Windows: Regedit or Group Policy Editor?
All the fine tuning in Windows is done via registry modification. The question is, what approach to use, to minimize the risk of catastrophic consequences. Any incorrect registry change may render the system damaged.
There are at least two means to modify the registry, namely running registry editor
regedit.exe
or using Group Policy editor
gpedit.msc
(a Control Panel application). There are pros and cons for either means.
First, using regedit is extremely dangerous in case one doesn't use it very cautiously. Any change in system registry may result in system malfunction, may as well damage data and render the whole system useless. Also, a number of 'tweaks' can be done via modifying different registry entries in case of different Windows types and versions.
Group Policy editor is a front-end to the registry, able to handle popular tasks by affecting proper registry values, in case of any type of Windows. That is, it means less risk of damaging the system and makes changes more uniform. However, not all the 'tweaks' are available from Group Policy editor.
Thus the answer is this: in order to achieve better results, if a change can be made via Global Policy editor, it should be used. Otherwise, direct modification via regedit may seem the last means available.
Note that prior to modifying the registry, one should back up registry, at least the branch of it to be changed (via regedit 'Export' tool). A third-party tool such as Spybot or System Mechanic may also be used to backup and restore the registry.
This article was brought to you by the developers of IPHost Network Monitor, network and server monitoring software.