Windows stores just about everything that makes it work in a hierarchical file-based database called the Windows Registry. The registry contains all the configuration settings for the operating system, programs, services, components, and pretty much everything. Everything from the size of icons to the color of the taskbar is stored there.
The Ultimate Guide to Backing Up Your PC
The registry is made up of millions of keys and values. You can think of keys as folders and values as the data stored in the folders. In the registry editor, keys actually look like folders and values are the data that contains the actual settings. Each key in the registry can have more than one value, just as a folder can contain more than one file.
Values can also store data of various types, including String, Binary, DWORD, QWORD, and more. You don't really need to understand that level of detail, but hopefully you understand the structure of the registry.
When it comes to backing up the registry, you basically have two options: manually backing up parts of the registry via export or backing up the entire registry using System Restore. Whenever you make a change to the registry, it is always a good idea to create a restore point and then back up the edited portion of the registry as well.
