What is the Windows Registry?
A lot of basic Windows errors seem to start with the Windows Registry. So before we start tackling the major problems that our caused by the Windows Registry, let’s try and get a basic idea of it’s history, it’s purpose, and why it can be your worst nightmare:
The Windows Registry came around with the release of Windows 95. It was designed as replacement for the different ini (short for initiation) files that were used to configure the computer in previous versions of Windows 3.x and previous.
The purpose of the Windows Registry is to serve as a centralized location for applications (such as Microsoft Word, your internet browser and many others) to store their data and default settings. It’s also where the operating system itself stores various portions of data.
In other words, the Registry is simply a place where you computer remembers basic things - from printer settings, to default fonts, to software installed.