Seems like a simple question, but how do you edit the registry in Windows 7? regedit seems nowhere to be found. Or at least typing "reg" into the Search box on the start menu yields nothing, even when logged on as system admin. (This may be common with Vista, I don't know, since I skipped straight from XP to Win7).
Or are you forced to do it with command-line reg.exe?
7 Answers
Typing "reg" and not finding regedit is a symptom of Windows 7's search--it won't find an item based on 3 or fewer characters unless you have found it once already. After you type "regedit" and run, the next time you type "reg", it should find regedit.exe.
Type regedit in the search box and hit Enter.
Typing
regedit
In the search bar and pressing enter brings it up fine for me.
1Typing "regedit" in the "Run" window works as well.
The old-school reg.exe command-line registry editor command is no longer available in Windows 7 (though you could try to copy it from an XP installation over and see if it runs).
You had better try to get used to regedit.exe - it's been the GUI-based standard since, oh last century? :)
3Insert the installation CD and reboot the system, then go to Setup.
In Setup go to Repair, after that "System recovery options", and select "Command Prompt".
In Command Prompt type the following commands and press Enter after each one:
C:(or whatever partition Windows is installed on)cd WindowsRegedit
Click Start > Type regedit in search box and press Enter
then it will display registry window
1
