The Windows Registry is a giant database that keeps track of your system's configuration information. It remembers the name of the Recycle Bin and the position of icons on your desktop. Move an icon, and the recorded position changes in the registry.
Most applications consult or write to the directory on a regular basis, as does most hardware.
For this reason, tampering with the registry can be a dangerous business. There is so much critical information and so many important settings in the registry that a misstep when changing that information or those settings can disable your computer. The registry interface looks very much like a Windows Explorer directory. Editing your Windows Registry is far from an activity that should be undertaken on a trial and error basis. Changes to the registry can result in the errors that can force you to reinstall your operating system.