[Iconicmoronic]

I was wondering how to view the value of registry keys? I can open my registry and see keys with values but they usually just say default or something to identify the value, but I can't see the value. If I right click and hit modify it asks for a name and type, or modify binary will let me modify those values, but I can't see the values which are in place and so don't know for instance what other registry values are tied to one registry value. I looked up HKEY CLASSES ROOT up on the internet for example, and it says that information like program id's and clsid's should be noted in the registry values for HKCR; but I can't see these values only a named value like (default). Can someone help me understand how I can learn to make more human the information in the registry? msdn.com is the only resource I have as of yet. I have a hexadecimal editor, and notepad too. I just want to experiment with the OS and see what can be found. Thanks.

Oh the title to the post says vista/7 because I have both copies of windows. Really I just need to know how to look at the actual values of the registry keys on my PC.

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Why do you need to view the registry anyway? Registry Editor is for just that, editing the registry. This is not something you should do unless you know what you're doing as its easily possible to screw things up to a point where it doesn't boot any longer. It's not meant to be human friendly, it's the heart of your system. No registry means no system.

[Neil Jones]

Why do you need to view the registry anyway? Registry Editor is for just that, editing the registry. This is not something you should do unless you know what you're doing as its easily possible to screw things up to a point where it doesn't boot any longer. It's not meant to be human friendly, it's the heart of your system. No registry means no system.

[Iconicmoronic]

why=my business thanks for managing not to be friendly enough to get an answer birdman
registry=heart of machine thus dixie
me= cowboy or cavemen in the dissent of communication
general reply: make friendly query which program DOES?

love you too niel jones

[Broni]

@ Iconicmoronic
There is no reason to be rude.
Neil Jones stated, what is general consensus regarding registry. If you don't know much about it, don't touch it.
Your initial post is very general.
If you have any specific computer problem, where registry may be involved, let us know and we'll try to help you out.

[FNP]

If I may jump in here,

I completely understand where Iconicmoronic is coming from. Myself personally, I like to browse and peruse different aspects of just about everything I do- including my computer. It's how I learn, and it interests me.

If, for example, someone were using a virtual machine, and wanted to alter the registry (knowing that there was a significant chance their machine would become disabled), then this is a completely legitimate question. Isn't that the point of virtual machines, anyway? To test scenarios that you wouldn't want to try on your real computer?

If you don't know much about it, don't touch it.

Yes- if you don't want to crew things up. But if someone wants to learn and experiment, there's no reason they shouldn't be able to go in and get their hands dirty. So your OS needs a reinstall- big whoop. Granted, it's not "healthy", but if the purpose of your system is for experimentation and learning, what could be better?

Anyway. That's just what I have to say. And you two play nice. I don't want to have to separate you...