Even though registry repair software is designed to do all the dirty work for you, to get the most out of any registry cleaner you use, not to mention to avoid any problems to your computer caused by using the software, it helps to understand what it’s doing.
Just like a manager or supervisor should understand the basics of the duties being performed by their underlings, so should you have a passing knowledge of what your registry cleaner is proposing to clean.
A Windows Registry is built like a Tree, with a hierarchal structure with main branches called Hives, off of which Keys and Values are grouped like bundles of leaves. The keys and values in each hive relate to a unique and specific function of your PC, organized in such a way as to make it easiest for your Windows operating system to find all the information it needs to perform whatever function you command of it.
There are 5 main hives beneath which most of the entries in your Windows registry are contained. Learn to recognize the prefixes that identify to which hive a registry entry belongs, and you’ll have a reasonable idea of what area of functionality that entry relates to.
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT stores information on applications and their corresponding file types (in other words, where your computer looks to find out what application to use when opening any given file as well as what files to use when running any given program);
• HKEY_USERS stores information on each individual user on that system (such as Preferences, etc.);
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER stores all data relating to the current, active user on the system (that means you, at the moment);
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE stores information on all the software and hardware installed on the system as well as all security policies, settings, and system booting procedures;
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG: stores all the vital configuration data that pertains to the hardware and software currently active on the system (in other words, all the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE info relevant to whatever hardware and software are currently being utilized).
Now, when your registry cleaner identifies registry entries it suspects need some sort of fixing or cleaning, you’ll be able to examine that entry yourself with a keener understanding of what it does and whether your computer needs it or not.