How to Edit Windows 2000 Registry with REGEDT32

This article provides a concise overview of using the REGEDT32 utility to edit the system registry directly in Microsoft Windows 2000. It covers the specific role of the tool, its distinguishing features compared to the standard Registry Editor, and the straightforward steps required to launch and navigate the utility to manage system configurations and key permissions safely.

Understanding REGEDT32 in Windows 2000

In Microsoft Windows 2000, the operating system included two distinct registry editors: REGEDIT.EXE and REGEDT32.EXE. The utility used to edit the registry directly with full administrative control over security descriptors is REGEDT32 (regedt32.exe), located in the %SystemRoot%\System32 directory.

While both tools modify registry entries, Windows 2000 relied on REGEDT32 for advanced administration tasks that the standard 16-bit-derived REGEDIT could not perform.

Key Capabilities of REGEDT32

  • Security Permissions: REGEDT32 allows administrators to set access control lists (ACLs), user permissions, auditing, and ownership on individual registry keys via the Security menu.
  • Extended Data Types: It natively supports editing complex data types, including REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ.
  • Read-Only Mode: REGEDT32 includes an optional read-only mode to prevent accidental modifications during troubleshooting.
  • MDI Interface: Unlike REGEDIT, REGEDT32 uses a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) where each registry tree (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_USERS, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG) opens in its own distinct window.

How to Open and Use REGEDT32

  1. Click the Start button and select Run.
  2. In the Open dialog box, type regedt32 and press Enter or click OK.
  3. Locate the target root key window (e.g., HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE).
  4. Navigate through the subkey hierarchy to locate the value you intend to modify.
  5. Double-click any value entry to adjust its string, binary, or multi-string data.
  6. To modify access rights, select the key, click the Security menu, and choose Permissions.

Differences Between REGEDIT and REGEDT32 in Windows 2000

  • Search Functionality: REGEDIT.EXE provided a full search mechanism that searched keys, values, and data simultaneously. REGEDT32.EXE only allowed searching for key names, not value names or contents.
  • Permissions: REGEDT32.EXE was the only built-in tool in Windows 2000 capable of setting access rights on keys.

(Note: Starting in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, Microsoft merged these features into a single unified REGEDIT.EXE, turning REGEDT32.EXE into a simple shortcut stub.)