The Windows NT Registry

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The Windows NT Registry is very similar to the Registry used with Windows 9.x. The main difference is that the Windows NT Registry is a 32-bit program. The Windows 9.x Registry is a 16-bit program. Windows NT stores Registry information in a file called REG.DAT. To maintain the ability to modify and communicate with older 16-bit programs, Windows NT supports the 16-bit registration database program editor REGEDIT.EXE that is used with Windows 9.x. REGEDT32.EXE is the Windows NT Registry editor that displays the Registry Keys in the right pane of the display and the Registry values in the left pane (Figure 12.2).

Figure 12.2: Windows NT Registry Editor displaying subkeys and values.

You can use either REGEDIT.EXE or REGEDT32.EXE to make changes to the Registry in Windows NT. Make sure that you update your ERD disk using RDISK /S from a Windows NT command prompt before making any changes to the Registry.

If you would like more information about the differences between REGEDIT.EXE and REGEDT32.EXE, visit the Microsoft Product Support Web site at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q141/3/77.ASP.

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