Certain system changes require you to modify the registry. Since editing the registry is risky, make sure that you have a verified backup before saving any changes. In addition, it's important to understand the differences between the two registry programs: Regedit and Regedt32.
Regedit- Is available in all versions of Windows since Windows 95
- Is a 16-bit Windows application
- Handles simple value types, such as REG_DWORD, REG_SZ, and REG_BINARY
- Uses an explorer style interface with all hives in a single window
- Opens at the location of the last used key
- Supports both key and value searches
- Has an executable that's located at %WinBootDir%, usually c:\Windows
- Allows importing and exporting of text-based registry files
- Doesn’t have security
- Is available only in Windows NT, 2000, XP, and 2003
- Is a 32-bit Windows application
- Handles simple value types, such as REG_DWORD, REG_SZ, and REG_BINARY
- Handles complex value types, such as REG_EXPAND_SZ, REG_MULTI_SZ, REG_RESOURCE_LIST, REG_FULL_RESOURCE_DESCRIPTOR, and REG_RESOURCE_REQUIREMENTS_LIST
- Has each hive presented in a separate window
- Opens at the root level of each hive
- Can be used to work with hive keys, such as add, delete, and modify
- Supports only key searches--can’t search on values
- Has an executable that's located at %SystemRoot%\System32, usually c:\winnt\system32
- Allows importing and exporting of binary registry files
- Allows exporting only of text-based registry files
- Optionally supports read-only and permissions security modes
