How to Edit the Registry Using the Registry Editor

Setup installs Registry Editor (REGEDIT.EXE) in the %systemroot%\System32 directory during installation. However, because most users do not need to use Registry Editor, it does not appear on the Start menu. To start Registry Editor, click Run on the Start menu, type Regedit, and then click OK. Although Registry Editor allows you to perform manual edits on the Registry, it is intended for troubleshooting and problem resolution. You should make most configuration changes through either Control Panel or Administrative Tools. However, some
configuration settings can be made only directly through the Registry.

Caution Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system-wide problems that
could require reinstallation of Windows XP Professional. When using Registry Editor to view or
edit data, use a program such as Windows Backup to save a backup copy of the Registry file
before viewing. In Windows XP Professional, you can use Backup to back up the System State,
which includes the Registry, the COM class registration database, and the system boot files.

Registry Editor saves data automatically as you make entries or corrections. New Registry
data takes effect immediately. You can select Find Key on the View menu to search the Registry for a specific key.
Key names appear in the left pane of Registry Editor. The search begins at the currently selected key and parses all descendant keys for the specified key name. The search is local to the subtree in which the search begins. For example, a search for a key in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree does not include keys under HKEY_CURRENT_USER.