Three ways to open the Windows Registry Editor. Three Ways to Open the Windows Registry Editor Third-Party Registry Tools

To start editing the registry, press the Win + R keys and type the command regedit

Locking the Right Charms Bar

When you move the mouse cursor to the lower right or upper corner of the monitor, a panel pops up Charm Bar. This is not always convenient, especially if this panel is not needed at the moment. To block the panel, open the registry editor and find the section

in this section DisableCharmsHint and assign it a value 1

Blocking the left panel of the Switcher

To lock the left pane in the same section

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell\EdgeUI

create a DWORD value named DisableTLcorner and assign a value 1 .

To bring the panels back on hover, change the value of the options to 0

Disable Windows 8 lock screen

The lock screen in Windows 8 is a Metro interface that appears when the computer starts up or wakes up from sleep. To disable the lock screen, open the registry editor and in the section

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\

create a section personalization. In chapter Personalization create a DWORD value named NoLockScreen and assign a value 1

We speed up the launch of applications from Windows 8 startup

In Windows 8, starting applications from startup does not happen immediately, but after the Metro interface and its components are loaded. You cannot completely remove this pause, but you can reduce the loading time. Open the registry editor and in the section

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

create a section Serialize In this section, we create a DWORD parameter with the name StartupDelayInMSec and value equal to 0

Changes will take effect after reboot

Windows 8 is in high demand among PC users. But not everyone knows how to open the registry editor. There are several simple and effective ways to start editing it.

detailed instructions

Option 1

A quick command from the Win + R key combination will open the Run window.

We write the regedit command there and confirm the action with OK.

Option 2

We call the Task Manager with the well-known combination Ctrl + Alt + Del.

At the end of the procedure, we enter the already familiar regedit request and confirm the action.

Option 3

If you hold the mouse cursor on the right side of the screen, the so-called Shutter will drop out, which we need. On it we are looking for the line Search.

Under the Applications item is the Search line, where we write the word regedit.

It remains only to activate the application.

Option 4

In the upper right corner of the My Computer window is the Search line, which we need. There you need to write the regedit command.

Among several shortcuts, you need to select the one that is saved in the C:\Windows directory.

Option 5

Go back to My Computer and open the C drive.

Among the abundance of shortcuts, you need to find regedit with the Application type. Open it by double clicking.

These methods are available in order to visually see how to start the registry. Also, this instruction is suitable for Windows 8.1. Each option only takes a few minutes.

It's been a long time since I've posted in the For Beginners section, so I think I'll stop rambling. After thinking a little about the subject of the article, I decided to write about ways to enter the Windows Registry Editor. Although I write in each of the articles how to enter the registry. I'd rather write everything possible ways available on Windows operating systems by default. So what is a registry?

The Windows registry is a database containing all the settings and parameters necessary for the operation of the operating system. It contains settings for both hardware and software. Most of the changes in the control panel, editor group policies and additional system settings are written to the registry.

So, how do you enter the Windows Registry Editor?

Logging in through the Run utility

It is this method that I use in my articles, since, in my opinion, it is the fastest and most convenient. We perform three simple steps.

Through the search in the start menu

To begin with, let's look at the example of Windows 7, since it has an old version of the Start menu and this option is suitable for older operating systems.

For Windows 7, Vista and earlier

For Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

Opening via Windows Explorer

A very simple way: you just need to find desired file in the system folder. To do this, we follow the path:C:\windows. We are looking for a file and run it.

In my articles, tips, and notes, I often refer the reader to the Windows Registry Editor. Many of them involve intensive work with registry keys and values. I suddenly realized that not all of my readers got their hands on working with this program, and some of them had never launched the Registry Editor at all. Therefore, I decided to write a small guide to this program.

Table of contents:

What is Registry Editor

The Registry Editor was historically created as a tool for users who need to change Windows settings that don't appear in the user interface. The main function of this program is to view and change settings in system registry, that is, in a set of special binary files that contain information about both the Windows configuration and almost all the programs that are installed on your computer. Windows OS and many programs (with the exception of those that are so-called "portable", portable, in other words - do not require installation) store their settings in the registry.

How to start the Registry Editor

Method 1
Regardless Windows versions installed on your computer, this method will work:

Method 2
The Registry Editor executable is located in C:\Windows, which means that you can open this folder in Explorer and run the regedit.exe file with a mouse click.

Alternatively, you can create a shortcut to Regedit.exe and place it in the start menu/list Windows applications 8.x, to a folder

%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

This will make the Registry Editor visible in Windows search results and will also allow you to launch the application with a single click.

General view of the Registry Editor

The registry editor looks like this:

As you can see in the picture above, it consists of two panels:

the left one displays a hierarchical representation of the data structure, it is called sections (or keys);
the right panel displays options. They are pairs name = data and are stored inside the keys.

What does Registry Editor show?

As I mentioned above, the editor shows us sections and options.

Sections are a virtual representation of data from several files that form registry database. You can see exactly which files represent the registry on your computer if you go to this section:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist

Here you can find a list of files on your hard drive that store registry data. The data inside them, as mentioned above, has a hierarchical structure, and the registry editor shows them in the form of a "tree". The roots of the tree (master keys) in the general case represent a specific file, to the data of which access is granted.

However, there are also virtual keys that appear in the registry editor as ordinary files, but in reality are a representation of several files or even separate registry branches. They exist, as a rule, for backward compatibility. For example, HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG is a virtual view, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT is also a virtual view that combines the current user's registry keys and system keys.

Please note that some registry files do not appear in the Registry Editor window. For example, you will never see what is stored inside a SAM (Security Accounts Manager) file. In the registry editor, it is represented by the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\SAM branch and is supposedly empty there. This is done for security reasons.

Registry settings used by Windows and many third-party applications to store various configuration settings and some user data. Parameter values come in a variety of types, but are generally text/string values, numeric values, or binary values.

How to create a new registry key

To create a new key, right-click on the parent partition in the left pane and select Create -> Section from the context menu.

You must give the newly created section a name according to the requirements of the program for which you are creating it.

How to create a new parameter

To create a new parameter, you must right-click

on the current section on the left
or
in the empty space in the right pane.

Select the appropriate type for the new parameter and enter its name. Double click on the parameter name to set its value.

How to become the owner of a section and get full access to it

Just as the concepts of "permissions" and "ownership" apply to files and folders in file system NTFS, they also exist for registry keys. From the era of Windows Vista to the present day, most of the registry keys that store OS settings are protected by access control so that they cannot be easily removed or changed by the user. Sometimes you may need to change the data in such partitions, and for this you need to be able to change the owner of the partition and gain full access to it. To do this is quite simple.

How to restore TrustedInstaller as partition owner

Almost all system registry keys in Windows Vista, 7 and 8 have the TrustedInstaller account as their owner. After editing permissions on a partition, you must return ownership for this account, otherwise the operating system may not work correctly. To restore the TrustedInstaller property in Windows Vista, 7 and 8, type NT Service\TrustedInstaller in the "Enter the names of the objects to select" box. Click OK.

How to change permissions on a registry key

After changing the owner of a registry key, you almost always have to change the access rights, without this you will not be able to change the parameter values. To do this, you must switch to the Permissions tab in the Advanced Security Options dialog box.

Subsections may have so-called inherited permissions from its parent section. Alternatively, subkeys can also have explicit permissions other than the parent key.

In the first case, that is, if the permissions are inherited from the parent key, you must disable inheritance and copy the parent partition's permissions to the current key in order to be able to change them. To do this in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, uncheck "Add permissions inherited from parent objects" and click the "Add" button in the confirmation dialog box.

After disabling inheritance, select the appropriate user account and click Change to change access rights.

Windows 8 has a dedicated button to disable inheritance:

Permissions can be set in two ways: after disabling inheritance, you can set them only on the current partition, or you can set permissions on the current key and then apply them to all of its subkeys. To do this, check the box Replace all permission entries of a child object with those inherited from this object. This action will push the permissions you set down the key hierarchy for all subkeys.

Registry Editor command line switches

Jump to the desired registry key with one click

Option number 1

Some time ago, I created a RegOwnershipEx utility that allows you to get full access to a registry key with one click. In addition, it allows you to go to the desired registry key. I recommend that you take a look at it.

RegOwnershipEx allows the following:

become the owner and get full access to the selected registry key. There is a registry browser window for easy key selection.
favorites - for quick access to your favorite registry keys. It is integrated with the "Favorites" menu of the Registry Editor.
restore the permissions and ownership that you changed earlier. those. The program allows you to return the rights to their original state.
function "open in regedit" - you can open the selected key in the registry editor. This is a very handy option to quickly navigate to a section by simply copying its name.
shortcuts for root partitions - you can use HKCU instead of HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKLM instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and so on.
getting the registry path from the windows clipboard.
argument command line"/j" to extract the path to the registry key from the Windows clipboard and quickly switch to the registry editor.

It's all damn convenient!

Option 2

I wrote a simple script that will get the contents of the clipboard, write it to the registry and open the registry editor. The following scenario is assumed: You are reading an article, it says - "go to the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion". You highlight the path to the section, press CTRL+C and run the script. Registry Editor opens in the right place. .

The registry is a large database that stores all the settings necessary for the normal operation of the operating system. You can view it through the registry editor, which is available in Windows. Any user can enter it if his account has administrator rights.

And if you made any changes, or the computer turned off by itself, for various reasons, or you accidentally pressed the wrong key and deleted a parameter or an entire registry branch, then this may not have the best effect on the computer.

And yet, if this happened, let's figure out what are the ways to restore the registry of Windows 7 and Windows 8, for the normal operation of the computer.

With a backup

As you probably guessed, this method is not for everyone. If you have previously created backups registry via "File" - "Export" - read on, if not - go to the next method.

So, you have a backup. Press the combination Win + R, the window will open "Run". In the "Open" field, write regedit and click "OK".

The Registry Editor window should appear. In it, go to the "File" tab and select from the menu "Import".

Explorer will open, find the previously created backup in it and click "Open".

Wait while the files are copied.

Using System Restore

A system restore can be done using restore points. You could create them earlier, when the system worked stably and everything suited you. Or they could be created automatically by the system: when making changes to the computer configuration, before installing drivers, and so on.

Let's first consider, how to restore the registry if the operating system boots. In Windows 7, go to "Start" - "Control Panel".

Here we are interested in the point "Recovery".

In the next window, click "Starting System Restore".

Now you need to select a restore point. If there are several points, and you are in doubt, look at the date the point was created - did your computer work normally on these dates ?! - choose it. Clicking "Search for affected programs", you can see which programs will be removed as a result of recovery. Click "Next".

We confirm the rollback of the system to the selected state by clicking "Finish".

All data, including the registry, will correspond to the state that was at the time the selected restore point was created.

If you have Windows 8 installed on your computer, read the article: Windows 8 restore point and system rollback. There you will be interested in the second part. The actions will need to be performed the same as described above.

If the OS does not start

Restore the registry if the computer does not turn on is also possible. AT operating system Windows 7, when booting the computer, press, at intervals of 1 second, the F8 button. A window will appear "Additional download options". In it, use the arrows to select the item "Computer Troubleshooting".

In the next window, select a language and click "Next".

Select your account, it is better that it has administrator rights, then enter the password if you have set it when logging in, and click "OK".

The following window should appear, select the item in it "System Restore".

A recovery window will open, click "Next" in it and repeat the steps described in the paragraph above.

If you have Windows 8 installed on your computer, you can press F8 or Shift + F8 when loading, but you are unlikely to see a window for additional download options. It is best to use a system recovery disc or a bootable USB flash drive. You can create them on any other computer with Windows 8 installed.

Follow the link and read the article how to restore Windows 8. Everything is described in detail there. You should have the following window. Then go along the path: "Diagnostics" - "System Restore", and select the desired restore point.

Through the command line

In Windows, the files that are responsible for the operation of the registry are stored in the following path: C: (your system drive letter)/Windows/System32/config . The RegBack folder is also located there, it stores backup copies of all registry branches. They are updated by the system automatically, depending on the settings, every 5-10 days.

We need to do the following: delete the DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE files that are in the config folder and replace them with similar files from the RegBack folder.

We will not be able to do this in the operating system, since it will be necessary to replace the files responsible for its operation. Therefore, you need to use the advanced boot options, and open the command line.

In Windows 7, press F8 when booting the system. Then you need to do everything as described in the paragraph above. In the window "System Recovery Options", select an item "Command line". As a result, the command prompt will start as an administrator.

In Windows 8, you can open the command prompt using the combination . This is described in detail in the article: Windows 8 Safe Mode. Read the paragraph: enter safe mode using the combination Shift + reboot. When the next window appears, select "Command line".

If the computer does not turn on at all, due to changes in the registry, then read the paragraph: enter safe mode using the system recovery disk (you can create it on any computer with installed Windows 8).

So, we launched the command line. Now enter the following commands line by line. Press "Enter" at the end of each line. First, let's create a badreg folder on the system drive, copy all the files of our non-working registry into it. Then we will safely delete the DEFAULT, SAM, SECURITY, SYSTEM, SOFTWARE files from the config folder, because we have copies of them. And lastly, we copy the backups from the regback folder to the config folder.

MD c:\badreg
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\badreg
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\badreg
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\badreg
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\badreg
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\badreg

delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software

copy c:\windows\system32\config\regback\default c:\windows\system32\config\
copy c:\windows\system32\config\regback\sam c:\windows\system32\config\
copy c:\windows\system32\config\regback\system c:\windows\system32\config\
copy c:\windows\system32\config\regback\security c:\windows\system32\config\
copy c:\windows\system32\config\regback\software c:\windows\system32\config\
exit

After you enter the exit command, the command prompt window will close and the computer will restart.

I hope one of the ways will help you restore the registry in the operating Windows system 7 or 8.

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