Editing the Registry

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Most users never need to edit the registry. You can configure most system services by using the programs provided with Windows (such as Computer Management, Control Panel, and Group Policy), or by using the administrative tools that install with optional services (such as WINS Manager and Internet Service Manager).

Using the Registry Editor

If you need to view the registry or to change a value that can be changed only in the registry directly, use Regedit.exe, the registry editor installed with Windows Server 2003. An alternative registry editor, Regedt32.exe, which is included in Windows 2000 and earlier, is not included in Windows Server 2003, although many of its functions appear in the Windows Server 2003 version of Regedit.exe.

Caution

• Do not experiment with the registry or change any settings if you do not understand them completely. The vast majority of registry settings are maintained automatically, and many can only be maintained correctly by the operating system itself. Changing these settings can produce unexpected, contradictory, or uninterpretable instructions in operating system and application programs. Editing registry settings can also degrade the performance of your system, obscure the location of essential files, or invalidate your Windows licensing agreement. Before making any changes, be sure to back up the registry by using one of the methods described in Backing Up and Restoring the Registry. After you make changes, be sure to test them before returning your computer to normal operation.

To start Regedit.exe, click Start, click Run, and then type Regedit.

Regedit.exe does not display the registry directly. Instead, it constructs a virtual database from several sources of data. These sources include some of the files in %systemroot%\System32\config. Regedit.exe does not display some portions of the registry that are particularly sensitive and that should never be edited, such as a subtree related to performance counters. For more information about Regedit.exe, see Registry Editor in Help and Support Center for Windows Server 2003, or see Help in Regedit.exe.

Making Registry Changes Effective

When you use an administrative tool to change the configuration of a system feature or service, the change usually takes effect either immediately or soon.

However, if you make the same change by editing the registry, for the change to take effect you might need to log off and log on again, restart the service, or restart Windows.

In general, if you change the value of any entry in the CurrentControlSet subkey, you must restart the computer for the changes to take effect. Also, if you use the registry editor Regedit.exe to change values for most entries in HKEY_CURRENT_USER, you must log off and log on again for the changes to take effect.

When a change to the value of an entry is not immediate, the description of the entry contains an Activation Method, which describes what you need to do to make the change effective.