[shuggee]

I, like many other people, it seems, am reluctant to make any alterations to the registry for fear of creating a situation I can't recover from.

I would, however, like to be able to perform some of the tweaks I've read about on sites like this one.

Can anyone tell me how and/or where I can learn more about the registry and how the OS (XP, preloaded, in my case) works.

Thanks,

shuggee

[dlt]

Here's the MS knowledge base article about the registry.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.as ... us;Q322756

[XJan87]

I believe Microsoft Press has books that explain how the registry works...

[shuggee]

Thanks for the information.

I'll have a look at the article and scout around for relevant books.

shuggee

[jrooth]

:D To learn about the registry and all its mysteries would require one to go to the Himalaya's and speak with the greatone. He , who i sgreat, would tell you with the straightest face, "I DON"T KNOW!"

Break it, fix it, and then break it again. That is not my motto, but my way of life since 1974. Then we had a small computer room, 4000 sq ft with a raised floor,, a huge IBM 360 (top of the line) with 64Kb of ram. Huge machne that could do anything...unless you typed in :print and forgot to add any other parameters. d*mn thing would print for hours...

[QNman]

Growing up, I didn't have a lot of cash, but I had a car that needed work on it if I were to drive it... so I learned by tinkering, and I got pretty d*mn good at it. I cracked two heads made a few other minor errors that cost me some money and a LOT of time, but in the long run, I learned a lot, including to approach the unknown with a little extra caution.

This is supposed to be a technical forum, right? People who blindly follow instructions they don't understand are doing so at their own risk... and I would suggest they are probably aware of that! Let's not stop sharing technical information openly because it might cost some newbie a few hours of headaches!
:

[dlaws]

Hey, all.

One doesn't need to be a supertechie to use these registry tweaks. One only needs to be able to follow the instructions. Even typing isn't really a prerequisite because cutting and pasting can be used.

If it's just a matter of confidence (which it is), the only way to get that confidence is to edit the registry a few times.

The only other thing you might want to do is wait until a few of the staff members post positve reviews of the registry edits ("Great tweak!") before implementing them, to make sure they're not malicious.

[mariclaire]

Great thread -- I am learning, I am learning. I think the warnings in here are extremely valid. The daring will always forge ahead no matter how they are cautioned, that's how they learn. The PC-challenged, like myself, need to have their hand held along the way and that is what I have always been able to get here. Something for everyone, it doesn't get much better than that....... :wink: ........I'm seeing San Diego, northern California, etc. here. I would like to invite all of you over to the Lounge for a cup of coffee (Kaniele's) and share your day with us. All work and no play makes for a dull techie, come on over and have some fun.

[Sprenon]

If a Registry tweak is posted as a reg file, why not post another reg file that will "undo" what the first one does? Just have it put back the default values...

- Sprenon

[purplehawk]

There's another blast from the past. Welcome back, Sprenon!