Windows Registry

Another place you find configuration options is in the Windows Registry. Without going into all the nitty gritty details, the Registry is a giant database of configuration settings for Windows and Windows applications; it's what the operating system itself uses for configuration. Indeed, when you make a configuration change via the Control Panel, that change is stored in the Registry.

That being the case, one way to make configuration changes is to edit those settings in the Registry. This isn't that hard to do, but it does require a bit of technical surety, as it's possible to really mess up your system if you make the wrong Registry change. For that matter, editing the Registry is not recommended for everyone; in fact, some experts don't recommend it for anyone-other than hard-core techies, of course. I'm not that opposed to recommending Registry edits, but do understand if any given reader isn't comfortable doing so.

The Registry is edited via a utility called the Registry Editor (or just Regedit). There's no direct way to open this utility, however. (That's Microsoft's way of keeping non-techies away.) What you have to do is open the Start menu and enter regedit into the search box. The Regedit program appears in the search results list; click this item to launch the Editor.

Once the Registry Editor is open, you navigate to specific settings (called keys) to make your changes. The Registry is densely packed with obscure entries, so it definitely pays to know what you're doing before you get in over your head.