Registry directory or dictionary?

[Guest]

Hi everyone

I am aware of many websites which deal with registry tweaks, but is there a
definitive document which gives details of ALL possible keys, values and
data? The reason that I ask is that some values can be thought of
instinctively, such as hiding file extensions: "NeverShowExt". If I didn't
know this value, I could have guessed at all sorts - "AlwaysHideExt",
"NeverShowExtension", "HideExtension", "NeverShowExt" etc. but none of these
would have worked. I assume that my Windows XP Pro knows about, and looks
for, "NeverShowExt" and acts accordingly.

Where can I find the full list of registry entries and what each does? I
realise that it's likely to be a large volume, if it's a hard copy, rather
than electronic!

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Popeye,

I don't know of one "all encompassing" directory, a lot is found simply by
hunt & peck. This MSDN link is a place to start:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/sysinfo/base/registry_functions.asp

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Guest]

Hi Rick

I was afraid of that - but MS MUST have a full list of all keys/values/data
that are valid and what each does. Wouldn't it be logical to publish it to
make everyone's life easier?

 

[David Candy]

They don't. Each division at MS does it own thing. The programmers know their own keys. Which is what the registry is designed for - programs storing their settings - any setting the program wants.

Your question shows a misapprehension of both MS (lawyers are present for all interdepartmental communication) and the registry (it's just a database for program settings).

 

[Guest]

Thank you David.

So, if I'd not known about "NeverShowExt" hiding the file extension and it
had never been published anywhere (so no-one outside MS knew of it's
existence), it would be a matter of trial and error before someone stumbled
across it and then published details for all to benefit?

If that's the case, I'm very grateful for the many websites that are
dedicated to tweaking the various generations of Windows and the registry.

 

[David Candy]

That is correct. You can use Word's Recover Text converter to open Dlls and Exes and look for keys. You can use Regmon from www.sysinternals.com to monitor programs.

 

[Malke]

Thank you David.

So, if I'd not known about "NeverShowExt" hiding the file extension
and it had never been published anywhere (so no-one outside MS knew of
it's existence), it would be a matter of trial and error before
someone stumbled across it and then published details for all to
benefit?

If that's the case, I'm very grateful for the many websites that are
dedicated to tweaking the various generations of Windows and the
registry.

That is correct. There are people who specialize in the Registry - MVP
Kelly Theriot comes to my mind first - who literally go through the
Registry to find out what does what. People who put in hours and hours
playing with the system, breaking, changing, tinkering to see what
happens and then publishing their findings on a website or in a book.
Those of us who don't do that research are the fortunate recipients of
their efforts.

Malke

 

[Steve N.]

Hi everyone

I am aware of many websites which deal with registry tweaks, but is there a
definitive document which gives details of ALL possible keys, values and
data? The reason that I ask is that some values can be thought of
instinctively, such as hiding file extensions: "NeverShowExt". If I didn't
know this value, I could have guessed at all sorts - "AlwaysHideExt",
"NeverShowExtension", "HideExtension", "NeverShowExt" etc. but none of these
would have worked. I assume that my Windows XP Pro knows about, and looks
for, "NeverShowExt" and acts accordingly.

Where can I find the full list of registry entries and what each does? I
realise that it's likely to be a large volume, if it's a hard copy, rather
than electronic!

Like David said, the registry is a database that contains data for
system and application functions and properties. As such, anything can
be in there. For example, a programmer writes an application that at
installation creates new reg entries for its purposes. The OS doesn't
have or need to know what they are or are for as long as the application
knows and finds them when it needs to. Therefore there really can be no
complete compendium of _all_ possible registry entries. If you remember
the old Win3x days (and even into Win9x days) there were .ini files
galore that contained system and application settings (there still are
some for backwards comapatibility reasons I presume), whereas the
registry is a way of conglomerating those settings into a single
database system.

I'm certain I've oversimplified this, but the concept is pretty good I
think. Someone will likely (and hopefully) correct me if I am wrong.

Steve N.

 

[Vanguard]

Hi everyone

I am aware of many websites which deal with registry tweaks, but is there
a
definitive document which gives details of ALL possible keys, values and
data? The reason that I ask is that some values can be thought of
instinctively, such as hiding file extensions: "NeverShowExt". If I
didn't
know this value, I could have guessed at all sorts - "AlwaysHideExt",
"NeverShowExtension", "HideExtension", "NeverShowExt" etc. but none of
these
would have worked. I assume that my Windows XP Pro knows about, and looks
for, "NeverShowExt" and acts accordingly.

Where can I find the full list of registry entries and what each does? I
realise that it's likely to be a large volume, if it's a hard copy, rather
than electronic!

The registry is a database replacement of using lots of separate .ini files.
How would Microsoft know anything about what some non-Microsoft program put
in an .ini file that was specific to just that program? They don't. The
author of that sofware knows what their own settings are for. Okay, now the
..ini files have been piled into a database called the Registry. Why would
Microsoft know any more know about some non-Microsoft program than they did
before regarding that program's own settings? They don't. The OS division
of Microsoft doesn't know the settings that the application divisions use,
either.

If you want to know about the Windows-only settings in the registry, go buy
some books or peck around finding tidbits on the web. If you want to know
what settings are put in the registry for some application then ask the
author of that application. Obviously they aren't going to waste their time
to provide you with a free service for a non-support call, so you'll end up
having to pay them for your curiousity. Once you get them all, write your
own book.

 

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone for continued comments.

I realise that the registry is a database and that many applications make
changes. I appreciate that MS wouldn't know about everything that other
publishers or programmers do in the registry.

When I mentioned a "directory", I meant a directory of Windows-related
registry settings. The example that I mentioned initially related to hiding
or revealing file extensions. That would work when the laptop is taken out
of the box and set up on day one and without any other software having been
installed. Wouldn't it be logical for MS to publish a list of those
settings, along with details of what each does?

I realise that many folks poke around in the registry to see what does what
and then are gracious enough to publish the information for everyone's
benefit.

 

[Vanguard]

Thanks to everyone for continued comments.

I realise that the registry is a database and that many applications make
changes. I appreciate that MS wouldn't know about everything that other
publishers or programmers do in the registry.

When I mentioned a "directory", I meant a directory of Windows-related
registry settings. The example that I mentioned initially related to
hiding
or revealing file extensions. That would work when the laptop is taken
out
of the box and set up on day one and without any other software having
been
installed. Wouldn't it be logical for MS to publish a list of those
settings, along with details of what each does?

I realise that many folks poke around in the registry to see what does
what
and then are gracious enough to publish the information for everyone's
benefit.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/s...index=blended&field-keywords=windows+registry

one of which was Microsoft's own:

http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/6232.asp

You pay for that info. Just like you pay to get their Resource Kits (for
Windows or Office). You don't get ALL expertise from Microsoft included
when purchasing their end-user consumer-grade OS.

 

[Guest]

Thank you. I have Jerry Honeycutt's book. It's very good, but doesn't give
all the details that I'm searching. I guess it's back to googling for
information!