What is Windows Registry

What is Windows Registry?

Microsoft Windows Registry is a Windows database that stores Windows settings for applications and hardware devices for one or more users. If you are an advanced windows user then you can change Windows settings by changing Windows registry. Registry contain information that continually updates during Windows operations like user profiles, applications installed on Windows, types of documents that each can create, property settings for folders, application icons, what hardware exists on system and the ports that being used by hardware etc.If you have plan to edit or update your registry then take backup your system and registry.


How to backup and restore the registry in Windows?

If you want take backup automatically by Microsoft's Guided Help then click on http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=aw;en-us;322756&eula=1 and download registry guided help.
You must be logged on as Administrator account
You must be running an English version of Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help. Manual steps to back up the registry

Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
On the Create a Restore Point page, type a name for the restore point and then click Create.
After the restore point has been created, click Close. Note If System Restore is turned off, you receive a message that asks whether you want to turn on System Restore now. Click Yes. Then, in the System Properties dialog box, click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box, click OK, and then repeat this step. Manual steps to restore the registry
Click Start, click Run, type %SystemRoot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then click OK.
On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.

On the Select a Restore Point page, click the system checkpoint. In the On this list select the restore point area, click an entry that is named "Guided Help (Registry Backup)," and then click Next. If a System Restore message appears that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make, click OK.

On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration and then restarts the computer.
Log on to the computer. When the System Restore confirmation page appears, click OK.