SIVAPRASAD

Windows XP has a vast number of configuration dialogs, but some

adjustments can be performed only by directly editing the Registry.

Frequently, tips involving Registry tweaks include stern warnings to

back up the Registry before making any change. The Windows XP Backup

applet can back up the Registry along with other elements of the System

State, but the resulting data file can occupy hundreds of megabytes.

You're better off saving a system restore point each time you're about

to edit the Registry. Better still, you can use Regedit to back up only

the Registry keys that will be changed.

Click on Start | Run and enter Regedit to launch the Registry editor.

To back up an individual key you plan to edit, navigate to the key and

right-click on it. Choose Export from the menu, and save the key to a

REG file. Open the REG file in Notepad and insert a few comment lines

that describe the source and purpose of the tweak. (To create a comment

line, simply put a semicolon at the start of the line.)

Now go ahead and make all the changes to Registry keys and values

specified by the tip you're applying. Any time you add a new key or

value, make a note of it with another comment line in the REG file.

When you're done, save the REG file and close Notepad.


If later you want to undo this Registry tweak, just double-click on the

REG file and confirm that you want to add it to the Registry. This will

restore any deleted keys or values and will restore the original data

for any values whose data was changed. Note that this will not remove

new keys or values that were added; that's why you need to make

comments about such changes.

Right-click on the REG file and choose Edit, which will open it in

Notepad. Check for comments about keys or values that were added, and

if you find any, use Regedit to delete them. You can delete the REG

file itself once you've completed this process