Pearls of Windows Wisdom

The Windows registry is the backbone of the operating system.  The registry stores all sorts of information that tells Windows how to look, feel, and behave.  Unless you are absolutely sure what you are doing, you should never alter any of the values in the registry.  The consequences of a registry mistake can render your machine inoperable and such mistakes may be impossible to fix, save a reinstallation of Windows or worse.  Registry editing is best done by pros, so you shouldn’t try this at home. However, should the need arise, there are tools, such as Regedit.exe, that help you do the job quickly, easily, and properly.

A typical example of when registry editing is necessary is when you uninstall software but some of the registry entries are left behind.  By using the Find feature of Regedit, you can locate those entries and, if it is safe, delete them.  You should contact the software manufacturer or your systems consultant to determine if deletion of the entries will harm your system.