How to Find Information on Using the Windows Registry

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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(3 Ratings)

If you enjoy customizing your Windows desktop and tweaking the Windows settings to get better performance, then you'll want to learn how to edit the Windows Registry. You can edit it directly (if you like living on the edge) or you can edit it with one of the currently available utilities. Use the steps below to find information on editing the Registry for Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Microsoft Windows

Step 1

Search the Web for general information on the Registry, what it is and what you can do with it. A search engine like Google or Yahoo! will provide a good start.
Step 2

Check out Internet newsgroups, such as alt.windows98 and alt.windows95, and public Microsoft newsgroups.
Step 3

Install the Registry backup utility "cfgback" if you are using Windows 95; it's a useful backup tool. You can find it on the Windows 95 installation CD (other/misc/cfgback directory). Windows 98 users can use the "scanreg" program, which is included in the Windows 98 installation.
Step 4

Look for useful utilities, like TweakUI, in your Windows 98 installation CD (Tools\Reskit\Powertoy) or on the Internet. This is a great tool, created by the Microsoft developers, to safely edit the Registry.
Step 5

Look for books on the Registry or on advanced Windows techniques in general. They provide more detail on its structure, a variety of tips and tricks for improving Windows performance, and some include utilities on CD.