The summary of ‘What Are Those Different HKEY Registry Things in Windows Anyway?’

The video provides a detailed explanation of the Windows registry, emphasizing the structure of keys and values within it. Key registry locations such as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are highlighted, each serving specific purposes related to system configuration and applications. The significance of root keys like HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_USERS in managing user settings is discussed. Additionally, the existence and function of the HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA virtual key, which stores performance-related data utilized by applications, are explained. The video suggests that performance data can be accessed through registry commands and briefly mentions a related video experiment involving Windows registry deletion while the system is running. It concludes with a call for engagement and invites viewers to explore more content.

00:00:00

In this segment of the video, it explains that the Windows registry is composed of keys and values, with the keys being on the left-hand side and values representing variables on the right-hand side. The primary location for the registry files is in the C:WindowsSystem32config directory, except for the current user’s files, which are located in the user profile directory. The root keys like HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE are predefined registry keys that serve as logical pointers to various files within the registry. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT deals with registered applications and file associations, while HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE holds information about the local computer, such as system memory and installed hardware. The video also explains how user and default settings are managed within these keys.

00:03:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses various root keys in the Windows registry. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key contains information about the system’s configuration, devices, drivers, and startup parameters. The HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG key pertains to the current hardware profile, linking to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key. HKEY_USERS stores settings for each user, while HKEY_CURRENT_USER is specific to the logged-in user, also pointing to HKEY_USERS. Moreover, there is a virtual key called HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA, not visible in the registry editor, which contains performance-related data reported by the operating system kernel and applications. This information is utilized by applications and can be viewed in the Task Manager’s performance tab.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, the speaker explains how performance data can be accessed through registry key commands like any other information in the registry. The video encourages viewers to give it a thumbs up for the YouTube algorithm and mentions a related video where the speaker deletes the Windows registry while the system is running as an experiment. It ends with a thank you message and invites viewers to watch more videos.