About Registry Settings

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject: About Registry Settings

Data Type
The “Data Type” refers to the type of data - or data format - of the registry value. Data types are usually:

REG_BINARY, in which the value is stored in raw binary code.

REG_DWORD, which is typically used for boolean values in your registry and is a four-byte number. This registry data type might show in your REGEDIT tool as a decimal or hexadecimal format.

REG_EXPAND_SZ, which is a string of variables that are replaced when this data type is called to action by software.

REG_MULTI_SZ, which is used for registry values that are composed of multiple values or lists. In this data format, each of these values or lists are seperated by a null character type.

REG_SZ, which is used for text values and strings.
System Key“System Key” stands for the location of a Windows registry value. Usually your computer’s system keys can be found under “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE”, and because of this system keys will affect your entire system.

User Key
Your “User Key” in your registry stands for the location of a specific Windows registry value. Typically, your computer’s user keys can be found under “HKEY_CURRENT_USER”, and because of this, user keys only affect the settings of the current Windows system user or account.

Value Data
“Value Data” refers to what data is acceptable to be written to the registry value.

Value NameThe
“Value Name” refers to what the name of a registry value that you’ll be creating or editing. Typically, value names are not case sensitive.

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