This is an all-in-one guide to customizing and optimizing Windows Millennium, the newest consumer version of Windows in the year 2000. Written especially for professional users, software developers, and system administrators, the book provides information on the Windows Millennium Registry - how it is organized, how it works, and what role it plays in the operating system boot process. Using the step-by-step instructions and detailed examples readers are shown how to master Registry concepts, fix a corrupt registry, recover from boot failures, plan backup and recovery strategies and more. More advanced chapters cover various aspects of administrating and securing the Registry, and include tips and tricks for troubleshooting common registry problems. Special attention is paid to the new features of Windows Millennium, including: how the Windows Millennium edition and Registry differ from Windows 95/98; and the Windows NT/2000 Registries. Detailed explanations describe: the System Restore and System File Protection functions; clarifications of the new TCP/IP stack and how it relates to the Windows Millennium Registry; and how the Registry interacts with the latest versions of popular applications including Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5, Windows Media Player 7, and Movie Maker.