Registry key

[sheba517]

I keep reading all these tips and tweaks for windows xp and I would love to try some, but I don't know what a registry key is or how to get there. Can anyone tell me a good place to read about it and maybe have it explained what the heck it is??
Thanks a ton
sheba517
Below is an example of what I am talking about...

I find it a lot more convenient to have the Shift key release the Caps Lock function, as typewriters do. Windows 2000 offers this option during installation, but most people never notice it. With Windows XP, the feature is available from the Control Panel, but only when you install another keyboard layout during installation. I have tracked down a way to control this setting after the fact by manipulating the Registry.

In the Registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Keyboard Layout, create a DWORD value named Attributes, if it isn't already present. Double-click on it, then choose Hexadecimal, and set its value to 00010000. Now, when you press and release the Shift key while the Caps Lock is active, Caps Lock will turn off.

[Amie]

Sheba

Welcome to MPC.

To access your registry go to Start > Run

and type

Regedit

Click OK.

This is the site that I started learning about the registry from 4 years ago, it has a tutorial and hundreds of tips and tweaks;

Registry Guide for Windows (http://www.winguides.com/article.php?id=1&page=2&guide=registry)

[LeRoi]

Please export a copy of the registry before you begin tweaking.

This is a very dangerous place to make mistakes and a backup can save you lots of grief.

I am not sure if XP is the same as other OSes in that you can use the command scanreg /restore to restore a working registry (from this morning up to five days ago), but I think it is.

[Amie]

Elwood

Unfortunately you can't restore the XP registry using Scanreg /restore because XP does not allow you to boot into pure DOS, unless you use a boot disk.

Here is an article that gives the options for XP;

Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry (http://www.theeldergeek.com/windows_xp_registry.htm)

Amie :amie:

[LeRoi]

Thanks Amie,

I just didn't realize how different XP really is, of course I'm no registry wiz anyway. :doh:

The few times I have used scanreg /restore, I have done it from within Windows, using Run.

I close all running processes and type scanreg /restore and press enter, then I'm presented with five working registry choices that say "started" next to them. I choose one and press enter and have to reboot.

It has corrected the mistake I made each time, thank goodness, LOL. :lol: :P