What file(s) make up the system registry?

[RamonGTP]

In windows xp and windows 2000, which file or files make up the system registry?

Thanks,

-Ramon

[TweakerXP]

Well that's a good question...so here I go, someone here in sysopts will correct me if I'm wrong.

The registry is made up of a central information database where the operating system and apps store their data.
It configures and tracks hardware, device drivers and Apps
It contains two DAT file that store user specific info....SYSTEM.DAT and USER.DAT
It also has five sub trees in it...
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.... software settings
HKEY_CURRENT_USER.....data specific to the user
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.....cofig data for the machine
HKEY_USERS....data for the user
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG....current hardware config

A WORD OF CAUTION...messing around in there can render your machine unable to boot.

BACK IT UP!!! BACK IT UP!!! BACK IT UP!!! BACK IT UP!!!

Hope this helps.......

gOoD LuCK.......:t

[BFlurie]

W9Xs' registry has system.dat & user.dat. NT4-core OSs' registry has more files & resides in C:\windows\system32\config and a few pieces in c:\windows\profiles. Its backed-up reg resides in c:\windows\repair.

[RamonGTP]

Yeah, I found out that it wasn't the .dat files because I already tried searching for those and came up empty. So which files in the C:\windows\system32\config folder are the registry files?

[rangeral]

I didn't see anything after a quick perusal that would add up to around 45mg compared to 98's 6mg registry, xp is much to large a registry.

[TweakerXP]

See I told you they would correct me.....

These guys are GOOD!!!!!:D :r

[rraehal]

Here is some info:
When viewed through an editing tool, the registry on a Windows 9x operating system looks identical to the registry of Windows NT-, 2000- and XP-based systems. But Coleman says they're represented differently on disk.

The Windows 9x registry comprises two files: system.dat and user.dat. Windows Me adds a classes.dat file. Both system.dat and user.dat are stored in the windows directory, unless the system is set up for individual user profiles; then the user.dat file is stored in windowsprofiles username, Coleman says.

The registry for the Windows NT, 2000 and XP family is stored in multiple files in several subdirectories, and the user.dat file has a physically different structure than the user.dat file in Windows 9x.
http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/os/windows/story/0,10801,70565,00.html

You may need to view hidden and system files to see the registry or use the attyrib command to make them visible.

9x and ME Example
ATTRIB -R -S -H C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.DAT
ATTRIB -R -S -H C:\WINDOWS\USER.DAT

[BFlurie]

So which files in the C:\windows\system32\config folder are the registry files?

All of 'em. Regedt32.exe translates those files into a somewhat readable organization of hives as Tweaker sez, but trying to associate those files w/what regedt32 shows you is kinda tricky.