Product Description

Provides focused coverage of Windows most important, and challenging, element: the registry. Text will demystify the Windows Registry, optimize performance, avoid disasters, fix problems, and includes invaluable reference to registry keys, enteries, and data types. Softcover.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1506236 in Books
• Published on: 2000-01-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 736 pages

From the Back Cover
Expert Advice for Windows 2000 Administrators, Programmers, and Power Users

Mastering Windows 2000 Registry takes you to guruhood fast. Created for experienced system administrators, programmers, and consultants, this reference provides focused coverage of Windows' most important--and most challenging--element: the Registry. Inside, you'll learn to customize Windows 2000, optimize the network, and avoid scores of potential disasters, all by working with Registry settings. If you have to be prepared to troubleshoot the latest version of Windows, this guide is absolutely essential. Coverage includes:

• Understanding registry keys and data types
• Applying the secrets of the most important registry keys
• Adjusting the Windows UI through registry settings
• Using the registry in networking
• Optimizing performance by editing registry settings
• Working with registry tools
• Recovering from disasters
• Eliminating unwanted keys, entries, applications, and files
• Taking advantage of the registry in your own programs
• Tracking registry changes made by applications
• Navigating registry entries

About the Author
Peter D. Hipson is an author, consultant, and teacher. When not writing computer books, he can often be found teaching computer science at the local college, where he says he "ruins the lives of hundreds of unsuspecting college students every year." An avid Microsoft beta tester, he finds time to test and use virtually every product Microsoft produces.

Customer Reviews

Great reference for Registry details
The Registry is probably one of the most misunderstood, praised, and cursed portions of the Windows operating system today. This book on the Windows 2000 Registry covers areas such as optimization, fixing problems and disaster recovery in addition to the traditional information on Keys, Entries and Data Types. You will find that Hipson tends to take the "official" Microsoft position on many items. However, there are many third party alternatives out there to help resolve problems. For example, as consultants our company often has to work on a system that we did not set up. So, since security is often messed up, the registry has problems, etc. we find ourselves in the position of having to boot the system in DOS and access the NTFS drive to repair a problem (and, No, I am not going to explain here how to reset the Administrator password this way). Hipson indicates that it can't be done (the official Microsoft position). However, there are many third party utilities out there in the real world that make this a no-brainer to do.
While this book contains a great deal of very good and very detailed information on the registry, the text actually is written in a very choppy manner. It is an exceptional text to have around to help resolve a problem but not a particularly easy one to read from beginning to end. In short, a better reference than a read, but an exceptional reference at that.

Mastering Windows 2000 Registry
The Windows Registry, the nervous system for Windows 95, 98, and NT, is a complex and misunderstood element of the Microsoft Operating System architecture. Just as absorbing all the facets of the human nervous system is difficult, covering the topic of Registry from all the aspects is too gigantic undertaking to be practical in market today.

I feel this book is better than 98 series in terms of organization, cross references and security information. As for me, the extent of usefulness was limted because I wanted some specific information regarding registry- setting multiple icons(superimposed) on my company's system. At places, I wanted the counterparts in NT, but I think that was too much to ask. Nonetheless, the author strives to put in some good tricks.

Unlike the books that are just for beginners( too slow paced books, I mean), this book is ok for experienced Windows(and novices) users moving to the 2000 platform, power users, administrators who manage Windows 2000 and maintain clients, and programmers interested in manipulating the Registry( better luck with the information you are looking for)

Better luck with Registry.

Not as good as expected...
I purchase this book as a guide to the Windows XP Registry. There is probably more useful information about the registry than any other book out there. That said, the book suffers from poor organization and many inane jokes.The Registry information is comprehensive, maybe overly so as there is no emphasis on what are important tweaks and changes to the Registry as opposed to insignificant details. Other sections point out many different ways to accomplish a task, but no suggestions as to which technique is the best. this book is best as an encyclopedia rather than a guide to using the Registry. Also Hipson recommends installing a second copy of XP to a different directory rather than a different partition. Bad idea! Try Honeycutt instead.