How to Edit Another User's Registry

The Registry Editor is included with the Windows operating system.

The Windows registry contains information about how your system runs. For example, configurations, passwords and program information are all stored in the registry. You can edit your registry by simply opening the Windows Registry Editor. However, you may want to edit another user's registry. For example, you may want to disable a program in an employee's user account. Fortunately, this can be done without having to purchase expensive software.

Instructions

1. Log in to the Windows operating system using your administrator name and password.

2. Click "Start," type "regedit" into the "Search" box and press "Enter." The Registry Editor opens.

3. Click "HKEY_USERS" in the left pane of the Registry Editor, then click "File" and "Load Hive." The "Open" dialog box appears.

4. Double-click the "Documents and Settings\Username" folder. Note that "Username" should be the name of the user whose registry you want to edit.

5. Double-click the "NTUSER.DAT" file located within the folder you just opened. If you cannot see the file, click "Tools," "Folder Options," "View," and check the box next to "Show Hidden Files and Folders and Drives."

6. Type a name of the user into the empty box.

7. Go back to the Registry Editor. You will now see a folder with the name of the user in the left pane of the Registry Editor. Double-click on the folder. The user's registry will appear. You can now edit that registry.

References

• Petri IT Knowledgebase: Edit Registry Settings for Users Other than Myself