

Default Location

The registry system hive files are stored by default in the "%SystemRoot%\System32\Config" folder. "%SystemRoot%" is a variable that commonly points to "C:\Windows." The registry user hive files are stored by default in their respective user profile folders in "C:\Documents and Settings."

Major Registry Hive Files

Registry hive files have no file extension. There are backup and log files for some hives that contain file extensions. Some of the major registry hive files are named "System," "Ntuser.dat," "Security" and "Software."

References

• Microsoft MSDN: Registry Hives
• Microsoft Support: Registry Information for Advanced Users